
An official website of the United States government
16-1569-SAN
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Employment increased in 26 of California’s 27 large counties from December 2014 to December 2015, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are defined as those with employment of 75,000 or more as measured by 2014 annual average employment.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Richard Holden noted that job growth in 25 of the large counties exceeded the 1.9-percent national increase. The only county in the state with an employment decline was Kern (-0.8 percent).
Nationally, employment increased in 308 of the 342 largest U.S. counties. Williamson, Tenn., had the largest percentage increase, up 6.8 percent over the year. Ector, Texas, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment among the large U.S. counties with a loss of 11.8 percent.
Among the 27 largest counties in California, employment was highest in Los Angeles (4,341,000) in December 2015, while Butte had the smallest employment level (79,300). Together, California’s large counties accounted for 93.1 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 342 largest counties made up 72.5 percent of total U.S. employment, which stood at 141.9 million, up 2.7 million from December 2014.
Average weekly wages increased in 26 of the 27 large counties in California from the fourth quarter of 2014 to the fourth quarter of 2015. San Mateo was the only county in the state with an over-the-year wage decrease (-2.3 percent), but it had the second highest average weekly wage ($2,095). Ten other large counties in the state had average weekly wages that exceeded the national average weekly wage of $1,082. (See table 1.)
Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 31 counties in California with employment below 75,000. All of these smaller counties had average weekly wages below the national average in the fourth quarter of 2015. (See table 2.)
Large county wage changesAs noted, 26 of the 27 large counties in California had annual gains in average weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2015. Sonoma County’s 10.0-percent wage gain placed second among the nation’s 342 large counties. The over-the-year wage increase in Santa Clara County (9.3 percent) placed fifth in the national ranking. Wage gains in two other large counties in the state—San Luis Obispo (8.2 percent, 15th) and San Joaquin (7.1 percent, 28th)—placed in the top 10 percent of the national ranking. Nationally, average weekly wages increased 4.4 percent over the year.
Among the 342 largest U.S. counties, 325 recorded gains in average weekly wages. Wyandotte, Kan., had the largest wage increase (10.4 percent). In contrast, 10 large counties nationwide experienced over-the-year decreases in average weekly wages with the largest decline in Midland, Texas (-11.5 percent).
Large county average weekly wagesAverage weekly wages in 11 of California’s 27 large counties were above the national average of $1,082 in the fourth quarter of 2015, Average weekly wages in Santa Clara ($2,335), San Mateo ($2,095), and San Francisco ($1,961) ranked in the top five nationally. In contrast, at $761 per week, wages in Tulare ranked 330th among the nation’s 342 largest counties.
Nationally, 100 large counties registered average weekly wages above the U.S. average of $1,082 in the fourth quarter of 2015. In addition to the three California counties mentioned above, New York, N.Y. ($2,235) and Suffolk, Mass. ($1,943) were in the top five nationwide.
Seventy percent of the large U.S. counties (241) reported average weekly wages below the national average of $1,082. Cameron, Texas, reported the lowest weekly wage ($649), followed by Horry, S.C. ($653) and Hidalgo, Texas ($661).
Average weekly wages in California’s smaller countiesAll 31 counties in California with employment below 75,000 had average weekly wages lower than the national average of $1,082. Among these smaller counties, Napa County had the highest average weekly wage ($1,073). Modoc County reported the lowest weekly wage among all counties in the state averaging $698 in the fourth quarter of 2015. (See table 2.)
When all 58 counties in California were considered, 17 had wages at or below $799. Eighteen counties had average weekly wages ranging from $800 to $899, 6 had wages from $900 to $999, 9 had wages from $1,000 to $1,199, and 8 had wages at or above $1,200. (See chart 1.)
Additional statistics and other informationQCEW 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. The 2014 edition of this publication contains selected data produced by Business Employment Dynamics (BED) on job gains and losses, as well as selected data from the first quarter 2015 version of the national news release. Tables and additional content from Employment and Wages Annual Averages 2014 are now available online at https://www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/2014/home.htm. The 2015 edition of Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online will be available in September 2016.
