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News Release Information

22-697-SAN
Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (415) 625-2270

County Employment and Wages in Washington – Third Quarter 2021

Employment increased in Washington’s 10 largest counties from September 2020 to September 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2020.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that employment increases ranged from 6.8 percent in Clark County to 1.0 percent in Yakima County. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Washington, September 2021

National employment increased 4.4 percent over the year, with 332 of the 343 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Honolulu, HI, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 13.3 percent. Jefferson, LA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 3.2 percent.

Among the 10 largest counties in Washington, employment was highest in King County (1,405,400) in September 2021. Together, the 10 largest Washington counties accounted for 85.1 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 343 largest counties made up 72.3 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 29 counties in Washington with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 29 smaller counties were below the national average in the third quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

The 10 large Washington counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2020 to the third quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) Thurston County (6.7 percent) had a weekly wage gain equal to the national average of 6.7 percent, while increases for the other nine counties were below the national average. After Thurston County, Clark County (+6.5 percent), King County (+6.5 percent), and Spokane County (+6.4 percent) had the highest weekly wage gains. Over-the-year wage gains among Washington’s other six large counties ranged from 6.0 percent to 3.8 percent.

Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Washington, third quarter 2021

Among the 343 largest counties in the United States, 333 had over-the-year wage increases. San Mateo, CA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+27.2 percent). Union, NJ, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-1.2 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Average weekly wages in four of Washington’s largest counties placed in the top third of the national ranking. King County ($2,220, 5th) and Snohomish County ($1,314, 66th) had weekly wages that exceeded the national average of $1,251 in the third quarter of 2021. Yakima County ($878, 332nd) had the lowest average weekly wage among the state’s largest counties.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 85 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2021. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,710. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 258 counties. At $756 a week, Cameron, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Washington’s smaller counties

All 29 counties in Washington with employment below 75,000 had average weekly wages lower than the national average of $1,251. Among these counties, Cowlitz County had the highest average weekly wage at $1,160. Wahkiakum County reported the lowest weekly wage among all counties in the state, averaging $801 in the third quarter of 2021.

When all 39 counties in Washington were considered, 11 had wages below $900. Twelve counties had average weekly wages ranging from $900 to $999, 6 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, and 10 had wages at or above $1,100. (See chart 3.)

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 fourth quarter 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The County Employment and Wages full data update for fourth quarter 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.


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.

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 10 largest counties in Washington, third quarter 2021
AreaEstablishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
September 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
September
2020–21 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Third quarter
2021
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
third quarter
2020–21 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,021.4144,863.94.4--$1,251--6.7--

Washington

266.63,415.24.4--1,57836.620

Benton

6.493.04.5921,2191033.8274

Clark

17.0167.76.8191,2191036.5106

King

94.81,405.45.7412,22056.5106

Kitsap

7.589.12.32441,1671394.5237

Pierce

24.9314.84.01291,1711365.6168

Snohomish

23.2276.21.52911,314666.0142

Spokane

17.9232.82.42341,0772096.4120

Thurston

9.2118.74.6871,1911236.797

Whatcom

7.988.84.8771,0522324.5237

Yakima

8.3121.11.03128783324.3249

Footnotes:
(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 Washington, third quarter 2021
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment September 2021Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,021,414144,863,915$1,251

Washington

266,5813,415,1501,578

Adams

90010,029856

Asotin

6556,805871

Benton

6,41692,9961,219

Chelan

3,50144,762935

Clallam

2,54723,849927

Clark

17,008167,7261,219

Columbia

2511,5671,109

Cowlitz

3,25539,4361,160

Douglas

1,24412,591864

Ferry

3041,674971

Franklin

2,94535,613956

Garfield

926631,088

Grant

3,35442,1491,008

Grays Harbor

2,43422,956963

Island

2,28216,927947

Jefferson

1,1698,745959

King

94,8231,405,4162,220

Kitsap

7,47089,0711,167

Kittitas

1,49515,637937

Klickitat

8797,4271,041

Lewis

2,59626,484975

Lincoln

5142,769872

Mason

1,46714,061954

Okanogan

1,92317,236834

Pacific

8446,522834

Pend Oreille

4132,967964

Pierce

24,866314,7871,171

San Juan

1,0586,271883

Skagit

4,27350,9401,100

Skamania

2841,984865

Snohomish

23,246276,2051,314

Spokane

17,889232,7801,077

Stevens

1,22311,320883

Thurston

9,192118,6651,191

Wahkiakum

141743801

Walla Walla

2,20529,351961

Whatcom

7,92288,8251,052

Whitman

1,33318,8711,046

Yakima

8,269121,132878

Footnotes:
(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, third quarter 2021
StateEstablishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
September 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
September
2020–21
Third quarter
2021
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
third quarter
2020–21
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,021.4144,863.94.4$1,251--6.7--

Alabama

139.81,955.32.61,030365.337

Alaska

24.0316.94.61,205163.450

Arizona

184.52,926.34.61,167197.013

Arkansas

97.41,212.92.9963477.86

California

1,679.617,208.76.61,57647.78

Colorado

231.82,723.44.81,32297.013

Connecticut

132.01,605.12.91,40165.731

Delaware

35.9439.72.11,198184.445

District of Columbia

45.4736.13.12,04214.146

Florida

808.48,910.97.01,120258.73

Georgia

343.94,491.44.91,158206.817

Hawaii

49.2592.816.61,150223.351

Idaho

79.2804.05.3953507.86

Illinois

398.45,751.23.31,274116.322

Indiana

178.93,020.62.61,032347.410

Iowa

106.81,509.62.21,015394.943

Kansas

92.11,349.31.7997404.744

Kentucky

134.31,869.03.4989435.828

Louisiana

144.21,772.71.71,021375.436

Maine

58.5619.93.61,031356.718

Maryland

178.12,604.63.91,314103.549

Massachusetts

281.43,501.05.51,59327.013

Michigan

271.34,181.43.61,154215.337

Minnesota

186.92,780.52.71,249136.124

Mississippi

77.31,122.22.6859516.322

Missouri

223.92,760.32.91,055316.026

Montana

57.0487.54.4963476.521

Nebraska

75.6964.61.41,017385.535

Nevada

96.01,389.510.81,135238.35

New Hampshire

60.0654.63.31,349815.01

New Jersey

304.13,977.25.11,38474.146

New Mexico

64.8806.24.2997405.632

New York

671.28,922.44.41,53456.124

North Carolina

318.44,516.44.51,112267.111

North Dakota

33.0407.22.21,076305.140

Ohio

315.75,248.02.21,098285.632

Oklahoma

116.41,576.61.8966455.632

Oregon

171.21,909.53.71,220159.62

Pennsylvania

375.45,685.43.21,205165.828

Rhode Island

43.2474.14.81,131243.648

South Carolina

152.92,086.02.8988446.916

South Dakota

37.0435.63.1965465.140

Tennessee

187.73,044.14.21,111278.73

Texas

770.012,613.15.61,227146.718

Utah

123.11,594.75.01,087297.111

Vermont

28.1293.52.71,055315.828

Virginia

299.23,845.32.91,264125.337

Washington

266.63,415.24.41,57836.620

West Virginia

53.6664.22.7960495.042

Wisconsin

189.52,815.92.31,049337.59

Wyoming

28.7271.12.5995426.026

Puerto Rico

47.9887.96.5568(3)4.0(3)

Virgin Islands

3.634.51.9956(3)-5.4(3)

Footnotes:
(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 Washington, third quarter 2021

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2022