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Thursday, March 23, 2017
Employment increased in all 24 of Florida’s large counties from September 2015 to September 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are defined as those with 2015 average annual employment levels of 75,000 or more.) Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that employment increases ranged from 5.1 percent in Collier County to 0.9 percent in Bay County. (See table 1.)
Nationally, employment advanced 1.7 percent from September 2015 to September 2016 as 307 of the 344 largest U.S. counties registered increases. York, S.C., had the largest percentage increase in the country, up 6.0 percent over the year. Midland, Texas, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment among the largest counties in the U.S., with a loss of 5.8 percent.
Among the 24 largest counties in Florida, employment was highest in Miami-Dade County (1,107,400) in September 2016, while Bay County had the smallest employment level (77,400). Together, Florida’s large counties accounted for about 87.0 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 344 largest counties made up 72.5 percent of total U.S. employment, which stood at 142.9 million in September 2016.
All of Florida’s 24 large counties posted over-the-year wage increases in September 2016. Hillsborough County had the highest average weekly wage among the state’s largest counties at $993, followed by Miami-Dade County ($983) and Palm Beach County ($973). Nationally, the average weekly wage rose 5.4 percent over the year to $1,027 in the third quarter of 2016. (See table 1.)
Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 43 counties in Florida with employment below 75,000. All of these smaller counties had average weekly wages below the national average in the third quarter of 2016. (See table 2.)
Large county wage changesAverage weekly wages increased in each of the 24 largest counties in Florida from the third quarter of 2015 to the third quarter of 2016. The wage gains in five of the state’s large counties placed in the top tenth of the national ranking—Manatee (10.7 percent, 2nd), Alachua (9.5 percent, 9th), Marion (9.3 percent, 12th), Hillsborough (8.4 percent, 21st), and Sarasota (7.9 percent, 27th). (See table 1.)
Nationally, 339 of the 344 largest counties registered over-the-year wage increases. Clark, Nev. had the largest wage gain, up 12.2 percent from the third quarter of 2015. Manatee, Fla., was second with a wage increase of 10.7 percent, followed by the counties of Hillsborough, N.H. (10.4 percent); Elkhart, Ind. and Boone, Ky. (10.3 percent each); and McLean, Ill. (10.2 percent).
Of the 344 largest counties, 5 experienced over-the-year decreases in average weekly wages. Rockland, N.Y., had the largest percentage decrease in average weekly wages (-14.9 percent), followed by Lafayette, La. (-3.4 percent); Benton, Ark. (-2.0 percent); Lake, Ill. (-0.9 percent); and Midland, Texas (-0.3 percent).
Large county average weekly wagesAverage weekly wages in five of Florida’s large counties placed in the top half of the national ranking in the third quarter of 2016. However, none of these counties had an average weekly wage above the national average of $1,027. In contrast, the four large counties with the lowest average weekly wages in the state—Osceola ($707, 340th), Lake ($715, 337th), Pasco ($717, 336th), and Marion ($719, 335th) ranked among the 10 lowest in the United States.
Nationwide, average weekly wages were at or above the U.S. average ($1,027) in 103 of the 344 largest counties in the third quarter of 2016. Santa Clara, Calif., recorded the highest average weekly wage at $2,260, followed by San Mateo, Calif. ($2,098); San Francisco, Calif. ($1,892); New York, N.Y. ($1,879); and Washington, D.C. ($1,728).
Among the largest U.S. counties, 241 had weekly wages below the national average in the third quarter of 2016. Horry, S.C. ($632), reported the lowest wage, followed by Cameron, Texas ($636); Hidalgo, Texas ($654); Webb, Texas ($680); and Osceola, Fla. ($707).
Average weekly wages in Florida’s smaller countiesAll 43 counties in Florida with employment below 75,000 had average weekly wages lower than the national average of $1,027. Among these counties, Martin County had the highest average weekly wage at $781. Calhoun County reported the lowest weekly wage among all counties in the state, averaging $547 in the third quarter of 2016. (See table 2.)
When all 67 counties in Florida were considered, 5 had average weekly wages below $600, 24 had wages from $600-$699, 21 had wages from $700-$799, 9 had wages from $800 to $899, and 8 had wages at $900 or above. (See chart 1.)
Additional statistics and other informationQuarterly data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note or visit www.bls.gov/cew.
Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. The 2015 edition of this publication contains selected data produced by Business Employment Dynamics (BED) on job gains and losses, as well as selected data from the first quarter 2016 version of the national news release. Tables and additional content from Employment and Wages Annual Averages 2015 are now available online at https://www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/2015/home.htm. The 2016 edition of Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online will be available in September 2017.