The County Employment and Wages release for first quarter 2016 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 7, 2016.
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 9.7 million employer reports cover 141.9 million full- and part-time workers. 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 (see Technical Note below) 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.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.
Area | Employment | Average weekly wage (1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
December 2015 (thousands) | Percent change, December 2014-15 (2) | National ranking by percent change (3) | Average weekly wage | National ranking by level (3) | Percent change, fourth quarter 2014-15 (2) | National ranking by percent change (3) | |
United States (4) |
141,924.5 | 1.9 | -- | 1082 | -- | 4.4 | -- |
California |
16,593.8 | 3.1 | -- | 1274 | 5 | 5.4 | 10 |
Alameda, Calif. |
741.1 | 3.3 | 69 | 1407 | 18 | 6.5 | 53 |
Butte, Calif. |
79.3 | 2.7 | 119 | 800 | 323 | 5.5 | 114 |
Contra Costa, Calif. |
354.7 | 3.2 | 77 | 1286 | 37 | 6.5 | 53 |
Fresno, Calif. |
363.6 | 3.5 | 58 | 849 | 298 | 5.2 | 137 |
Kern, Calif. |
305.9 | -0.8 | 325 | 884 | 272 | 0.6 | 323 |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
4,341.0 | 2.3 | 138 | 1266 | 43 | 5.5 | 114 |
Marin, Calif. |
114.0 | 2.8 | 108 | 1334 | 25 | 4.7 | 175 |
Monterey, Calif. |
165.6 | 3.8 | 37 | 914 | 241 | 6.8 | 36 |
Orange, Calif. |
1,550.6 | 2.3 | 138 | 1205 | 56 | 4.1 | 225 |
Placer, Calif. |
151.7 | 4.4 | 21 | 1071 | 108 | 3.4 | 266 |
Riverside, Calif. |
679.7 | 4.9 | 11 | 840 | 305 | 4.7 | 175 |
Sacramento, Calif. |
637.1 | 3.7 | 46 | 1153 | 63 | 5.2 | 137 |
San Bernardino, Calif. |
719.8 | 3.6 | 51 | 888 | 267 | 4.7 | 175 |
San Diego, Calif. |
1,399.7 | 2.6 | 125 | 1184 | 61 | 4.3 | 212 |
San Francisco, Calif. |
691.6 | 4.6 | 17 | 1961 | 4 | 6.4 | 61 |
San Joaquin, Calif. |
233.2 | 4.2 | 27 | 894 | 262 | 7.1 | 28 |
San Luis Obispo, Calif. |
113.5 | 3.2 | 77 | 900 | 254 | 8.2 | 15 |
San Mateo, Calif. |
393.3 | 3.8 | 37 | 2095 | 3 | -2.3 | 332 |
Santa Barbara, Calif. |
191.9 | 3.0 | 93 | 1038 | 131 | 5.8 | 94 |
Santa Clara, Calif. |
1,040.8 | 3.8 | 37 | 2335 | 1 | 9.3 | 5 |
Santa Cruz, Calif. |
97.5 | 3.2 | 77 | 952 | 200 | 3.1 | 284 |
Solano, Calif. |
134.0 | 3.4 | 63 | 1080 | 104 | 5.3 | 127 |
Sonoma, Calif. |
199.5 | 3.7 | 46 | 1049 | 123 | 10.0 | 2 |
Stanislaus, Calif. |
179.0 | 4.2 | 27 | 888 | 267 | 6.2 | 68 |
Tulare, Calif. |
153.0 | 3.3 | 69 | 761 | 330 | 3.8 | 246 |
