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News Release Information

22-1180-CHI
Thursday, July 07, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

County Employment and Wages in Nebraska — Fourth Quarter 2021

Employment rose in the two largest counties in Nebraska from December 2020 to December 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 Lancaster County and Douglas County had over-the-year increases in employment of 2.6 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 5.2 percent over the year, with 334 of the 343 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Clark, NV, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 13.3 percent. Hinds, MS, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 0.9 percent.

In Nebraska, employment was highest in Douglas County (335,500) in December 2021. Within Douglas County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the two largest Nebraska counties accounted for 51.7 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 343 largest counties made up 72.4 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 91 counties in Nebraska with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 90 of the 91 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,418 in the fourth quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Both of Nebraska’s large counties reported average weekly wage gains from the fourth quarter of 2020 to the fourth quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) Wages increased 6.0 percent in Lancaster County and 5.9 percent in Douglas County, compared to the national rate of 5.9 percent.


Among the 343 largest counties in the United States, 334 had over-the-year wage increases. Palm Beach, FL, had the largest percentage wage increase (+15.6 percent). Kitsap, WA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-5.5 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in the two largest counties in Nebraska were below the national average of $1,418 in the fourth quarter of 2021. Douglas County had an average weekly wage of $1,296, ranking 147th nationally. Lancaster County had an average weekly wage of $1,121, ranking 267th nationwide.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 84 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the fourth quarter of 2021. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $4,005. Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 259 counties. At $826 a week, Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Nebraska’s smaller counties

Among the 91 smaller counties in Nebraska—those with employment below 75,000—Stanton County ($1,508) reported an average weekly wage above the national average. Loup County ($576) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 93 counties in Nebraska were considered, 19 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 31 registered wages from $800 to $899, 23 had wages from $900 to $999, and 20 had average weekly wages of $1,000 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 first quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 24, 2022.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for first quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 7, 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 two largest counties in Nebraska, fourth quarter 2021
Area Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2020–21 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Fourth quarter
2021
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2020–21 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,194.1 148,293.6 5.2 -- $1,418 -- 5.9 --

Nebraska

77.5 978.5 1.5 -- 1,144 38 6.1 19

Douglas

20.0 335.5 0.7 327 1,296 147 5.9 109

Lancaster

10.7 170.0 2.6 270 1,121 267 6.0 102

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 Nebraska, fourth quarter 2021
Area Establishments Employment December 2021 Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,194,120 148,293,597 $1,418

