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News Release Information

24-1132-DAL
Friday, June 14, 2024

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

County Employment and Wages in Arkansas — Fourth Quarter 2023

Employment rose in the three largest counties in Arkansas from December 2022 to December 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.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Washington County (+3.2 percent) had the largest over-the-year increase in employment. Washington’s rate of job gain ranked 22nd among the 360 large U.S. counties. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

 

National employment increased 1.5 percent over the year, with 318 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Hays, TX, had the largest increase in employment (+5.0 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-6.9 percent).

Among the three largest counties in Arkansas, employment was highest in Pulaski County (261,800) in December 2023. Within Pulaski County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the three largest Arkansas counties accounted for 40.5 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 360 largest counties made up 73.0 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 72 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,435 in the fourth quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Benton County and Pulaski County reported gains from the fourth quarter of 2022 to the fourth quarter of 2023, 4.4 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively. (See chart 2.) Washington County was the only large county in Arkansas to report an average weekly wage loss (-2.9 percent).

 

Nationwide, wages increased by 3.6 percent over the year. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 348 had over-the-year wage increases. Snohomish, WA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+18.6 percent). Merrimack, NH, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-7.2 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in all three of the largest counties in Arkansas were below the national average of $1,435 in the fourth quarter of 2023. Benton County’s average weekly wage of $1,319 ranked 156th among the 360 large U.S counties, followed by Pulaski County ($1,228, 218th). Washington County’s average weekly wage of $1,124 ranked 300th.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 85 reported average weekly wages at or above the U.S. average in the fourth quarter of 2023. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,699). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 275 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($842).

Average weekly wages in Arkansas' smaller counties

Among the 72 smaller counties in Arkansas—those with employment below 75,000— Calhoun County ($1,359) reported the highest average weekly wage in the state, followed by Mississippi County ($1,344). Montgomery County ($705) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 75 counties in Arkansas were considered, 13 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 29 registered wages from $800 to $899, 19 had wages from $900 to $999, and 14 had average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Arkansas, fourth quarter 2023

(U.S. City Average = $1,435)

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 first quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for the first quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the three largest counties in Arkansas, fourth quarter 2023
Area Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Fourth quarter
2023 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,090.1 154,848.1 1.5 -- 1,435 -- 3.6 --

Arkansas

103.2 1,294.0 1.4 -- 1,089 50 2.1 49

Benton

8.2 141.0 1.3 181 1,319 156 4.4 78

Pulaski

14.2 261.8 1.6 150 1,228 218 2.8 241

Washington

6.9 121.0 3.2 22 1,124 300 -2.9 354

(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 2023
Area Establishments Employment December 2023 Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,090,132 154,848,113 1,435

Arkansas

103,181 1,293,983 1,089

Arkansas

922 10,296 998

Ashley

503 5,737 1,017

Baxter

1,303 16,061 884

Benton

8,215 141,008 1,319

Boone

981 14,679 929

Bradley

327 3,712 824

Calhoun

106 3,093 1,359

Carroll

806 10,531 765

Chicot

355 2,746 892

Clark

668 8,725 864

Clay

352 3,006 850

Cleburne

639 6,509 813

Cleveland

128 1,008 965

Columbia

628 8,194 978

Conway

505 6,764 950

Craighead

3,030 54,822 1,030

Crawford

1,272 19,484 929

Crittenden

1,081 15,801 935

Cross

465 4,714 803

Dallas

221 2,608 829

Desha

432 4,382 930

Drew

516 6,559 838

Faulkner

3,251 45,426 946

Franklin

403 4,922 849

Fulton

215 1,852 781

Garland

3,228 38,193 890

Grant

346 4,469 1,063

Greene

942 15,957 932

Hempstead

502 7,644 891

Hot Spring

615 8,097 927

Howard

345 6,253 804

Independence

943 17,525 1,095

Izard

267 3,006 821

Jackson

420 5,046 957

Jefferson

1,670 25,652 999

Johnson

498 8,360 765

Lafayette

161 979 778

Lawrence

393 4,074 835

Lee

213 1,677 877

Lincoln

229 2,600 912

Little River

230 3,044 1,082

Logan

455 5,203 782

Lonoke

1,400 15,141 832

Madison

285 3,549 856

Marion

298 3,295 802

Miller

895 12,380 1,008

Mississippi

1,004 18,567 1,344

Monroe

231 1,819 816

Montgomery

171 1,254 705

Nevada

190 1,897 872

Newton

120 976 721

Ouachita

582 7,234 905

Perry

146 1,035 803

Phillips

581 4,512 840

Pike

268 2,624 867

Poinsett

464 5,242 1,024

Polk

483 5,884 775

Pope

1,783 27,311 945

Prairie

226 1,593 841

Pulaski

14,234 261,841 1,228

Randolph

399 5,920 821

St. Francis

581 6,729 949

Saline

2,418 27,477 922

Scott

186 3,217 717

Searcy

165 1,384 718

Sebastian

3,756 66,007 1,037

Sevier

321 5,100 809

Sharp

401 3,949 744

Stone

290 2,706 732

Union

1,180 16,635 1,090

Van Buren

340 3,783 821

Washington

6,908 121,027 1,124

White

1,811 25,628 874

Woodruff

181 1,942 930

Yell

419 6,608 789

(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 2023
State Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2022–23
Fourth quarter
2023 ($)
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2022–23
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,090.1 154,848.1 1.5 1,435 -- 3.6 --

