Employment rose in 8 of the 11 largest counties in Georgia 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 Hall County and Forsyth County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 3.6 percent and 3.1 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 Georgia, March 2024

County	Percent change, March 2024
Hall	3.6
Forsyth	3.1
Gwinnett	1.8
DeKalb	1.5
Fulton	1.4
Chatham	1.2
Clayton	0.4
Cobb	0.2
Muscogee	-0.1
Richmond	-0.2
Bibb	-2.2

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 11 largest counties in Georgia, employment was highest in Fulton County (942,900) in March 2024. Within Fulton County’s private industry, professional, scientific, and technical services accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 11 largest Georgia counties accounted for 57.4 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 148 counties in Georgia with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 147 of the 148 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,527 in the first quarter of 2024. (See table 2.)

All 11 large Georgia counties reported average weekly wage gains from the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. (See chart 2.) Muscogee County had the largest gain (+9.2 percent), followed by Clayton County (+7.6 percent) and Cobb County (+7.1 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Georgia’s other eight large counties ranged from 6.4 percent to 2.3 percent.

  

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

County	Percent change, first quarter 2024
Muscogee	9.2
Clayton	7.6
Cobb	7.1
Bibb	6.4
Fulton	4.8
Chatham	3.7
DeKalb	3.0
Richmond	2.9
Gwinnett	2.7
Forsyth	2.6
Hall	2.3

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).

Weekly wages in 3 of the 11 largest counties in Georgia were above the national average of $1,527 in the first quarter of 2024. Fulton county reported the highest average weekly wage ($2,203, 14th), followed by Clayton County ($1,708, 50th) and Cobb County ($1,606, 66th).

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 148 smaller counties in Georgia—those with employment below 75,000—Burke ($1,972) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Glascock County ($677) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 159 counties in Georgia were considered, 19 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 54 registered wages from $800 to $899, 39 had wages from $900 to $999, 24 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, and 23 had average weekly wages of $1,100 or higher. (See map 1.)