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News Release Information

23-2607-ATL
Monday, December 18, 2023

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (404) 893-4220

County Employment and Wages in Alabama — Second Quarter 2023

Employment rose in 5 of the 7 largest counties in Alabama from June 2022 to June 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2022.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that Tuscaloosa County and Madison County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 4.4 percent and 4.0 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 2.4 percent over the year, with 337 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Midland, TX, had the largest increase in employment (+7.0 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-7.7 percent).

Among the seven largest counties in Alabama, employment was highest in Jefferson County (363,300) in June 2023. Within Jefferson County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the seven largest Alabama counties accounted for 55.8 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 360 largest counties made up 72.9 percent of total 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 $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All seven large Alabama counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2022 to the second quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Tuscaloosa County had the largest gain (+5.5 percent), followed by Mobile County (+5.0 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Alabama’s other five large counties ranged from 4.1 percent to 2.3 percent.


Nationwide, wages increased by 3.2 percent over the year. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 332 had over-the-year wage increases. Clayton, GA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+17.2 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-13.2 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Madison County ($1,400) reported an average weekly wage above the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. Average weekly wages among Alabama’s remaining six large counites ranged from $1,265 in Jefferson to $902 in Baldin.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 88 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2023. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,321). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 272 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($795).

Smaller county average weekly wages

Among the 60 smaller counties in Alabama—those with employment below 75,000—Washington ($1,687) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Perry County ($728) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 67 counties in Alabama were considered, 30 reported average weekly wages of less than $900, 21 registered wages from $900 to $999, 9 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, and 7 had average weekly wages of $1,100 or higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Alabama, second quarter 2023

(U.S. average = $1,332)

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 for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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.

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.

The County Employment and Wages release for third quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The County Employment and Wages full data update for third quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the seven largest counties in Alabama, second quarter 2023
Area Establishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
June 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Second quarter
2023
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
second quarter
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,964.6 154,308.5 2.4 -- $1,332 -- 3.2 --

Alabama

156.7 2,079.2 2.7 -- 1,107 35 4.0 13

Baldwin

8.3 85.4 3.8 41 902 354 2.7 185

Jefferson

22.6 363.3 (5) - 1,265 128 3.9 93

Madison

13.0 225.5 4.0 31 1,400 66 3.4 124

Mobile

12.0 172.1 1.6 226 1,087 267 5.0 42

Montgomery

7.2 131.3 2.7 108 1,092 259 4.1 83

Shelby

7.1 85.9 -0.4 341 1,177 186 2.3 221

Tuscaloosa

5.2 96.9 4.4 22 1,066 285 5.5 35

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.
(5) Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

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 Alabama, second quarter 2023
Area Establishments Employment June 2023 Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,964,606 154,308,523 $1,332

Alabama

156,737 2,079,158 1,107

Autauga

1,065 11,838 945

Baldwin

8,284 85,444 902

Barbour

603 7,696 821

Bibb

430 4,812 948

Blount

936 8,986 814

Bullock

215 2,763 910

Butler

550 6,876 816

Calhoun

2,807 43,733 938

Chambers

759 8,604 916

Cherokee

488 5,405 810

Chilton

917 9,361 861

Choctaw

373 3,336 1,112

Clarke

776 8,128 934

Clay

246 4,238 786

Cleburne

291 2,497 1,068

Coffee

1,314 16,577 836

Colbert

1,552 24,491 1,043

Conecuh

280 3,112 867

Coosa

158 1,547 781

Covington

1,075 11,964 849

Crenshaw

298 3,590 910

Cullman

2,242 31,039 905

Dale

1,105 17,887 1,230

Dallas

968 11,434 894

DeKalb

1,433 22,843 893

Elmore

1,713 20,537 833

Escambia

946 13,011 928

Etowah

2,384 32,706 849

Fayette

377 4,050 785

Franklin

674 10,723 863

Geneva

614 5,524 748

Greene

179 1,705 774

Hale

322 2,597 859

Henry

420 3,918 916

Houston

3,575 50,369 956

Jackson

1,180 15,607 898

Jefferson

22,562 363,346 1,265

Lamar

310 3,453 917

Lauderdale

2,465 30,683 829

Lawrence

569 5,393 877

Lee

4,203 64,701 957

Limestone

1,857 32,104 1,078

Lowndes

210 2,906 1,259

Macon

308 4,695 986

Madison

13,008 225,450 1,400

Marengo

557 7,331 963

Marion

694 10,966 853

Marshall

2,479 40,068 863

Mobile

12,036 172,087 1,087

Monroe

505 6,057 928

Montgomery

7,203 131,339 1,092

Morgan

3,250 51,813 1,096

Perry

173 1,753 728

Pickens

379 3,752 923

Pike

796 15,368 912

Randolph

477 4,869 782

Russell

1,182 14,149 861

St. Clair

1,839 21,272 927

Shelby

7,073 85,891 1,177

Sumter

309 3,005 849

Talladega

1,567 31,933 1,012

Tallapoosa

1,042 12,909 825

Tuscaloosa

5,245 96,939 1,066

Walker

1,557 18,061 864

Washington

314 6,164 1,687

Wilcox

293 2,581 1,031

Winston

529 7,793 904

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, second quarter 2023
State Establishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
June 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2022–23
Second quarter
2023
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
second quarter
2022–23
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,964.6 154,308.5 2.4 $1,332 -- 3.2 --