The County Employment and Wages release for fourth quarter 2016 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 7, 2017.
Average weekly wage data by county are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, also known as the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The 9.8 million employer reports cover 142.9 million full- and part-time workers. The average weekly wage values are calculated by dividing quarterly total wages by the average of the three monthly employment levels of those covered by UI programs. The result is then divided by 13, the number of weeks in a quarter. It is to be noted, therefore, that over-the-year wage changes for geographic areas may reflect shifts in the composition of employment by industry, occupation, and such other factors as hours of work. Thus, wages may vary among counties, metropolitan areas, or states for reasons other than changes in the average wage level. Data for all states, Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), counties, and the nation are available on the BLS Web site at www.bls.gov/cew/; however, data in QCEW press releases have been revised and may not match the data contained on the Bureau’s Web site.
QCEW data are not designed as a time series. QCEW data are simply the sums of individual establishment records reflecting the number of establishments that exist in a county or industry at a point in time. Establishments can move in or out of a county or industry for a number of reasons–some reflecting economic events, others reflecting administrative changes.
The preliminary QCEW data presented in this release may differ from data released by the individual states as well as from the data presented on the BLS Web site. These potential differences result from the states’ continuing receipt, review and editing of UI data over time. On the other hand, differences between data in this release and the data found on the BLS Web site are the result of adjustments made to improve over-the-year comparisons. Specifically, these adjustments account for administrative (noneconomic) changes such as a correction to a previously reported location or industry classification. Adjusting for these administrative changes allows users to more accurately assess changes of an economic nature (such as a firm moving from one county to another or changing its primary economic activity) over a 12-month period. Currently, adjusted data are available only from BLS press releases.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.
Area | Employment | Average weekly wage (1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 2016 (thousands) | Percent change, September 2015-16 (2) | National ranking by percent change (3) | Average weekly wage | National ranking by level (3) | Percent change, third quarter 2015-16 (2) | National ranking by percent change (3) | |
United States (4) | 142,940.5 | 1.7 | -- | $1,027 | -- | 5.4 | -- |
Florida | 8,320.2 | 3.7 | -- | 905 | 29 | 6.2 | 14 |
Alachua, Fla. | 128.7 | 3.1 | 58 | 880 | 238 | 9.5 | 9 |
Bay, Fla. | 77.4 | 0.9 | 250 | 754 | 330 | 5.0 | 215 |
Brevard, Fla. | 203.2 | 4.7 | 8 | 932 | 184 | 7.0 | 59 |
