Counties with most rapid growth in employment, June 2003-June 2004

In June 2004, Rutherford County, Tennessee, which is in the center of the State, had the biggest over-the-year gain in employment among the largest counties in the U.S.

[Chart data—TXT]

Employment grew by 8.5 percent in Rutherford County from June 2003 to June 2004, while the nation as a whole experienced job growth of 1.2 percent.

Elkhart County, Indiana, which borders Michigan, had the next largest increase, 7.6 percent. The counties with the next highest rates of job growth were Clark, Nevada (which includes Las Vegas), Prince William, Virginia (an outer suburb of Washington, DC), and Collin, Texas (a suburb of Dallas).

The BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program produced these data, which are preliminary and subject to revision. Employment data presented here are for all workers covered by State and Federal unemployment insurance programs. The largest counties are those with employment levels of 75,000 or more—there are 317 such counties. Find more about pay and employment in large counties in "County Employment and Wages: Second Quarter 2004" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 05-31.