Employment increased in all 26 of Florida’s largest counties from September 2021 to September 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2021.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that Orange County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 8.3 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 4.3 percent over the year, with 346 of the 355 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Orleans, LA, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 10.7 percent. Deschutes, OR, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 0.4 percent.

Among the 26 largest counties in Florida, employment was highest in Miami-Dade County (1,196,700) in September 2022. Within Miami-Dade County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 26 largest Florida counties accounted for 87.4 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 355 largest counties made up 72.8 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 41 counties in Florida with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 41 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2022. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All 26 large Florida counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2021 to the third quarter of 2022. (See chart 2.) Three counties had rates of wage gains that were above 11.0 percent. Brevard and Osceola Counties had the largest gains (+11.8 percent each), followed by Sarasota County (+11.2 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Florida’s other 23 large counties ranged from 11.0 percent to 6.0 percent.

Among the 355 largest counties in the United States, 345 had over-the-year wage increases. Midland, TX, had the largest percentage wage increase (+13.9 percent). San Mateo, CA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-19.6 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Among Florida’s 26 largest counties, only Miami-Dade County ($1,353) reported an average weekly wage above the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2022. Average weekly wages in Florida’s other 25 large counties ranged from $1,322 in Palm Beach County to $937 in Marion County.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 91 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the third quarter of 2022. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,061. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 264 counties. At $812 a week, Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Florida’s smaller counties

All 41 smaller counties in Florida—those with employment below 75,000—had average weekly wages below the national average of $1,334. Among these smaller counties, Monroe had the highest average weekly wage at $1,081. Calhoun County ($742) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 67 counties in Florida were considered, 6 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 16 had average weekly wages from $800 to $899, 20 registered wages from $900 to $999, 10 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, and 15 had average weekly wages of $1,100 or higher. (See chart 3.)

Additional statistics and other information

QCEW 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. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update. The Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online is available at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/.

The County Employment and Wages release for fourth quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The County Employment and Wages full data update for fourth quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Technical Note

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 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 individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 26 largest counties in Florida, third quarter 2022

Area	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average weekly wage (1)
		September 2022 (thousands)	Percent change, September 2021–22 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)	Third quarter 2022	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, third quarter 2021–22 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (4)	11,608.9	151,239.6	4.3	--	$1,334	--	6.7	--
Florida	860.6	9,417.2	5.6	--	1,220	23	9.0	11
Alachua	8.0	137.2	3.3	165	1,152	219	6.2	253
Bay	6.5	78.9	3.2	179	988	336	6.9	219
Brevard	18.4	232.6	2.8	220	1,210	177	11.8	6
Broward	81.9	837.5	4.0	118	1,290	113	9.9	50
Collier	17.8	158.3	6.2	24	1,205	181	10.7	25
Duval	34.8	552.5	3.5	150	1,250	146	9.6	65
Escambia	9.8	144.1	3.3	165	1,064	298	7.3	189
Hillsborough	53.7	753.8	5.4	45	1,305	109	7.9	156
Lake	10.3	110.3	4.8	66	959	341	10.9	21
Lee	27.4	287.6	4.7	75	1,090	272	7.9	156
Leon	10.1	156.9	3.2	179	1,101	263	9.6	65
Manatee	13.9	133.5	4.8	66	1,101	263	10.5	32
Marion	9.9	114.5	5.4	45	937	345	10.9	21
Miami-Dade	119.9	1,196.7	5.6	40	1,353	83	8.8	101
Okaloosa	7.5	89.6	3.2	179	1,151	221	9.4	74
Orange	54.3	910.1	8.3	4	1,187	190	6.0	260
Osceola	9.9	107.9	7.0	11	940	344	11.8	6
Palm Beach	68.2	635.0	4.5	86	1,322	98	8.2	133
Pasco	14.1	136.3	4.5	86	1,007	326	9.9	50
Pinellas	39.9	451.4	3.2	179	1,170	199	8.5	116
Polk	18.2	255.2	4.3	102	1,007	326	7.9	156
St. Johns	10.3	91.9	7.8	5	1,080	279	11.0	19
St. Lucie	8.3	85.9	2.4	258	979	338	7.7	172
Sarasota	19.3	181.0	5.6	40	1,171	197	11.2	15
Seminole	17.8	208.3	3.9	127	1,166	202	8.2	133
Volusia	16.6	183.6	3.3	165	961	340	8.2	133
Footnotes: (1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data. (2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications. (3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. (4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in Florida, third quarter 2022

