Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

News Release Information

23-2670-DAL
Thursday, December 21, 2023

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

County Employment and Wages in Oklahoma – Second Quarter 2023

Employment rose in all three of the largest counties in Oklahoma 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.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Cleveland County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 5.4 percent. (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 three largest counties in Oklahoma, employment was highest in Oklahoma County (486,200) in June 2023. 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 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 74 counties in Oklahoma with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 74 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All three large Oklahoma counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2022 to the second quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Two counties had rates of wage gains above the national rate of 3.2 percent: Tulsa (+4.5%) and Cleveland (+3.7%). Oklahoma County reported a 2.9% increase in wages.

 

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

Average weekly wages in the three largest counties in Oklahoma were below the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. Oklahoma County ($1,166, 195th) and Tulsa County ($1,126, 225th) ranked in the middle third among the 360 largest U.S. counties. The average weekly wage for Cleveland County ($946) ranked 347th.  

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).

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, $1,277. McIntosh County reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state at $697 per week.

When all 77 counties in Oklahoma were considered, 15 reported average weekly wages of $799 or less, 24 registered wages from $800 to $899, 25 had wages from $900 to $999, and 13 had average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Oklahoma, 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 the third quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for the third quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the three largest counties in Oklahoma, 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 --

Oklahoma

129.7 1,669.0 3.1 -- 1,052 47 3.6 25

Cleveland

7.3 91.5 5.4 10 946 347 3.7 107

Oklahoma

33.1 486.2 3.7 50 1,166 195 2.9 169

Tulsa

26.4 366.2 3.1 82 1,126 225 4.5 66

(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 2023
Area Establishments Employment June 2023 Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

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

Oklahoma

129,685 1,669,045 1,052

Adair

342 4,452 785

Alfalfa

153 1,268 977

Atoka

333 3,213 751

Beaver

174 1,384 935

Beckham

802 9,778 895

Blaine

295 2,864 918

Bryan

1,239 20,698 945

Caddo

645 7,023 919

Canadian

3,985 37,312 935

Carter

1,806 23,369 978

Cherokee

932 17,453 879

Choctaw

386 5,147 781

Cimarron

101 670 737

Cleveland

7,276 91,470 946

Coal

130 1,152 805

Comanche

2,678 41,039 944

Cotton

121 1,681 836

Craig

447 5,222 810

Creek

1,782 20,883 1,021

Custer

1,052 12,252 883

Delaware

959 9,544 817

Dewey

204 1,981 1,277

Ellis

141 1,088 873

Garfield

1,789 23,639 929

Garvin

871 9,723 1,024

Grady

1,293 13,137 900

Grant

165 1,263 1,086

Greer

108 921 752

Harmon

79 643 774

Harper

145 1,052 871

Haskell

280 3,479 744

Hughes

287 2,702 750

Jackson

664 9,463 991

Jefferson

153 948 750

Johnston

268 3,038 893

Kay

1,279 17,204 888

Kingfisher

613 6,612 1,063

Kiowa

241 1,967 790

Latimer

220 3,372 976

LeFlore

1,071 11,118 794

Lincoln

772 7,293 984

Logan

887 8,558 845

Love

249 5,438 959

McClain

1,308 12,215 900

McCurtain

859 12,321 830

McIntosh

420 4,222 697

Major

262 2,102 858

Marshall

358 4,933 971

Mayes

1,026 13,061 1,032

Murray

388 5,037 839

Muskogee

1,601 27,440 956

Noble

276 4,761 1,030

Nowata

190 1,846 975

Okfuskee

230 2,354 790

Oklahoma

33,126 486,243 1,166

Okmulgee

844 9,777 854

Osage

571 7,416 914

Ottawa

798 12,768 831

Pawnee

356 3,412 852

Payne

2,291 33,928 926

Pittsburg

1,075 15,227 973

Pontotoc

1,211 19,327 1,056

Pottawatomie

1,494 22,373 864

Pushmataha

287 2,417 791

Roger Mills

110 812 872

Rogers

2,230 30,325 1,043

Seminole

532 7,355 858

Sequoyah

758 9,391 710

Stephens

1,220 15,105 987

Texas

598 9,741 946

Tillman

181 1,398 840

Tulsa

26,410 366,218 1,126

Wagoner

1,010 10,624 950

Washington

1,461 19,261 1,077

Washita

291 1,947 871

Woods

309 3,145 878

Woodward

859 8,386 1,034

(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)

(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 21, 2023