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News Release Information

22-1886-PHI
Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

County Employment and Wages in Pennsylvania — First Quarter 2022

Employment rose in all 19 large counties in Pennsylvania from March 2021 to March 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2021.) Regional Commissioner Alexandra Hall-Bovee noted that Philadelphia County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 6.5 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 5.0 percent over the year, with 349 of the 355 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Clark, NV, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 12.5 percent. Jefferson, LA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 0.8 percent.

Among the 19 largest counties in Pennsylvania, employment was highest in Philadelphia County (676,100) in March 2022. Within Philadelphia County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 19 largest Pennsylvania counties accounted for 76.2 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 355 largest counties made up 73 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 48 counties in Pennsylvania with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 47 of the 48 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,374 in the first quarter of 2022. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All 19 large Pennsylvania counties reported average weekly wage gains from the first quarter of 2021 to the first quarter of 2022. (See chart 2.) Nine counties had rates of wage gains that were above the national rate of 6.7 percent. Bucks County had the largest gain (+8.2 percent), followed by York County (+8.1 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Pennsylvania’s other 17 large counties ranged from 1.7 percent to 7.7 percent.

Among the 355 largest counties in the United States, 348 had over-the-year wage increases. Peoria, IL, had the largest percentage wage increase (+25.8 percent). San Francisco, CA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-9.1 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in 6 of the 19 largest counties in Pennsylvania were above the national average of $1,374 in the first quarter of 2022. Average weekly wages exceeded $1,700 in two counties: Montgomery ($1,777, 24th), and Chester ($1,717, 31st).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 87 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the first quarter of 2022. New York, NY, had the highest average weekly wage at $4,064. Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 268 counties. At $736 a week, Cameron, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Pennsylvania’s smaller counties

Among the 48 smaller counties in Pennsylvania—those with employment below 75,000—Montour ($1,475) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Perry County ($682) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 67 counties in Pennsylvania were considered, 13 reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 24 registered wages from $850 to $949, 10 had wages from $950 to $1,049, and 20 had average weekly wages of $1,050 or higher. (See chart 3.)

Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note or visit www.bls.gov/cew.

Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update. The Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online is available at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/.

The County Employment and Wages release for second quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, November 22, 2022. The County Employment and Wages full data update for second quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, December 6, 2022.

Changes to QCEW with First Quarter 2022 Release

County Changes for the 2022 County Employment and Wages News Releases

Counties with annual average employment of 75,000 or more in 2021 are included in this release and will be included in future 2022 releases. Nationally, twelve counties have been added to the publication tables. No counties were dropped from the publication tables.

Industry Changes to QCEW Data

Beginning with the full release of first quarter 2022 data on September 7, 2022, the QCEW program will use the 2022 version of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) as the basis for the publication of economic data by industry. For information on the use of the 2022 version of NAICS in QCEW, please see www.bls.gov/cew/classifications/industry/naics-2022.htm.


Technical Note

Average weekly wage data by county are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, also known as the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The average weekly wage values are calculated by dividing quarterly total wages by the average of the three monthly employment levels of those covered by UI programs. The result is then divided by 13, the number of weeks in a quarter. It is to be noted, therefore, that over-the-year wage changes for geographic areas may reflect shifts in the composition of employment by industry, occupation, and such other factors as hours of work. Thus, wages may vary among counties, metropolitan areas, or states for reasons other than changes in the average wage level. Data for all states, Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), counties, and the nation are available on the BLS web site at www.bls.gov/cew. However, data in QCEW press releases have been revised and may not match the data contained on the Bureau’s web site.

QCEW data are not designed as a time series. QCEW data are simply the sums of individual establishment records reflecting the number of establishments that exist in a county or industry at a point in time. Establishments can move in or out of a county or industry for a number of reasons–some reflecting economic events, others reflecting administrative changes.

The preliminary QCEW data presented in this release may differ from data released by the individual states as well as from the data presented on the BLS web site. These potential differences result from the states’ continuing receipt, review and editing of UI data over time. On the other hand, differences between data in this release and the data found on the BLS web site are the result of adjustments made to improve over-the-year comparisons. Specifically, these adjustments account for administrative (noneconomic) changes such as a correction to a previously reported location or industry classification. Adjusting for these administrative changes allows users to more accurately assess changes of an economic nature (such as a firm moving from one county to another or changing its primary economic activity) over a 12-month period. Currently, adjusted data are available only from BLS press releases.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 19 largest counties in Pennsylvania, first quarter 2022
Area Establishments,
first quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
March 2022
(thousands)
Percent change,
March
2021–22 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
First quarter
2022
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
first quarter
2021–22 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,299.0 147,648.4 5.0 -- $1,374 -- 6.7 --