Area	Establishments	Employment September 2022	Average weekly wage (1)
United States (2)	11,608,876	151,239,638	$1,334
Florida	860,628	9,417,200	1,220
Alachua	8,023	137,245	1,152
Baker	511	7,475	790
Bay	6,514	78,892	988
Bradford	551	6,282	899
Brevard	18,397	232,625	1,210
Broward	81,859	837,468	1,290
Calhoun	266	3,015	742
Charlotte	5,739	51,903	958
Citrus	3,546	33,924	881
Clay	5,353	54,149	955
Collier	17,768	158,323	1,205
Columbia	1,788	24,045	931
De Soto	723	9,668	870
Dixie	272	2,838	826
Duval	34,811	552,534	1,250
Escambia	9,781	144,124	1,064
Flagler	3,260	26,792	903
Franklin	401	3,515	777
Gadsden	943	18,927	889
Gilchrist	391	3,651	823
Glades	200	1,986	971
Gulf	504	4,165	915
Hamilton	235	2,887	998
Hardee	577	6,602	817
Hendry	1,006	11,905	904
Hernando	4,405	48,546	901
Highlands	2,554	27,472	864
Hillsborough	53,723	753,775	1,305
Holmes	384	3,508	755
Indian River	5,771	54,677	1,042
Jackson	1,027	14,019	880
Jefferson	379	2,945	815
Lafayette	147	1,340	802
Lake	10,345	110,289	959
Lee	27,438	287,551	1,090
Leon	10,146	156,912	1,101
Levy	1,098	9,057	773
Liberty	134	1,821	869
Madison	440	4,843	766
Manatee	13,918	133,539	1,101
Marion	9,908	114,542	937
Martin	7,297	73,167	1,073
Miami-Dade	119,924	1,196,711	1,353
Monroe	5,000	43,105	1,081
Nassau	2,777	25,359	952
Okaloosa	7,531	89,623	1,151
Okeechobee	1,090	11,621	889
Orange	54,320	910,060	1,187
Osceola	9,917	107,895	940
Palm Beach	68,207	634,962	1,322
Pasco	14,064	136,338	1,007
Pinellas	39,887	451,368	1,170
Polk	18,154	255,181	1,007
Putnam	1,556	16,412	928
St. Johns	10,287	91,908	1,080
St. Lucie	8,295	85,933	979
Santa Rosa	4,452	41,781	926
Sarasota	19,282	180,972	1,171
Seminole	17,756	208,327	1,166
Sumter	2,464	37,498	1,013
Suwannee	898	11,137	848
Taylor	492	6,325	908
Union	226	3,362	974
Volusia	16,612	183,633	961
Wakulla	613	6,327	885
Walton	3,849	32,356	1,005
Washington	516	5,995	810
Footnotes: (1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data. (2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, third quarter 2022