Ventura, Calif. |
320.6 | 1.1 | 235 | 1065 | 114 | 3.9 | 237 |
Yolo, Calif. |
96.4 | 3.2 | 77 | 1151 | 66 | 5.4 | 120 |
Footnotes: |
|||||||
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. |
Area | Employment December 2015 | Average Weekly Wage (1) |
---|---|---|
United States (2) |
141,924,459 | $1,082 |
California |
16,593,755 | 1,274 |
Alameda |
741,071 | 1,407 |
Alpine |
531 | 765 |
Amador |
11,473 | 873 |
Butte |
79,334 | 800 |
Calaveras |
8,887 | 783 |
Colusa |
8,360 | 868 |
Contra Costa |
354,696 | 1,286 |
Del Norte |
7,897 | 724 |
El Dorado |
53,062 | 946 |
Fresno |
363,623 | 849 |
Glenn |
8,646 | 767 |
Humboldt |
47,556 | 753 |
Imperial |
63,877 | 727 |
Inyo |
7,556 | 831 |
Kern |
305,856 | 884 |
Kings |
45,626 | 836 |
Lake |
15,484 | 717 |
Lassen |
9,816 | 852 |
Los Angeles |
4,341,027 | 1,266 |
Madera |
46,507 | 833 |
Marin |
114,043 | 1,334 |
Mariposa |
4,921 | 718 |
Mendocino |
31,623 | 744 |
Merced |
73,474 | 798 |
Modoc |
2,308 | 698 |
Mono |
7,417 | 706 |
Monterey |
165,625 | 914 |
Napa |
72,975 | 1,073 |
Nevada |
30,759 | 868 |
Orange |
1,550,632 | 1,205 |
Placer |
151,687 | 1,071 |
Plumas |
5,716 | 808 |
Riverside |
679,684 | 840 |
Sacramento |
637,075 | 1,153 |
San Benito |
15,442 | 911 |
San Bernardino |
719,810 | 888 |
San Diego |
1,399,731 | 1,184 |
San Francisco |
691,558 | 1,961 |
San Joaquin |
233,157 | 894 |
San Luis Obispo |
113,525 | 900 |
San Mateo |
393,299 | 2,095 |
Santa Barbara |
191,851 | 1,038 |
Santa Clara |
1,040,799 | 2,335 |
Santa Cruz |
97,499 | 952 |
Shasta |
64,654 | 806 |
Sierra |
494 | 758 |
Siskiyou |
12,727 | 745 |
Solano |
134,013 | 1,080 |
Sonoma |
199,462 | 1,049 |
Stanislaus |
179,048 | 888 |
Sutter |
28,439 | 796 |
Tehama |
17,018 | 825 |
Trinity |
2,647 | 715 |
Tulare |
153,019 | 761 |
Tuolumne |
16,989 | 827 |
Ventura |
320,562 | 1,065 |
Yolo |
96,418 | 1,151 |
Yuba |
16,436 | 947 |
Footnotes |
||
NOTE: Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. Data are preliminary. |
State | Employment | Average weekly wage (1) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
December 2015 (thousands) | Percent change, December 2014-15 | Average weekly wage | National ranking by level | Percent change, fourth quarter 2014-15 | National ranking by percent change | |
United States (2) |
141,924.5 | 1.9 | $1,082 | -- | 4.4 | -- |
Alabama |
1,916.2 | 1.4 | 912 | 37 | 3.4 | 37 |
Alaska |
315.9 | -0.5 | 1,095 | 13 | 2.9 | 43 |
Arizona |
2,701.8 | 2.6 | 967 | 24 | 4.4 | 28 |
Arkansas |
1,201.4 | 1.7 | 838 | 46 | 3.8 | 35 |
California |