Pennsylvania

384.0 5,778.2 4.3 -- 1,309 16 6.9 35

Allegheny

36.8 650.4 2.6 267 1,436 65 5.2 255

Berks

8.9 166.8 2.8 254 1,117 213 6.7 189

Bucks

21.1 260.6 4.4 139 1,192 160 8.2 104

Butler

5.2 83.7 2.2 294 1,132 196 6.5 202

Chester

16.4 243.8 3.4 210 1,717 31 4.1 294

Cumberland

6.9 134.0 2.5 276 1,123 209 5.5 242

Dauphin

7.6 178.6 2.9 243 1,249 133 5.7 233

Delaware

14.5 216.2 3.9 174 1,414 73 7.3 155

Erie

6.9 115.3 2.9 243 916 336 5.7 233

Lackawanna

5.6 94.0 4.1 161 928 333 4.4 284

Lancaster

14.4 243.6 4.0 168 1,049 260 7.7 126

Lehigh

9.1 194.0 4.2 148 1,213 148 7.7 126

Luzerne

7.5 140.9 5.3 96 966 320 3.8 297

Montgomery

29.0 496.9 3.2 218 1,777 24 5.5 242

Northampton

7.0 117.6 4.1 161 1,067 246 6.6 197

Philadelphia

35.4 676.1 6.5 41 1,507 54 7.0 167

Washington

5.7 83.4 3.8 181 1,495 57 1.7 342

Westmoreland

9.2 127.4 2.9 243 992 307 7.1 163

York

9.4 178.0 4.1 161 1,083 234 8.1 108

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications.
(3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in Pennsylvania, first quarter 2022
Area Establishments Employment March 2022 Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,299,030 147,648,359 $1,374

Pennsylvania

384,014 5,778,217 1,309

Adams

2,187 33,237 915

Allegheny

36,760 650,370 1,436

Armstrong

1,489 15,404 871

Beaver

3,725 49,408 1,159

Bedford

1,223 15,918 823

Berks

8,940 166,774 1,117

Blair

3,518 56,308 892

Bradford

1,593 21,492 1,061

Bucks

21,127 260,643 1,192

Butler

5,228 83,741 1,132

Cambria

3,375 46,861 821

Cameron

157 1,655 949

Carbon

1,294 15,170 780

Centre

3,658 63,895 1,107

Chester

16,382 243,844 1,717

Clarion

1,098 12,040 776

Clearfield

2,123 28,765 865

Clinton

921 12,055 909

Columbia

1,577 23,777 857

Crawford

2,154 28,445 847

Cumberland

6,924 133,970 1,123

Dauphin

7,618 178,639 1,249

Delaware

14,518 216,221 1,414

Elk

991 13,469 907

Erie

6,900 115,257 916

Fayette

2,848 36,537 868

Forest

154 1,785 987

Franklin

3,404 58,977 930

Fulton

312 4,962 936

Greene

809 11,369 1,138

Huntingdon

1,013 11,977 832

Indiana

1,976 27,155 999

Jefferson

1,220 14,584 828

Juniata

567 6,577 744

Lackawanna

5,611 93,986 928

Lancaster

14,405 243,588 1,049

Lawrence

2,038 26,587 893

Lebanon

2,900 50,607 940

Lehigh

9,051 193,957 1,213

Luzerne

7,531 140,939 966

Lycoming

3,110 47,833 973

Mckean

1,120 13,771 850

Mercer

2,908 42,654 952

Mifflin

1,073 15,547 865

Monroe

3,655 54,386 965

Montgomery

28,953 496,854 1,777

Montour

495 16,208 1,475

Northampton

7,034 117,628 1,067

Northumberland

1,872 25,879 916

Perry

912 7,738 682

Philadelphia

35,417 676,103 1,507

Pike

1,121 11,010 757

Potter

472 4,971 872

Schuylkill

3,055 48,311 938

Snyder

988 15,377 835

Somerset

1,833 23,347 847

Sullivan

195 1,244 852

Susquehanna

984 8,781 955

Tioga

1,043 12,432 890

Union

1,024 16,769 967

Venango

1,273 16,489 835

Warren

994 13,024 869

Washington

5,698 83,402 1,495

Wayne

1,431 14,383 893

Westmoreland

9,242 127,375 992

Wyoming

719 8,963 1,082

York

9,380 178,007 1,083

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, first quarter 2022
State Establishments,
first quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
March 2022
(thousands)
Percent change,
March
2021–22
First quarter
2022
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
first quarter
2021–22
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,299.0 147,648.4 5.0 $1,374 -- 6.7 --