State	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average weekly wage (1)
		September 2022 (thousands)	Percent change, September 2021–22	Third quarter 2022	National ranking by level	Percent change, third quarter 2021–22	National ranking by percent change
United States (2)	11,608.9	151,239.6	4.3	$1,334	--	6.7	--
Alabama	150.1	2,031.6	3.2	1,120	35	9.1	9
Alaska	24.9	325.2	2.5	1,304	15	8.2	29
Arizona	205.4	3,080.6	3.9	1,251	20	7.7	36
Arkansas	100.1	1,262.1	4.4	1,036	50	7.5	38
California	1,741.3	18,051.1	4.9	1,601	5	1.5	50
Colorado	247.1	2,813.9	3.3	1,432	8	8.5	22
Connecticut	140.6	1,652.8	2.8	1,491	6	6.5	42
Delaware	39.7	465.7	5.1	1,292	18	8.4	25
District of Columbia	49.0	756.6	2.7	2,134	1	4.5	48
Florida	860.6	9,417.2	5.6	1,220	23	9.0	11
Georgia	378.4	4,726.4	5.1	1,255	19	8.5	22
Hawaii	52.8	623.2	4.5	1,208	24	5.1	46
Idaho	86.7	834.7	3.8	1,063	45	11.5	1
Illinois	410.9	5,982.2	3.9	1,361	12	6.9	40
Indiana	188.3	3,140.6	3.9	1,123	34	8.6	19
Iowa	111.1	1,541.1	1.9	1,118	36	10.1	3
Kansas	95.6	1,401.3	3.7	1,085	41	8.8	15
Kentucky	142.9	1,941.5	3.8	1,082	43	9.4	6
Louisiana	150.7	1,866.3	4.5	1,103	39	8.2	29
Maine	62.2	637.7	2.5	1,117	37	8.4	25
Maryland	188.3	2,669.1	2.5	1,418	9	7.9	32
Massachusetts	292.6	3,628.8	3.6	1,651	3	3.6	49
Michigan	296.0	4,334.0	3.5	1,236	21	7.2	39
Minnesota	201.6	2,880.9	3.4	1,346	13	7.9	32
Mississippi	81.5	1,151.8	2.4	933	51	8.7	17
Missouri	236.9	2,849.2	3.2	1,149	31	8.9	14
Montana	61.2	505.5	3.9	1,059	46	10.0	4
Nebraska	80.5	989.2	2.4	1,117	37	9.9	5
Nevada	107.0	1,496.1	7.5	1,205	26	6.2	43
New Hampshire	63.8	677.3	3.4	1,365	11	1.2	51
New Jersey	320.9	4,176.5	5.0	1,461	7	5.6	44
New Mexico	70.9	838.1	3.5	1,087	40	9.1	9
New York	683.2	9,355.0	4.8	1,608	4	4.8	47
North Carolina	348.9	4,737.5	4.9	1,207	25	8.5	22
North Dakota	34.5	419.8	2.9	1,190	28	10.7	2
Ohio	328.9	5,402.7	2.9	1,187	29	8.1	31
Oklahoma	123.9	1,646.6	3.8	1,047	48	8.6	19
Oregon	179.5	1,932.6	1.1	1,301	16	6.6	41
Pennsylvania	390.7	5,913.7	3.8	1,296	17	7.6	37
Rhode Island	46.5	487.3	3.1	1,225	22	8.3	27
South Carolina	166.6	2,200.9	4.7	1,079	44	9.4	6
South Dakota	39.1	448.5	2.9	1,052	47	9.0	11
Tennessee	204.0	3,202.4	5.1	1,198	27	7.9	32
Texas	805.5	13,371.1	5.9	1,333	14	8.6	19
Utah	134.1	1,663.9	4.4	1,186	30	9.0	11
Vermont	30.8	300.6	2.4	1,142	32	7.9	32
Virginia	330.1	3,979.4	3.4	1,380	10	9.3	8
Washington	235.3	3,572.9	4.4	1,657	2	5.2	45
West Virginia	56.8	678.8	1.9	1,042	49	8.3	27
Wisconsin	200.7	2,899.1	2.8	1,140	33	8.7	17
Wyoming	29.9	278.2	2.3	1,083	42	8.8	15
Puerto Rico	50.0	924.6	3.9	616	(3)	8.5	(3)
Virgin Islands	3.7	34.3	-1.0	1,030	(3)	9.2	(3)
Footnotes: (1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data. (2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. (3) Data not included in the national ranking.
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.