Broward, Fla. | 781.2 | 2.5 | 105 | 951 | 166 | 5.8 | 152 |
Collier, Fla. | 135.8 | 5.1 | 4 | 869 | 250 | 6.8 | 68 |
Duval, Fla. | 490.3 | 3.4 | 46 | 967 | 157 | 6.4 | 100 |
Escambia, Fla. | 131.4 | 3.8 | 29 | 809 | 308 | 6.3 | 108 |
Hillsborough, Fla. | 666.3 | 3.7 | 34 | 993 | 128 | 8.4 | 21 |
Lake, Fla. | 93.9 | 4.2 | 16 | 715 | 337 | 5.9 | 139 |
Lee, Fla. | 247.6 | 4.5 | 12 | 806 | 312 | 5.4 | 187 |
Leon, Fla. | 147.9 | 3.1 | 58 | 841 | 279 | 5.9 | 139 |
Manatee, Fla. | 116.1 | 2.7 | 87 | 816 | 299 | 10.7 | 2 |
Marion, Fla. | 100.0 | 3.8 | 29 | 719 | 335 | 9.3 | 12 |
Miami-Dade, Fla. | 1,107.4 | 2.6 | 96 | 983 | 138 | 6.0 | 130 |
Okaloosa, Fla. | 82.2 | 2.9 | 74 | 855 | 268 | 4.8 | 233 |
Orange, Fla. | 797.1 | 3.2 | 54 | 904 | 211 | 6.0 | 130 |
Osceola, Fla. | 89.1 | 3.8 | 29 | 707 | 340 | 5.5 | 177 |
Palm Beach, Fla. | 579.8 | 3.6 | 40 | 973 | 149 | 5.0 | 215 |
Pasco, Fla. | 114.2 | 4.1 | 18 | 717 | 336 | 6.2 | 117 |
Pinellas, Fla. | 418.6 | 2.6 | 96 | 900 | 214 | 6.3 | 108 |
Polk, Fla. | 210.0 | 3.2 | 54 | 783 | 324 | 5.7 | 160 |
Sarasota, Fla. | 162.6 | 2.9 | 74 | 838 | 281 | 7.9 | 27 |
Seminole, Fla. | 184.7 | 4.8 | 7 | 852 | 270 | 6.0 | 130 |
Volusia, Fla. | 169.2 | 4.7 | 8 | 727 | 334 | 4.3 | 269 |
Footnotes: | |||||||
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. |
Area | Employment September 2016 | Average Weekly Wage(1) |
---|---|---|
United States(2) | 142,940,452 | $1,027 |
Florida | 8,320,165 | 905 |
Alachua | 128,711 | 880 |
Baker | 7,659 | 614 |
Bay | 77,437 | 754 |
Bradford | 6,689 | 685 |
Brevard | 203,172 | 932 |
Broward | 781,211 | 951 |
Calhoun | 2,829 | 547 |
Charlotte | 45,935 | 702 |
Citrus | 32,130 | 689 |
Clay | 50,580 | 702 |
Collier | 135,810 | 869 |
Columbia | 24,810 | 704 |
De Soto | 8,408 | 656 |
Dixie | 2,634 | 660 |
Duval | 490,278 | 967 |
Escambia | 131,432 | 809 |
Flagler | 22,841 | 643 |
Franklin | 3,340 | 589 |
Gadsden | 12,841 | 672 |
Gilchrist | 3,465 | 638 |
Glades | 1,412 | 758 |
Gulf | 3,810 | 663 |
Hamilton | 3,190 | 718 |
Hardee | 6,378 | 643 |
Hendry | 10,770 | 705 |
Hernando | 41,421 | 656 |
Highlands | 27,288 | 634 |
Hillsborough | 666,256 | 993 |
Holmes | 3,307 | 570 |
Indian River | 49,215 | 756 |
Jackson | 14,428 | 666 |
Jefferson | 2,485 | 641 |
Lafayette | 1,369 | 599 |
Lake | 93,870 | 715 |
Lee | 247,553 | 806 |
Leon | 147,865 | 841 |
Levy | 8,759 | 585 |
Liberty | 1,904 | 648 |
Madison | 4,188 | 618 |
Manatee | 116,087 | 816 |
Marion | 99,957 | 719 |
Martin | 65,183 | 781 |
Miami-Dade | 1,107,441 | 983 |
Monroe | 40,827 | 767 |
Nassau | 21,165 | 743 |
Okaloosa | 82,241 | 855 |
Okeechobee | 11,083 | 678 |
Orange | 797,116 | 904 |
Osceola | 89,072 | 707 |
Palm Beach | 579,823 | 973 |
Pasco | 114,182 | 717 |
Pinellas | 418,648 | 900 |
Polk | 209,961 | 783 |
Putnam | 16,418 | 697 |
St. Johns | 70,580 | 776 |
St. Lucie | 72,719 | 753 |
Santa Rosa | 36,169 | 679 |
Sarasota | 162,582 | 838 |
Seminole | 184,694 | 852 |
Sumter | 27,001 | 746 |
Suwannee | 11,575 | 633 |
Taylor | 6,677 | 743 |
Union | 3,729 | 697 |
Volusia | 169,215 | 727 |
Wakulla | 5,561 | 662 |
Walton | 25,067 | 697 |
Washington | 5,836 | 653 |
Footnotes | ||