Alabama

156.7 2,079.2 2.7 1,107 35 4.0 13

Alaska

25.3 342.4 3.6 1,285 15 3.9 17

Arizona

219.1 3,091.7 3.0 1,265 18 3.9 17

Arkansas

103.2 1,284.8 2.6 1,033 50 3.8 19

California

1,767.7 18,151.1 0.9 1,624 4 3.4 26

Colorado

256.6 2,914.3 2.7 1,426 8 4.8 5

Connecticut

148.0 1,692.0 1.8 1,511 6 3.8 19

Delaware

41.6 476.2 3.0 1,248 19 2.3 44

District of Columbia

51.3 762.6 2.2 2,193 1 3.7 23

Florida

891.8 9,547.7 3.7 1,234 21 4.3 8

Georgia

384.5 4,802.8 2.2 1,247 20 2.6 39

Hawaii

56.5 636.0 3.2 1,198 24 4.0 13

Idaho

94.3 855.8 3.1 1,038 48 3.3 30

Illinois

410.8 6,101.2 1.9 1,357 12 2.6 39

Indiana

191.1 3,164.7 1.5 1,102 37 2.0 47

Iowa

110.5 1,581.8 1.1 1,082 42 2.6 39

Kansas

98.7 1,428.6 3.2 1,081 43 4.0 13

Kentucky

150.1 1,974.5 2.8 1,100 38 3.0 35

Louisiana

153.8 1,887.3 1.7 1,093 40 2.7 38

Maine

65.0 654.1 2.1 1,123 34 3.3 30

Maryland

187.1 2,716.4 2.1 1,402 9 2.2 45

Massachusetts

296.4 3,703.4 1.2 1,670 2 2.0 47

Michigan

318.4 4,463.0 2.5 1,220 23 3.4 26

Minnesota

205.7 2,964.0 2.3 1,315 14 2.2 45

Mississippi

87.7 1,158.0 1.4 924 51 4.3 8

Missouri

246.7 2,908.7 2.0 1,150 32 4.0 13

Montana

65.5 521.0 3.0 1,072 46 4.4 7

Nebraska

76.8 1,022.1 3.0 1,092 41 3.4 26

Nevada

106.7 1,522.8 3.2 1,189 27 2.9 36

New Hampshire

65.3 694.8 2.3 1,387 10 3.2 32

New Jersey

330.2 4,341.4 2.8 1,464 7 1.6 50

New Mexico

66.7 859.1 3.8 1,107 35 6.5 1

New York

699.6 9,623.8 2.4 1,621 5 2.5 42

North Carolina

370.9 4,857.5 3.3 1,198 24 3.4 26

North Dakota

35.4 430.4 2.9 1,184 28 4.9 3

Ohio

341.8 5,521.9 1.7 1,160 31 3.1 34

Oklahoma

129.7 1,669.0 3.1 1,052 47 3.6 25

Oregon

200.8 2,010.7 2.2 1,281 16 2.4 43

Pennsylvania

393.0 6,014.8 1.9 1,277 17 2.0 47

Rhode Island

48.0 498.8 1.3 1,221 22 -0.3 51

South Carolina

175.9 2,248.6 2.8 1,079 44 3.7 23

South Dakota

39.6 466.8 2.7 1,035 49 3.8 19

Tennessee

215.9 3,254.2 3.0 1,195 26 3.8 19

Texas

824.9 13,716.3 3.9 1,322 13 3.2 32

Utah

135.7 1,699.4 2.8 1,183 29 4.2 11

Vermont

31.8 310.3 2.3 1,175 30 4.1 12

Virginia

357.1 4,082.3 2.8 1,371 11 4.3 8

Washington

241.0 3,639.8 2.7 1,649 3 4.9 3

West Virginia

58.8 695.7 2.9 1,075 45 6.1 2

Wisconsin

204.4 2,975.8 1.9 1,126 33 2.9 36

Wyoming

30.5 288.6 2.7 1,096 39 4.6 6

Puerto Rico

52.6 929.7 1.6 622 (3) 4.2 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.8 36.3 4.7 992 (3) 1.1 (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.

 

Last Modified Date: Monday, December 18, 2023