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News Release Information

23-1397-DAL
Friday, June 23, 2023

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (972) 850-4800

County Employment and Wages in Arkansas — Fourth Quarter 2022

Employment rose in the three largest counties in Arkansas from December 2021 to December 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.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Benton County (+4.3 percent) had the largest over-the-year increase in employment. Benton’s rate of job gain ranked 21st among the 355 large U.S. counties. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

 

National employment increased 2.6 percent over the year, with 325 of the 355 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Midland, TX, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 7.9 percent. Elkhart, IN, and Hendricks, IN, both experienced the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 1.7 percent each.

Among the three largest counties in Arkansas, employment was highest in Pulaski County (256,500) in December 2022. Within Pulaski County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the three largest Arkansas counties accounted for 40.4 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 355 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 72 counties in Arkansas with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all of the 72 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,385 in the fourth quarter of 2022. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Washington County was the only large county in Arkansas to report an average weekly wage loss from the fourth quarter of 2021 to the fourth quarter of 2022, declining 5.5 percent.  (See chart 2.) Benton County and Pulaski County had gains of 0.4 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively.

 

Nationwide, wages decreased by 2.3 percent over the year. Among the 355 largest counties in the United States, 240 had over-the-year wage decreases. San Francisco, CA, had the largest percentage wage decrease (-22.6 percent). Midland, TX, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase (+6.1 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in the three largest counties in Arkansas were below the national average of $1,385 in the fourth quarter of 2022. Benton County’s average weekly wage of $1,259 ranked 163rd among the 355 large U.S counties, followed by Pulaski County ($1,197, 204th). Washington County’s average weekly wage of $1,163 ranked 230th.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 86 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the fourth quarter of 2022. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,329. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 269 counties. At $827 a week, Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Arkansas' smaller counties

Among the 72 smaller counties in Arkansas—those with employment below 75,000— Mississippi County ($1,261) reported the highest average weekly wage in the state, followed by Union County ($1,251). Montgomery County ($693) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 75 counties in Arkansas were considered, 19 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 25 registered wages from $800 to $899, 21 had wages from $900 to $999, and 10 had average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See chart 3.) The counties with the highest average weekly wages were mainly concentrated around the larger metropolitan areas of Fort Smith and Little Rock, as well as the smaller areas of Blytheville and Fayetteville, and along the southern border of the state. The lowest-paying counties, with wages below $800, were concentrated mainly in the west central and north central parts of the state.

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 first quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 23, 2023.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for first quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 6, 2023.


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.

For more information see the Technical Note for the County Employment and Wages News Release.

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 three largest counties in Arkansas, fourth quarter 2022
AreaEstablishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
December 2022
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2021–22 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Fourth quarter
2022
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2021–22 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,785.7152,317.92.6--$1,385---2.3--

Arkansas

101.01,272.92.9--1,06550-0.113

Benton

7.9138.04.3211,2591630.481

Pulaski

14.4256.52.31361,1972040.295

Washington

6.8119.13.6421,163230-5.5340

(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 Arkansas, fourth quarter 2022
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment December 2022Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,785,706152,317,914$1,385

