Employment rose in 6 of the 7 largest counties in Alabama from March 2023 to March 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that Baldwin County and Madison County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 3.3 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Alabama, March 2024

County	Percent change, March 2024
Baldwin	3.3
Madison	2.8
Montgomery	2.1
Jefferson	1.4
Tuscaloosa	0.8
Mobile	0.5
Shelby	-0.5

National employment increased 1.3 percent over the year, with 300 of the 369 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Monterey, CA, and St. Johns, FL, had the largest over-the-year increases in employment, with gains of 4.8 percent each. Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-4.9 percent).

Among the seven largest counties in Alabama, employment was highest in Jefferson County (364,200) in March 2024. Within Jefferson County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the seven largest Alabama counties accounted for 55.7 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties made up 73.3 percent of total covered U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 60 counties in Alabama with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 59 of the 60 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,527 in the first quarter of 2024. (See table 2.)

All seven large Alabama counties reported average weekly wage gains from the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. (See chart 2.) Madison County and Tuscaloosa County had the largest gain (+4.2 percent each). Over-the-year wage gains among Alabama’s other five large counties ranged from 3.7 percent to 2.1 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Alabama, first quarter 2024

County	Percent change, first quarter 2024
Madison	4.2
Tuscaloosa	4.2
Mobile	3.7
Baldwin	3.6
Jefferson	2.6
Montgomery	2.6
Shelby	2.1

Nationwide, wages increased by 4.2 percent over the year. Among the 369 largest counties in the United States, 357 had over-the-year wage increases. Santa Clara, CA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+14.6 percent). Saginaw, MI, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-3.4 percent).

Average weekly wages in all seven of Alabama’s largest counties were below the national average of $1,527 in the first quarter of 2024. Average weekly wages in Alabama’s largest counties ranged from $1,484 in Madison to $960 in Baldwin.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 85 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the first quarter of 2024. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($4,385). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 284 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($807).

Among the 60 smaller counties in Alabama—those with employment below 75,000—Washington ($1,753) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Greene County ($780) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 67 counties in Alabama were considered, 18 reported average weekly wages of less than $900, 25 registered wages from $900 to $999, 11 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, 7 had wages from $1,100 to $1,199, and 6 had average weekly wages of $1,200 or higher. (See map 1.)