Employment rose in all of the eight largest counties in Minnesota from September 2020 to September 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2020.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that Hennepin County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 3.2 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 4.4 percent over the year, with 332 of the 343 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Honolulu, HI, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 13.3 percent. Jefferson, LA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 3.2 percent.

Among the eight largest counties in Minnesota, employment was highest in Hennepin County (879,300) in September 2021. Within Hennepin County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the eight largest Minnesota counties accounted for 66.8 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 343 largest counties made up 72.3 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 79 counties in Minnesota with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 78 of the 79 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,251 in the third quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All eight large Minnesota counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2020 to the third quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) Two counties had rates of wage gains that were above the national rate of 6.7 percent. St. Louis County had the largest gain (+9.6 percent), followed by Anoka County (+8.9 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Minnesota’s remaining large counties ranged from 6.3 percent to 4.4 percent.

Among the 343 largest counties in the United States, 333 had over-the-year wage increases. San Mateo, CA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+27.2 percent). Union, NJ, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-1.2 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in the 3 of the 8 largest counties in Minnesota were above the national average of $1,251 in the third quarter of 2021. Average weekly wages in the three counties ranked among the top 100 nationwide: Hennepin ($1,516, 27^th), Ramsey ($1,316, 65^th), and Olmsted ($1,282, 77^th).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 85 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2021. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,710. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 258 counties. At $756 a week, Cameron, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Minnesota’s smaller counties

Among the 79 smaller counties in Minnesota—those with employment below 75,000—Clearwater County ($1,254) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Fillmore County ($726) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 87 counties in Minnesota were considered, 28 reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 27 registered wages from $850 to $949, 21 had wages from $950 to $1,049, and 11 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 fourth quarter 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 25, 2022.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for fourth quarter 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.

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 eight largest counties in Minnesota, third quarter 2021

Area	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average weekly wage (1)
		September 2021 (thousands)	Percent change, September 2020–21 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)	Third quarter 2021	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, third quarter 2020–21 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (4)	11,021.4	144,863.9	4.4	--	$1,251	--	6.7	--
Minnesota	186.9	2,780.5	2.7	--	1,249	13	6.1	24
Anoka	8.0	124.3	2.5	227	1,221	101	8.9	30
Dakota	10.9	180.2	1.7	285	1,193	118	4.6	229
Hennepin	42.6	879.3	3.2	184	1,516	27	4.7	222
Olmsted	3.8	99.3	2.4	234	1,282	77	4.7	222
Ramsey	14.4	311.4	1.9	267	1,316	65	4.4	244
St. Louis	5.4	91.9	2.1	256	1,043	239	9.6	23
Stearns	4.4	82.7	0.9	316	1,062	220	5.3	190
Washington	6.3	88.4	2.4	234	1,009	267	6.3	124
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 Minnesota, third quarter 2021

Area	Establishments	Employment September 2021	Average weekly wage (1)
United States (2)	11,021,414	144,863,915	$1,251
Minnesota	186,927	2,780,520	1,249
Aitkin	470	4,264	801
Anoka	8,045	124,325	1,221
Becker	1,073	14,674	851
Beltrami	1,256	19,758	946
Benton	1,023	17,563	979
Big Stone	207	1,692	843
Blue Earth	2,072	37,466	994
Brown	862	13,072	908
Carlton	763	12,732	1,033
Carver	2,621	38,355	1,174
Cass	907	12,522	1,161
Chippewa	418	5,357	869
Chisago	1,272	15,964	983
Clay	1,411	18,977	904
Clearwater	227	2,766	1,254
Cook	318	2,817	749
Cottonwood	428	5,692	836
Crow Wing	2,233	29,485	907
Dakota	10,883	180,224	1,193
Dodge	459	5,829	1,182
Douglas	1,425	19,055	949
Faribault	477	4,536	961
Fillmore	735	6,292	726
Freeborn	818	11,318	886
Goodhue	1,305	20,363	1,020
Grant	255	1,831	849
Hennepin	42,551	879,288	1,516
Houston	437	5,091	747
Hubbard	634	6,293	845
Isanti	884	10,952	882
Itasca	1,268	15,646	942
Jackson	349	4,769	826
Kanabec	337	3,951	878
Kandiyohi	1,424	22,636	887
Kittson	187	1,422	776
Koochiching	416	4,201	936
Lac qui Parle	234	2,091	780
Lake	339	4,032	935
Lake of the Woods	174	1,593	762
Le Sueur	746	8,684	941
Lincoln	218	1,501	742
Lyon	823	13,484	953
McLeod	977	15,304	941
Mahnomen	113	1,728	1,003
Marshall	334	2,352	936
Martin	679	7,960	936
Meeker	623	7,329	901
Mille Lacs	728	9,236	835
Morrison	1,031	10,702	818
Mower	866	15,996	1,046
Murray	318	2,781	800
Nicollet	778	14,683	967
Nobles	611	10,383	954
Norman	244	1,691	771
Olmsted	3,819	99,271	1,282
Otter Tail	1,858	22,747	846
Pennington	409	10,128	1,012
Pine	673	7,581	751
Pipestone	366	4,211	826
Polk	1,000	11,471	939
Pope	362	4,282	899
Ramsey	14,399	311,350	1,316
Red Lake	125	1,033	743
Redwood	572	5,865	849
Renville	576	5,674	901
Rice	1,669	24,611	990
Rock	314	3,585	823
Roseau	453	7,803	969
St. Louis	5,376	91,878	1,043
Scott	3,628	56,130	1,096
Sherburne	2,266	26,150	1,016
Sibley	405	4,350	895
Stearns	4,429	82,670	1,062
Steele	1,074	19,622	955
Stevens	358	5,504	1,026
Swift	341	3,434	873
Todd	605	6,430	924
Traverse	151	1,115	769
Wabasha	575	6,701	799
Wadena	442	5,484	848
Waseca	539	5,944	911
Washington	6,310	88,424	1,009
Watonwan	334	4,256	827
Wilkin	202	1,677	1,008
Winona	1,196	23,202	933
Wright	3,566	45,354	981
Yellow Medicine	367	3,677	799
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, third quarter 2021