16,593.8 | 3.1 | 1,274 | 5 | 5.4 | 10 |
Colorado |
2,537.5 | 2.5 | 1,103 | 11 | 3.3 | 40 |
Connecticut |
1,685.1 | 0.3 | 1,334 | 4 | 4.3 | 29 |
Delaware |
441.2 | 1.8 | 1,086 | 15 | 3.4 | 37 |
District of Columbia |
754.2 | 2.2 | 1,756 | 1 | 3.4 | 37 |
Florida |
8,308.1 | 3.7 | 958 | 26 | 5.2 | 16 |
Georgia |
4,249.4 | 2.9 | 1,001 | 21 | 4.5 | 27 |
Hawaii |
653.0 | 2.2 | 957 | 27 | 5.4 | 10 |
Idaho |
670.1 | 3.4 | 803 | 50 | 2.6 | 45 |
Illinois |
5,931.2 | 1.4 | 1,146 | 8 | 5.1 | 18 |
Indiana |
2,996.3 | 1.7 | 891 | 40 | 5.3 | 14 |
Iowa |
1,539.0 | 0.7 | 920 | 34 | 5.7 | 3 |
Kansas |
1,382.1 | 0.4 | 898 | 38 | 5.0 | 20 |
Kentucky |
1,881.3 | 1.6 | 885 | 41 | 5.9 | 1 |
Louisiana |
1,937.4 | -1.0 | 940 | 29 | 1.8 | 47 |
Maine |
596.9 | 0.7 | 873 | 43 | 5.7 | 3 |
Maryland |
2,636.7 | 1.7 | 1,175 | 7 | 5.6 | 5 |
Massachusetts |
3,479.1 | 1.6 | 1,385 | 2 | 5.4 | 10 |
Michigan |
4,218.9 | 1.5 | 1,043 | 18 | 5.9 | 1 |
Minnesota |
2,805.8 | 1.5 | 1,073 | 16 | 4.8 | 22 |
Mississippi |
1,133.8 | 1.3 | 770 | 51 | 3.1 | 41 |
Missouri |
2,759.6 | 1.8 | 933 | 33 | 4.6 | 25 |
Montana |
453.2 | 2.5 | 818 | 49 | 3.0 | 42 |
Nebraska |
971.8 | 1.4 | 880 | 42 | 5.1 | 18 |
Nevada |
1,272.2 | 3.5 | 935 | 32 | 4.0 | 31 |
New Hampshire |
648.6 | 1.7 | 1,139 | 9 | 5.4 | 10 |
New Jersey |
3,988.4 | 1.7 | 1,262 | 6 | 4.0 | 31 |
New Mexico |
808.9 | -0.1 | 865 | 44 | 1.8 | 47 |
New York |
9,227.6 | 1.7 | 1,372 | 3 | 3.9 | 34 |
North Carolina |
4,247.1 | 2.5 | 939 | 30 | 5.5 | 8 |
North Dakota |
428.1 | -5.9 | 1,021 | 20 | -2.8 | 51 |
Ohio |
5,328.8 | 1.2 | 964 | 25 | 4.6 | 25 |
Oklahoma |
1,605.0 | -0.7 | 896 | 39 | 2.3 | 46 |
Oregon |
1,814.8 | 3.3 | 979 | 23 | 5.5 | 8 |
Pennsylvania |
5,759.7 | 0.7 | 1,063 | 17 | 4.9 | 21 |
Rhode Island |
478.1 | 1.5 | 1,043 | 18 | 4.0 | 31 |
South Carolina |
1,987.1 | 2.8 | 860 | 45 | 5.3 | 14 |
South Dakota |
417.7 | 1.2 | 832 | 47 | 5.2 | 16 |
Tennessee |
2,898.1 | 2.8 | 980 | 22 | 5.6 | 5 |
Texas |
11,832.1 | 1.4 | 1,099 | 12 | 2.7 | 44 |
Utah |
1,375.6 | 3.8 | 913 | 36 | 4.7 | 23 |
Vermont |
312.1 | 0.3 | 919 | 35 | 4.1 | 30 |
Virginia |
3,806.2 | 3.0 | 1,094 | 14 | 3.5 | 36 |
Washington |
3,137.2 | 2.3 | 1,132 | 10 | 4.7 | 23 |
West Virginia |
703.7 | -1.3 | 829 | 48 | 1.3 | 49 |
Wisconsin |
2,820.5 | 1.1 | 944 | 28 | 5.6 | 5 |
Wyoming |
276.0 | -2.9 | 937 | 31 | -1.7 | 50 |
Puerto Rico |
929.9 | -1.6 | 565 | (3) | 1.6 | (3) |
Virgin Islands |
38.4 | -0.3 | 787 | (3) | 4.7 | (3) |
Footnotes: |
||||||
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: Wednesday, July 27, 2016