Employment increased in Washington’s 10 largest counties from September 2022 to September 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 Benton County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 2.7 percent, followed by Clark and Thurston Counties at 2.5 percent each. (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 Washington, September 2023

County	Percent change, September 2023
Benton	2.7
Clark	2.5
Thurston	2.5
Snohomish	2.0
Spokane	1.9
Kitsap	1.7
Pierce	1.5
Whatcom	0.7
Yakima	0.7
King	0.1

National employment increased 1.5 percent over the year, with 309 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Hall, GA, had the largest increase in employment (+5.4 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-7.3 percent).

Among the 10 largest counties in Washington, employment was highest in King County (1,463,000) in September 2023. Within King County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 10 largest Washington counties accounted for 84.6 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 29 counties in Washington with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all of the 29 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Nine of Washington’s ten large counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Thurston County had the largest gain (+1.9 percent), followed by King, Kitsap, and Yakima Counties (+1.8 percent each). Over-the-year wage changes among Washington’s other six large counties ranged from 1.5 percent to -0.1 percent.

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

County	Percent change, third quarter 2023
Thurston	1.9
King	1.8
Kitsap	1.8
Yakima	1.8
Snohomish	1.5
Benton	1.2
Spokane	1.1
Pierce	0.8
Whatcom	0.4
Clark	-0.1

Nationwide, wages increased by 0.1 percent over the year. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 169 had over-the-year wage increases. Clayton, GA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+7.7 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-6.0 percent).

Weekly wages in 3 of the 10 largest counties in Washington were above the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023 and ranked among the top 100 nationwide: King ($2,287, 5^th), Snohomish ($1,449, 52^nd), and Kitsap ($1,336, 91^st).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 92 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the third quarter of 2023. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,288). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 268 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($793).

Among the 29 smaller counties in Washington—those with employment below 75,000—Columbia ($1,273) reported the highest average weekly wage. Wahkiakum County ($829) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 39 counties in Washington were considered, 13 reported average weekly wages of less than $1,000, 9 registered wages from $1,000 to $1,099, 8 had wages from $1,100 to $1,199, and 9 had average weekly wages of $1,200 or higher. (See map 1.) The higher-paying counties were located in and around the Seattle metropolitan area, as well as certain counties on the southern border.