Alabama

143.7 1,990.4 2.5 1,072 39 8.2 21

Alaska

24.2 303.9 2.8 1,178 25 4.9 45

Arizona

195.8 3,048.2 5.0 1,234 21 7.5 29

Arkansas

98.3 1,232.7 3.1 1,060 40 10.9 2

California

1,667.6 17,720.8 7.7 1,644 5 1.0 51

Colorado

238.0 2,767.9 5.1 1,455 9 8.8 11

Connecticut

135.7 1,618.6 4.3 1,716 4 9.2 6

Delaware

38.1 447.8 3.9 1,362 14 7.5 29

District of Columbia

46.9 749.1 5.8 2,221 1 2.6 49

Florida

844.0 9,249.2 6.1 1,222 23 10.8 3

Georgia

359.6 4,615.2 5.0 1,301 17 8.8 11

Hawaii

50.4 612.1 7.9 1,135 30 4.2 47

Idaho

83.6 806.4 4.7 982 49 8.5 18

Illinois

403.8 5,808.8 4.5 1,487 8 7.3 33

Indiana

183.0 3,071.1 3.7 1,127 32 9.8 5

Iowa

108.2 1,511.6 2.5 1,080 36 7.6 27

Kansas

93.1 1,369.8 2.5 1,073 38 9.0 10

Kentucky

137.5 1,911.5 4.0 1,038 44 7.6 27

Louisiana

147.6 1,820.6 1.3 1,058 42 8.6 16

Maine

60.4 604.1 2.8 1,103 35 10.3 4

Maryland

179.9 2,623.1 3.9 1,410 10 2.0 50

Massachusetts

286.6 3,516.0 5.3 1,827 3 5.9 43

Michigan

282.2 4,212.5 4.6 1,225 22 6.2 41

Minnesota

194.1 2,772.6 2.7 1,374 11 6.8 37

Mississippi

77.9 1,134.2 2.9 879 51 8.5 18

Missouri

227.1 2,788.2 3.0 1,128 31 7.0 34

Montana

57.5 479.9 3.1 991 48 8.3 20

Nebraska

78.7 965.4 1.5 1,079 37 9.2 6

Nevada

102.7 1,441.3 11.6 1,164 27 8.0 23

New Hampshire

61.1 659.9 4.3 1,361 15 7.8 25

New Jersey

317.9 4,085.1 7.2 1,606 6 4.6 46

New Mexico

68.0 817.4 5.1 1,018 45 6.5 40

New York

681.3 9,107.2 6.0 1,972 2 5.6 44

North Carolina

335.8 4,638.3 4.8 1,241 20 9.2 6

North Dakota

33.3 400.5 2.7 1,106 34 6.9 35

Ohio

320.5 5,299.0 3.1 1,179 24 7.5 29

Oklahoma

120.7 1,601.8 2.9 1,012 46 8.0 23

Oregon

175.1 1,921.9 4.0 1,259 18 7.4 32

Pennsylvania

384.0 5,778.2 4.3 1,309 16 6.9 35

Rhode Island

45.0 469.3 4.7 1,249 19 6.8 37

South Carolina

164.1 2,142.9 3.9 1,043 43 9.2 6

South Dakota

37.8 432.0 3.5 1,012 46 8.6 16

Tennessee

198.1 3,104.1 4.6 1,172 26 8.8 11

Texas

788.4 12,985.4 6.1 1,369 12 8.7 14

Utah

126.5 1,625.6 4.5 1,152 28 8.2 21

Vermont

29.3 295.8 3.9 1,107 33 7.7 26

Virginia

310.8 3,889.4 3.1 1,366 13 6.6 39

Washington

277.3 3,453.4 6.0 1,596 7 3.8 48

West Virginia

55.2 668.1 2.9 968 50 6.1 42

Wisconsin

193.9 2,816.5 2.9 1,137 29 8.7 14

Wyoming

28.9 263.6 2.6 1,059 41 11.2 1

Puerto Rico

48.7 917.1 6.8 579 (3) 2.8 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.5 34.8 -0.3 947 (3) -3.7 (3)

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(3) Data not included in the national ranking.

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

 

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, September 14, 2022