State	Establishments, third quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average weekly wage (1)
		September 2021 (thousands)	Percent change, September 2020–21	Third quarter 2021	National ranking by level	Percent change, third quarter 2020–21	National ranking by percent change
United States (2)	11,021.4	144,863.9	4.4	$1,251	--	6.7	--
Alabama	139.8	1,955.3	2.6	1,030	36	5.3	37
Alaska	24.0	316.9	4.6	1,205	16	3.4	50
Arizona	184.5	2,926.3	4.6	1,167	19	7.0	13
Arkansas	97.4	1,212.9	2.9	963	47	7.8	6
California	1,679.6	17,208.7	6.6	1,576	4	7.7	8
Colorado	231.8	2,723.4	4.8	1,322	9	7.0	13
Connecticut	132.0	1,605.1	2.9	1,401	6	5.7	31
Delaware	35.9	439.7	2.1	1,198	18	4.4	45
District of Columbia	45.4	736.1	3.1	2,042	1	4.1	46
Florida	808.4	8,910.9	7.0	1,120	25	8.7	3
Georgia	343.9	4,491.4	4.9	1,158	20	6.8	17
Hawaii	49.2	592.8	16.6	1,150	22	3.3	51
Idaho	79.2	804.0	5.3	953	50	7.8	6
Illinois	398.4	5,751.2	3.3	1,274	11	6.3	22
Indiana	178.9	3,020.6	2.6	1,032	34	7.4	10
Iowa	106.8	1,509.6	2.2	1,015	39	4.9	43
Kansas	92.1	1,349.3	1.7	997	40	4.7	44
Kentucky	134.3	1,869.0	3.4	989	43	5.8	28
Louisiana	144.2	1,772.7	1.7	1,021	37	5.4	36
Maine	58.5	619.9	3.6	1,031	35	6.7	18
Maryland	178.1	2,604.6	3.9	1,314	10	3.5	49
Massachusetts	281.4	3,501.0	5.5	1,593	2	7.0	13
Michigan	271.3	4,181.4	3.6	1,154	21	5.3	37
Minnesota	186.9	2,780.5	2.7	1,249	13	6.1	24
Mississippi	77.3	1,122.2	2.6	859	51	6.3	22
Missouri	223.9	2,760.3	2.9	1,055	31	6.0	26
Montana	57.0	487.5	4.4	963	47	6.5	21
Nebraska	75.6	964.6	1.4	1,017	38	5.5	35
Nevada	96.0	1,389.5	10.8	1,135	23	8.3	5
New Hampshire	60.0	654.6	3.3	1,349	8	15.0	1
New Jersey	304.1	3,977.2	5.1	1,384	7	4.1	46
New Mexico	64.8	806.2	4.2	997	40	5.6	32
New York	671.2	8,922.4	4.4	1,534	5	6.1	24
North Carolina	318.4	4,516.4	4.5	1,112	26	7.1	11
North Dakota	33.0	407.2	2.2	1,076	30	5.1	40
Ohio	315.7	5,248.0	2.2	1,098	28	5.6	32
Oklahoma	116.4	1,576.6	1.8	966	45	5.6	32
Oregon	171.2	1,909.5	3.7	1,220	15	9.6	2
Pennsylvania	375.4	5,685.4	3.2	1,205	16	5.8	28
Rhode Island	43.2	474.1	4.8	1,131	24	3.6	48
South Carolina	152.9	2,086.0	2.8	988	44	6.9	16
South Dakota	37.0	435.6	3.1	965	46	5.1	40
Tennessee	187.7	3,044.1	4.2	1,111	27	8.7	3
Texas	770.0	12,613.1	5.6	1,227	14	6.7	18
Utah	123.1	1,594.7	5.0	1,087	29	7.1	11
Vermont	28.1	293.5	2.7	1,055	31	5.8	28
Virginia	299.2	3,845.3	2.9	1,264	12	5.3	37
Washington	266.6	3,415.2	4.4	1,578	3	6.6	20
West Virginia	53.6	664.2	2.7	960	49	5.0	42
Wisconsin	189.5	2,815.9	2.3	1,049	33	7.5	9
Wyoming	28.7	271.1	2.5	995	42	6.0	26
Puerto Rico	47.9	887.9	6.5	568	(3)	4.0	(3)
Virgin Islands	3.6	34.5	1.9	956	(3)	-5.4	(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.