Alabama

159.1 2,101.1 2.0 1,207 35 4.2 15

Alaska

25.2 311.6 2.4 1,372 16 5.5 2

Arizona

226.4 3,231.4 2.2 1,322 21 3.8 21

Arkansas

103.2 1,294.0 1.4 1,089 50 2.1 49

California

1,792.2 18,111.4 0.2 1,759 4 4.8 9

Colorado

263.2 2,930.1 2.5 1,516 9 3.0 38

Connecticut

151.0 1,690.0 1.3 1,632 6 2.4 46

Delaware

43.2 472.9 1.3 1,373 15 2.2 47

District of Columbia

52.6 759.9 0.7 2,385 1 4.1 16

Florida

904.4 9,870.1 2.5 1,328 20 3.4 32

Georgia

391.7 4,866.4 1.3 1,331 19 3.5 30

Hawaii

58.3 643.3 0.8 1,288 24 5.0 7

Idaho

96.3 854.9 3.5 1,137 46 1.9 50

Illinois

410.6 6,051.9 0.8 1,479 12 3.4 32

Indiana

191.4 3,187.1 0.9 1,171 41 3.6 26

Iowa

110.7 1,564.0 1.0 1,199 36 4.0 18

Kansas

100.1 1,431.8 1.1 1,167 42 3.7 25

Kentucky

154.0 2,004.4 1.8 1,146 45 4.1 16

Louisiana

154.2 1,905.4 0.8 1,193 37 5.3 5

Maine

64.8 636.8 1.4 1,209 34 3.8 21

Maryland

193.8 2,730.4 2.3 1,509 10 3.1 36

Massachusetts

292.9 3,655.4 0.8 1,805 2 0.7 51

Michigan

330.9 4,407.8 1.2 1,316 22 3.3 34

Minnesota

209.2 2,909.9 1.2 1,400 14 3.1 36

Mississippi

89.1 1,170.9 0.7 983 51 3.8 21

Missouri

253.9 2,906.3 1.6 1,222 33 4.3 14

Montana

68.2 510.0 1.8 1,178 40 5.4 3

Nebraska

76.8 1,018.5 2.0 1,187 39 2.9 40

Nevada

108.5 1,556.7 3.6 1,271 28 2.2 47

New Hampshire

67.1 689.2 1.4 1,527 8 2.8 41

New Jersey

333.8 4,293.1 1.3 1,574 7 2.6 44

New Mexico

68.6 868.3 2.3 1,165 43 4.9 8

New York

699.7 9,627.1 1.7 1,783 3 2.8 41

North Carolina

383.8 4,917.9 2.5 1,280 27 3.6 26

North Dakota

36.1 427.0 2.7 1,267 29 5.2 6

Ohio

333.9 5,514.5 1.1 1,245 31 3.6 26

Oklahoma

132.6 1,697.1 1.9 1,123 49 4.7 11

Oregon

206.1 1,985.5 1.0 1,338 18 2.8 41

Pennsylvania

392.4 6,023.4 1.2 1,360 17 3.0 38

Rhode Island

48.3 492.3 1.3 1,302 23 3.3 34

South Carolina

180.8 2,278.0 2.6 1,153 44 3.8 21

South Dakota

40.0 456.0 2.5 1,136 47 3.6 26

Tennessee

225.9 3,276.9 1.6 1,285 25 2.5 45

Texas

835.1 13,905.4 2.3 1,427 13 4.0 18

Utah

139.0 1,713.5 2.1 1,285 25 4.5 13

Vermont

32.6 310.3 1.5 1,250 30 3.5 30

Virginia

316.7 4,089.8 1.7 1,482 11 4.7 11

Washington

243.0 3,590.9 1.6 1,742 5 6.7 1

West Virginia

59.9 693.5 1.2 1,126 48 5.4 3

Wisconsin

208.0 2,936.6 1.0 1,233 32 3.9 20

Wyoming

30.8 277.4 1.5 1,191 38 4.8 9

Puerto Rico

54.4 975.7 0.0 688 (3) 3.3 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.8 36.2 1.6 1,024 (3) 0.7 (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: Friday, June 14, 2024