Employment rose in Arizona’s two largest counties 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.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that Maricopa County had the larger over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 2.6 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Arizona, June 2023

County	Percent change, June 2023
Maricopa	2.6
Pima	1.9

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 Arizona’s two large counties, employment was higher in Maricopa County (2,180,700) in June 2023. Together, Maricopa and Pima counties accounted for 82.8 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 13 counties in Arizona with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 12 of 13 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,332 in the second quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Average weekly wages increased in both of Arizona’s largest counties from the second quarter of 2022 to the second quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Pima County (+4.8%) and Maricopa County (+3.5%) had wage gain rates that were above the national rate of 3.2 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Arizona, second quarter 2023

County	Percent change, second quarter 2023
Pima	4.8
Maricopa	3.5

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).

Average weekly wages in Maricopa County ($1,319) and Pima County ($1,134) were below the national average of $1,332 and ranked 95^th and 220^th nationwide, respectively, in the second quarter of 2023.

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).

Among the 13 smaller counties in Arizona —those with employment below 75,000—Greenlee ($1,506) had an average weekly wage above the national average of $1,332. Mohave County ($955) had the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 15 counties in Arizona were considered, 5 had average weekly wages of $999 or lower, 5 had wages from $1,000 to $1,099, and 5 had wages of $1,100 or higher. (See map 1.)