Arkansas

101,0381,272,9131,065

Arkansas

99910,397975

Ashley

5055,639961

Baxter

1,27715,642858

Benton

7,858138,0391,259

Boone

96014,710902

Bradley

3343,477889

Calhoun

1091,9761,216

Carroll

82610,732795

Chicot

4142,793842

Clark

6688,571813

Clay

3613,096797

Cleburne

6326,343790

Cleveland

1171,026825

Columbia

6488,051947

Conway

5176,846928

Craighead

2,97254,256994

Crawford

1,27119,314952

Crittenden

1,12716,111922

Cross

4604,570787

Dallas

2302,596802

Desha

4724,417943

Drew

5346,370834

Faulkner

3,17343,595924

Franklin

3934,884825

Fulton

2082,157801

Garland

3,23638,218859

Grant

3584,221955

Greene

91815,786906

Hempstead

5267,956902

Hot Spring

6178,277885

Howard

3616,343826

Independence

93717,263936

Izard

2542,863783

Jackson

4215,063904

Jefferson

1,86426,2411,003

Johnson

4888,670789

Lafayette

1611,096768

Lawrence

3964,050816

Lee

2371,790855

Lincoln

2512,677886

Little River

2393,0971,034

Logan

4835,196777

Lonoke

1,37915,100829

Madison

2903,530837

Marion

2923,582778

Miller

90812,378954

Mississippi

1,02617,8271,261

Monroe

2461,845773

Montgomery

1671,158693

Nevada

1972,139890

Newton

122989730

Ouachita

6118,366990

Perry

1461,0691,125

Phillips

6364,746825

Pike

2762,556829

Poinsett

4675,380942

Polk

4975,986771

Pope

1,81825,836983

Prairie

2381,545829

Pulaski

14,433256,5191,197

Randolph

3995,980796

St. Francis

6156,915917

Saline

2,33927,064890

Scott

1873,140741

Searcy

1761,420727

Sebastian

3,73865,5611,018

Sevier

3194,946815

Sharp

3873,793724

Stone

2932,560733

Union

1,19316,8281,251

Van Buren

3333,900798

Washington

6,755119,0981,163

White

1,81125,532863

Woodruff

1861,970903

Yell

4316,490813

(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, fourth quarter 2022
StateEstablishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
December 2022
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2021–22
Fourth quarter
2022
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2021–22
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,785.7152,317.92.6$1,385---2.3--

Alabama

152.62,057.52.21,158350.48

Alaska

24.9303.91.51,29918-0.826

Arizona

211.73,157.83.11,27222-0.826

Arkansas

101.01,272.92.91,06550-0.113

California

1,768.818,051.32.31,6794-6.951

Colorado

254.32,857.02.91,4729-0.931

Connecticut

142.81,667.91.61,5936-0.931

Delaware

40.5464.62.41,346150.48

District of Columbia

49.7757.70.92,2911-1.135

Florida

882.69,616.33.91,28420-0.826

Georgia

397.54,794.53.71,28919-0.318

Hawaii

54.0638.13.71,22728-0.216

Idaho

89.5827.03.11,114440.310

Illinois

409.85,997.32.01,43211-2.846

Indiana

189.53,154.42.11,13140-1.940

Iowa

110.81,543.90.91,15337-0.318

Kansas

96.41,416.22.61,12541-0.725

Kentucky

146.01,967.42.51,09946-0.931

Louisiana

151.51,880.41.11,13439-0.826

Maine

63.1626.72.01,165340.012

Maryland

190.02,668.50.31,46210-2.443

Massachusetts

293.63,620.21.81,7902-2.545

Michigan

302.64,350.02.31,27421-1.237

Minnesota

205.62,870.01.61,35714-1.538

Mississippi

83.31,161.61.2947510.211

Missouri

239.92,860.42.01,17233-0.621

Montana

62.6500.62.41,118420.95

Nebraska

79.1995.51.71,154361.24

Nevada

105.31,503.34.71,24425-0.113

New Hampshire

64.7678.92.41,4848-6.150

New Jersey

331.24,235.52.71,5347-1.940

New Mexico

67.5844.12.71,115431.61

New York

683.59,449.32.71,7363-5.149

North Carolina

354.84,771.42.71,23526-0.621

North Dakota

34.8416.02.01,204300.95

Ohio

333.85,439.41.61,20331-1.639

Oklahoma

125.91,662.23.01,07348-0.621

Oregon

188.01,960.12.11,30217-2.242

Pennsylvania

391.95,944.52.11,32016-2.443

Rhode Island

47.0485.82.21,26123-4.348

South Carolina

171.02,218.63.21,111450.95

South Dakota

39.7444.62.11,09647-1.034

Tennessee

207.83,221.93.81,25424-0.826

Texas

811.613,576.64.21,37213-0.216

Utah

137.31,675.63.21,23027-0.113

Vermont

31.6304.61.71,207291.43

Virginia

337.44,010.62.21,41612-0.621

Washington

236.83,540.63.21,6315-3.047

West Virginia

56.6682.61.11,067491.52

Wisconsin

204.02,899.12.11,18832-1.135

Wyoming

30.1272.71.91,13738-0.520

Puerto Rico

50.8976.74.3665(3)2.9(3)

Virgin Islands

3.735.71.61,021(3)3.8(3)

(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.

Chart 3. Average weekly wages by county in Arkansas, fourth quarter 2022

(U.S. average = $1,385)

 

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, June 23, 2023