Employment declined in 6 of the 7 largest counties in Oregon from March 2025 to March 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Oregon employment decreased 1.3 percent over the year to 1,952,300 in March 2026, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that Washington County (-2.8 percent) had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment. (See chart 1.)

  

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Oregon, March 2026

County	Percent change, March 2026
Washington	-2.8
Multnomah	-1.9
Clackamas	-1.5
Lane	-1.4
Jackson	-0.6
Deschutes	-0.4
Marion	1.4

Multnomah County (484,400) had the highest employment level in Oregon in March 2026. Together, the seven largest counties accounted for 75.0 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 376 largest counties comprise 73.5 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2025.)

Average weekly wage gains in 6 of the 7 large counties in Oregon were above the national average of 3.9 percent. (See chart 2.) Washington had the largest gain (+9.2 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among the other six large Oregon counties ranged from 5.8 percent to 3.1 percent.

  

View Chart Data

Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Oregon, first quarter 2026

County	Percent change, first quarter 2026
Washington	9.2
Jackson	5.8
Clackamas	4.8
Deschutes	4.1
Lane	4.1
Multnomah	4.1
Marion	3.1

Weekly wages in 2 of the 7 largest counties in Oregon were above the national average of $1,654: Washington ($1,882) and Multnomah ($1,712). Average weekly wages among the other five large counties ranged from $1,462 in Clackamas to $1,204 in Jackson.

Statewide, average weekly wages increased 4.6 percent over the year to $1,481. Oregon ranked 23rd in average weekly wages among the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 8th in wage growth.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 29 smaller counties in Oregon, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2025. (See table 2.) Wage levels in all of the smaller counties were below the national average. Morrow reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,420) among small counties. Wheeler reported the lowest average weekly wage ($825) in the state.

Among all 36 Oregon counties, 6 reported average weekly wages less than $1,025, 16 had wages from $1,025 to $1,149, 5 had wages from $1,150 to $1,274, and 9 had average weekly wages of $1,275 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)