Nebraska

77,467 978,540 1,144

Adams

1,137 15,775 918

Antelope

315 2,196 891

Arthur

36 226 681

Banner

16 126 809

Blaine

28 125 840

Boone

278 2,320 914

Box Butte

430 3,567 860

Boyd

104 543 712

Brown

187 1,368 809

Buffalo

1,973 26,974 969

Burt

269 1,769 910

Butler

298 2,489 970

Cass

737 5,789 916

Cedar

363 2,703 903

Chase

248 1,776 895

Cherry

342 2,120 800

Cheyenne

397 3,856 859

Clay

306 2,264 1,082

Colfax

346 5,024 1,123

Cuming

443 3,789 953

Custer

516 4,392 957

Dakota

537 13,144 1,177

Dawes

346 3,121 751

Dawson

834 11,394 963

Deuel

90 543 712

Dixon

164 1,795 912

Dodge

1,197 18,044 1,004

Douglas

20,045 335,477 1,296

Dundy

92 555 921

Fillmore

320 2,314 961

Franklin

157 786 793

Frontier

94 840 763

Furnas

238 1,859 868

Gage

807 8,666 896

Garden

92 526 719

Garfield

125 772 724

Gosper

91 476 871

Grant

75 297 703

Greeley

126 616 825

Hall

2,081 34,370 1,026

Hamilton

390 3,601 1,131

Harlan

139 849 765

Hayes

51 203 810

Hitchcock

103 713 801

Holt

541 4,127 897

Hooker

49 286 643

Howard

219 1,612 835

Jefferson

294 3,246 895

Johnson

150 1,355 983

Kearney

222 2,110 875

Keith

421 3,278 837

Keya Paha

39 137 651

Kimball

164 1,379 885

Knox

344 2,829 793

Lancaster

10,697 170,008 1,121

Lincoln

1,255 14,240 958

Logan

52 205 808

Loup

27 150 576

McPherson

13 67 838

Madison

1,464 21,639 1,025

Merrick

295 2,170 927

Morrill

196 1,482 937

Nance

133 912 813

Nemaha

237 3,023 1,091

Nuckolls

203 1,554 756

Otoe

541 6,282 946

Pawnee

97 776 892

Perkins

169 1,166 944

Phelps

441 4,531 1,099

Pierce

252 1,899 937

Platte

1,203 19,423 1,016

Polk

182 1,482 883

Red Willow

464 4,907 876

Richardson

325 2,378 810

Rock

60 459 842

Saline

416 6,612 1,046

Sarpy

4,548 73,011 1,158

Saunders

665 5,530 908

Scotts Bluff

1,403 15,826 902

Seward

549 5,708 1,000

Sheridan

258 1,681 780

Sherman

116 746 676

Sioux

27 171 765

Stanton

109 1,388 1,508

Thayer

276 2,244 1,039

Thomas

43 269 927

Thurston

177 3,104 1,063

Valley

250 1,770 818

Washington

699 7,564 1,188

Wayne

291 4,167 810

Webster

137 1,026 770

Wheeler

44 305 832

York

645 7,357 1,044

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, fourth quarter 2021
State Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2020–21
Fourth quarter
2021
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2020–21
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,194.1 148,293.6 5.2 $1,418 -- 5.9 --

Alabama

141.2 2,007.0 3.1 1,153 36 4.9 34

Alaska

24.1 299.4 3.1 1,311 19 4.1 43

Arizona

190.2 3,057.8 5.1 1,281 23 5.5 27

Arkansas

97.0 1,236.1 3.4 1,064 49 6.4 14

California

1,701.9 17,622.2 7.4 1,804 4 4.8 37

Colorado

232.9 2,776.4 6.2 1,484 10 7.8 3

Connecticut

134.0 1,639.9 3.9 1,611 6 3.9 45

Delaware

37.0 452.0 4.5 1,337 16 5.9 23

District of Columbia

46.1 749.4 5.1 2,320 1 1.0 50

Florida

834.7 9,241.1 6.7 1,297 20 9.7 2

Georgia

351.2 4,629.8 5.0 1,292 21 7.0 9

Hawaii

50.4 613.8 9.2 1,229 28 0.8 51

Idaho

81.8 802.3 5.1 1,111 42 7.4 6

Illinois

400.5 5,877.3 5.4 1,473 11 6.9 11

Indiana

179.4 3,089.3 3.4 1,153 36 7.0 9

Iowa

107.3 1,527.4 2.2 1,157 35 5.3 30

Kansas

92.5 1,381.0 2.4 1,132 41 5.8 24

Kentucky

136.5 1,919.8 4.5 1,110 43 5.0 33

Louisiana

146.1 1,853.9 2.9 1,142 40 6.0 21

Maine

59.7 613.7 3.3 1,163 34 6.4 14

Maryland

178.1 2,648.4 3.9 1,499 9 3.8 46

Massachusetts

281.8 3,556.9 5.5 1,832 2 3.7 47

Michigan

274.9 4,250.8 6.3 1,291 22 2.7 49

Minnesota

191.0 2,823.7 5.2 1,378 13 4.0 44

Mississippi

78.5 1,147.3 2.4 944 51 4.8 37

Missouri

226.1 2,804.8 2.9 1,179 33 4.5 40

Montana

56.7 489.0 4.6 1,108 44 7.1 8

Nebraska

77.5 978.5 1.5 1,144 38 6.1 19

Nevada

98.3 1,432.6 11.5 1,246 25 5.8 24

New Hampshire

61.2 662.2 3.9 1,580 7 12.3 1

New Jersey

315.6 4,123.7 6.8 1,563 8 3.0 48

New Mexico

66.5 819.1 6.5 1,097 47 4.4 41

New York

674.4 9,195.8 5.8 1,829 3 6.8 13

North Carolina

324.7 4,646.6 4.7 1,241 26 7.8 3

North Dakota

33.3 407.9 3.4 1,192 31 4.9 34

Ohio

318.8 5,352.6 2.9 1,221 29 5.2 31

Oklahoma

117.8 1,604.5 2.1 1,080 48 6.9 11

Oregon

173.4 1,915.0 4.8 1,332 17 6.1 19

Pennsylvania

379.7 5,807.9 4.5 1,352 15 5.1 32

Rhode Island

44.1 475.5 5.7 1,315 18 4.4 41

South Carolina

155.8 2,147.9 3.5 1,101 46 6.4 14

South Dakota

37.6 435.5 2.7 1,108 44 5.7 26

Tennessee

191.7 3,123.3 3.9 1,258 24 7.3 7

Texas

779.4 13,012.7 6.1 1,376 14 6.3 17

Utah

126.9 1,624.1 4.3 1,231 27 6.2 18

Vermont

28.7 298.7 4.3 1,189 32 4.9 34

Virginia

303.4 3,918.0 3.1 1,424 12 4.8 37

Washington

276.1 3,427.0 6.3 1,683 5 6.0 21

West Virginia

54.7 674.4 3.1 1,053 50 5.5 27

Wisconsin

194.0 2,832.6 2.4 1,202 30 5.4 29

Wyoming

28.8 267.2 2.7 1,143 39 7.7 5

Puerto Rico

48.2 935.3 6.8 645 (3) 3.9 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.4 35.0 -0.4 1,090 (3) 3.0 (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: Thursday, July 07, 2022