NOTE: Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. Data are preliminary. |
State | Employment | Average weekly wage (1) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 2016 (thousands) | Percent change, September 2015-16 | Average weekly wage | National ranking by level | Percent change, third quarter 2015-16 | National ranking by percent change | |
United States (2) | 142,940.5 | 1.7 | $1,027 | -- | 5.4 | -- |
Alabama | 1,923.8 | 1.5 | 870 | 36 | 4.9 | 38 |
Alaska | 337.4 | -2.6 | 1,055 | 12 | 1.2 | 49 |
Arizona | 2,695.5 | 3.1 | 950 | 24 | 6.9 | 5 |
Arkansas | 1,205.4 | 1.0 | 794 | 48 | 5.2 | 32 |
California | 16,871.1 | 2.4 | 1,210 | 4 | 6.7 | 8 |
Colorado | 2,576.5 | 2.6 | 1,062 | 10 | 5.6 | 23 |
Connecticut | 1,674.2 | 0.3 | 1,204 | 5 | 5.0 | 34 |
Delaware | 440.7 | 0.8 | 1,022 | 16 | 5.6 | 23 |
District of Columbia | 759.2 | 1.7 | 1,728 | 1 | 3.8 | 45 |
Florida | 8,320.2 | 3.7 | 905 | 29 | 6.2 | 14 |
Georgia | 4,290.4 | 2.9 | 969 | 21 | 5.9 | 18 |
Hawaii | 648.4 | 1.8 | 956 | 23 | 6.7 | 8 |
Idaho | 703.7 | 3.5 | 782 | 50 | 6.3 | 12 |
Illinois | 5,933.6 | 0.6 | 1,062 | 10 | 4.4 | 40 |
Indiana | 3,025.9 | 1.8 | 866 | 37 | 5.9 | 18 |
Iowa | 1,548.6 | 0.8 | 873 | 35 | 6.2 | 14 |
Kansas | 1,377.2 | 0.5 | 857 | 39 | 5.9 | 18 |
Kentucky | 1,880.2 | 1.5 | 857 | 39 | 6.5 | 10 |
Louisiana | 1,908.8 | -0.9 | 883 | 32 | 2.9 | 48 |
Maine | 616.2 | 0.9 | 825 | 45 | 5.9 | 18 |
Maryland | 2,648.1 | 1.4 | 1,124 | 8 | 5.3 | 30 |
Massachusetts | 3,522.9 | 2.0 | 1,277 | 2 | 6.8 | 7 |
Michigan | 4,292.2 | 2.1 | 976 | 19 | 5.9 | 18 |
Minnesota | 2,849.5 | 1.6 | 1,053 | 13 | 6.4 | 11 |
Mississippi | 1,126.9 | 0.7 | 739 | 51 | 4.7 | 39 |
Missouri | 2,782.1 | 1.6 | 888 | 30 | 5.0 | 34 |
Montana | 464.5 | 1.5 | 792 | 49 | 4.3 | 41 |
Nebraska | 973.9 | 0.9 | 857 | 39 | 5.5 | 26 |
Nevada | 1,300.7 | 3.8 | 949 | 25 | 10.1 | 1 |
New Hampshire | 655.0 | 1.8 | 1,027 | 15 | 7.9 | 2 |
New Jersey | 4,000.0 | 1.8 | 1,173 | 7 | 5.0 | 34 |
New Mexico | 811.5 | 0.2 | 830 | 44 | 4.0 | 43 |
New York | 9,216.6 | 1.6 | 1,222 | 3 | 3.5 | 46 |
North Carolina | 4,290.3 | 2.3 | 909 | 28 | 5.3 | 30 |
North Dakota | 423.2 | -3.4 | 964 | 22 | 0.7 | 50 |
Ohio | 5,347.3 | 1.1 | 924 | 26 | 5.4 | 27 |
Oklahoma | 1,578.7 | -1.3 | 854 | 42 | 3.5 | 46 |
Oregon | 1,866.5 | 2.6 | 970 | 20 | 5.2 | 32 |
Pennsylvania | 5,776.7 | 1.0 | 1,013 | 17 | 5.4 | 27 |
Rhode Island | 481.1 | 0.8 | 990 | 18 | 7.6 | 3 |
South Carolina | 2,008.6 | 2.5 | 832 | 43 | 5.6 | 23 |
South Dakota | 424.2 | 1.1 | 809 | 47 | 7.0 | 4 |
Tennessee | 2,918.8 | 2.5 | 912 | 27 | 5.4 | 27 |
Texas | 11,830.7 | 1.3 | 1,042 | 14 | 4.3 | 41 |
Utah | 1,407.4 | 3.8 | 881 | 33 | 6.3 | 12 |
Vermont | 309.9 | 0.5 | 880 | 34 | 6.2 | 14 |
Virginia | 3,801.0 | 1.0 | 1,063 | 9 | 5.0 | 34 |
Washington | 3,278.9 | 3.0 | 1,188 | 6 | 6.9 | 5 |
West Virginia | 691.5 | -1.6 | 816 | 46 | 3.9 | 44 |
Wisconsin | 2,850.1 | 1.0 | 885 | 31 | 6.2 | 14 |
Wyoming | 274.8 | -4.7 | 865 | 38 | 0.0 | 51 |
Puerto Rico | 888.2 | -0.4 | 524 | (3) | 2.3 | (3) |
Virgin Islands | 37.4 | 1.4 | 778 | (3) | 5.9 | (3) |
Footnotes: | ||||||
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. |
Last Modified Date: Thursday, March 23, 2017