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News Release Information

24-2539-DAL
Thursday, December 12, 2024

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

County Employment and Wages in Oklahoma – Second Quarter 2024

Employment rose in two of the three largest counties in Oklahoma from June 2023 to June 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are the 369 U.S. counties or county equivalents with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Oklahoma County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 1.4 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 0.8 percent over the year, with 259 of the 355 largest U.S. counties with published data reporting gains. Kings, NY, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 4.0 percent. Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-3.0 percent).

Among the three largest counties in Oklahoma, employment was highest in Oklahoma County (495,000) in June 2024. Within Oklahoma County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the three largest Oklahoma counties accounted for 56.6 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprised 73.1 percent of total covered employment in the United States.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 74 counties in Oklahoma with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 74 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,390 in the second quarter of 2024. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All three large Oklahoma counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2024. (See chart 2.) Oklahoma County and Tulsa County both saw a 4.7 percent over-the-year wage gain, while Cleveland County reported a 3.5 percent increase.

 

Nationwide, wages increased by 4.4 percent over the year. Among the 351 largest counties in the United States with published data, 348 had over-the-year wage increases. Hamilton, IN, had the largest percentage wage increase (+33.4 percent). Essex, MA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-2.1 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in all three largest counties in Oklahoma were below the national average of $1,390 in the second quarter of 2024. Oklahoma County ($1,222, 181st) and Tulsa County ($1,177, 221st) ranked in the middle third of all large counties nationwide. The average weekly wage for Cleveland County ($973) ranked in the lower third at 349th.

Among the 360 largest U.S. counties with published data, 87 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2024. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,632). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 273 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($820).

Average weekly wages in Oklahoma's smaller counties

All 74 smaller counties in Oklahoma—those with employment below 75,000—reported an average weekly wage below the national average. Dewey County reported the highest average weekly wage, $1,253. McIntosh County ($694) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 77 counties in Oklahoma were considered, 15 reported average weekly wages of $849 or less, 25 registered wages from $850 to $949, 24 had wages from $950 to $1,049, and 13 had average weekly wages of $1,050 or higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1: Average weekly wages by county in Oklahoma, second quarter 2024

(U.S. average = $1,390)

 
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 the third quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for the third quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the three largest counties in Oklahoma, second quarter 2024
AreaEstablishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
June 2024
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2023–24 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Second quarter
2024 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
second quarter
2023–24 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,238.2155,710.20.8--1,390--4.4--

Oklahoma

129.31,684.70.8--1,101474.712

Cleveland

7.490.4-0.12739733493.5229

Oklahoma

33.3495.01.4801,2221814.7100

Tulsa

26.6367.70.32221,1772214.7100

(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 Oklahoma, second quarter 2024
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment June 2024Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,238,175155,710,2391,390

