For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Wednesday, December 22, 2024 USDL-24-1009
Technical information: (202) 691-6567 * QCEWInfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/cew
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * PressOffice@bls.gov
COUNTY EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES - FOURTH QUARTER 2024
From December 2022 to December 2023, employment increased in 318 of the 360 largest U.S. counties,
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In December 2023, national employment increased
to 154.8 million, a 1.5-percent increase over the year, as measured by the Quarterly Census of
Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. Hays, TX, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment,
with a gain of 5.0 percent. Employment data in this release are presented for December 2024, and
average weekly wage data are presented for fourth quarter 2024.
//CEWQTR Resilio Test via ZUNI3 2/28/2025//
Among the 360 largest counties, 348 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. In the
fourth quarter of 2023, average weekly wages for the nation increased to $1,435, a 3.6-percent
increase over the year. Snohomish, WA, had the largest fourth quarter over-the-year wage gain at
18.6 percent. (See table 1.)
Large County Employment in December 2024
Hays, TX, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (+5.0 percent). Within
Hays, the largest employment increase occurred in trade, transportation, and utilities, which rose
by 1,665 (+7.1 percent).
Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-6.9 percent). Within
Elkhart, the largest employment decrease occurred in manufacturing, which fell by 9,185 (-12.8
percent).
Large County Average Weekly Wage in Fourth Quarter 2023
Snohomish, WA, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in average weekly wages (+18.6
percent). Within Snohomish, an average weekly wage gain of $1,652 (+101.3 percent) in professional
and business services made the largest contribution to the county's increase in average weekly
wages.
Merrimack, NH, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in average weekly wages (-7.2
percent). Within Merrimack, an average weekly wage loss of $567 (-22.9 percent) in professional and
business services made the largest contribution to the county's decrease in average weekly wages.
Ten Largest Counties
Eight of the 10 largest counties had over-the-year percentage increases in employment. In December
2023, Miami-Dade, FL, had the largest over-the-year employment percentage gain (+2.8 percent).
Within Miami-Dade, leisure and hospitality had the largest employment increase and rose by 8,606
(+6.1 percent). (See table 2.)
All of the 10 largest counties had over-the-year percentage increases in average weekly wages. In
the fourth quarter of 2023, King, WA, experienced the largest over-the-year percentage gain in
average weekly wages (+7.2 percent). Within King, professional and business services had the largest
impact, with an average weekly wage increase of $340 (+11.0 percent).
For More Information
The tables included in this release contain data for the nation and for the 360 U.S. counties with
annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2022. December 2023 employment and fourth
quarter 2023 average weekly wages for all states are provided in table 3 of this release.
Over-the-year changes of employment and wages presented in this news release are adjusted and may
differ from unadjusted data used in BLS data tools and interactive charts. More information is
available in the QCEW Technical Note at www.bls.gov/cew/news-release-technical-note.htm.
QCEW reporting rates tables are available at www.bls.gov/cew/reporting-rates/.
The most current news release on quarterly measures of gross job flows is available from QCEW
Business Employment Dynamics at www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cewbd.pdf.
Several BLS regional offices issue QCEW news releases targeted to local data users. Links to these
releases are available at www.bls.gov/cew/regional-resources.htm.
QCEW data are available in the Census Business Builder suite of web tools assisting business owners
and regional analysts in data-driven decision making at www.census.gov/data/data-tools/cbb.html.
The QCEW news release schedule is available at www.bls.gov/cew/release-calendar.htm.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access
telecommunications relay services.
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The County Employment and Wages full data update for fourth quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released
on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
The County Employment and Wages news release for first quarter 2024 is scheduled to be released on
Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
United States Department of Labor