Oklahoma

129,2821,684,6601,101

Adair

3544,367843

Alfalfa

1481,1821,004

Atoka

3353,241804

Beaver

1771,335982

Beckham

7859,6151,000

Blaine

2802,958968

Bryan

1,21521,1701,031

Caddo

6266,767977

Canadian

4,09639,272960

Carter

1,75823,4481,035

Cherokee

91918,512941

Choctaw

3835,355833

Cimarron

96639792

Cleveland

7,37890,444973

Coal

1311,240887

Comanche

2,71641,216999

Cotton

1241,857821

Craig

4355,015872

Creek

1,71521,5511,054

Custer

1,02312,495923

Delaware

9419,689835

Dewey

1952,0661,253

Ellis

1391,104866

Garfield

1,76023,331958

Garvin

8709,6371,080

Grady

1,28713,178917

Grant

1571,2481,101

Greer

104914803

Harmon

78664819

Harper

1431,031945

Haskell

2993,085803

Hughes

2942,723810

Jackson

6779,5781,007

Jefferson

149945756

Johnston

2643,157872

Kay

1,24017,233903

Kingfisher

6196,9171,081

Kiowa

2411,944895

Latimer

2212,8721,163

LeFlore

1,04910,931855

Lincoln

7267,168983

Logan

9369,019873

Love

2555,775961

McClain

1,30012,365909

McCurtain

89711,886889

McIntosh

4234,601694

Major

2492,120911

Marshall

3675,3051,010

Mayes

1,02213,8671,100

Murray

3884,896926

Muskogee

1,56826,6221,010

Noble

2684,8121,066

Nowata

2021,591901

Okfuskee

2202,487832

Oklahoma

33,264495,0021,222

Okmulgee

82110,012918

Osage

5617,535982

Ottawa

77612,864869

Pawnee

3613,404872

Payne

2,31234,533974

Pittsburg

1,05314,541989

Pontotoc

1,18819,9731,104

Pottawatomie

1,46622,670894

Pushmataha

2972,494824

Roger Mills

115817960

Rogers

2,19530,4061,094

Seminole

5057,068894

Sequoyah

7589,646741

Stephens

1,19614,931995

Texas

5819,808980

Tillman

1781,451886

Tulsa

26,593367,6501,177

Wagoner

1,11411,4831,021

Washington

1,41918,8501,101

Washita

2971,875893

Woods

2993,280948

Woodward

8417,9681,020

(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 2024
StateEstablishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
June 2024
(thousands)
Percent change,
June
2023–24
Second quarter
2024 ($)
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
second quarter
2023–24
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,238.2155,710.20.81,390--4.4--

Alabama

162.92,111.11.21,150363.935

Alaska

25.4345.90.81,345154.517

Arizona

221.33,137.31.11,324184.616

Arkansas

101.71,299.91.01,074494.130

California

1,878.618,193.50.41,69744.420

Colorado

268.92,909.4-0.21,48784.225

Connecticut

151.41,702.20.41,56963.837

Delaware

43.8481.00.91,322195.46

District of Columbia

52.3764.00.12,28314.225

Florida

903.59,700.11.41,278213.643

Georgia

392.24,867.71.21,297204.225

Hawaii

59.6640.90.81,273225.83

Idaho

101.0867.31.21,096485.64

Illinois

410.26,115.50.01,401123.444

Indiana

192.53,187.30.41,171336.42

Iowa

111.31,588.00.21,118453.345

Kansas

100.91,435.80.51,124434.031

Kentucky

157.11,995.91.01,146384.323

Louisiana

155.91,904.30.61,144404.712

Maine

65.7666.11.11,167354.225

Maryland

210.52,778.51.51,45493.837

Massachusetts

287.63,708.10.21,75835.08

Michigan

345.14,480.50.41,266233.935

Minnesota

212.22,985.50.51,359143.345

Mississippi

89.81,163.80.1960514.031

Missouri

245.32,927.10.61,186323.148

Montana

63.3528.81.51,113463.837

Nebraska

77.11,030.90.71,122442.751

Nevada

108.61,548.91.61,243284.517

New Hampshire

66.7699.60.51,443104.031

New Jersey

338.54,361.10.91,51673.345

New Mexico

68.4871.91.21,150364.420

New York

712.79,762.41.31,68754.031

North Carolina

379.64,902.00.91,256254.89

North Dakota

36.5437.41.51,221303.148

Ohio

341.25,558.10.41,214314.712

Oklahoma

129.31,684.70.81,101474.712

Oregon

196.12,019.2-0.11,338164.89

Pennsylvania

393.66,067.50.81,325173.837

Rhode Island

48.8504.71.11,257242.950

South Carolina

188.42,290.11.81,134415.17

South Dakota

40.2470.30.71,074493.837

Tennessee

234.93,287.41.31,248274.225

Texas

840.913,905.71.21,381134.517

Utah

138.21,715.20.81,249265.64

Vermont

32.8310.80.01,227294.323

Virginia

319.94,140.81.41,436114.89

Washington

234.73,674.31.01,77627.41

West Virginia

61.7700.10.61,127424.712

Wisconsin

208.52,990.80.41,168343.742

Wyoming

31.0290.90.51,145394.420

Puerto Rico

54.5944.01.3651(3)4.7(3)

Virgin Islands

3.936.4-0.11,010(3)1.5(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.

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, December 12, 2024