Employment rose in the four largest counties in Kansas from June 2021 to June 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 Michael Hirniak noted that Wyandotte and Sedgwick Counties had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 2.9 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 4.0 percent over the year, with 338 of the 355 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Orange, FL, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 9.7 percent. Kanawha, WV, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 1.0 percent.

Among the four largest counties in Kansas, employment was highest in Johnson County (357,400) in June 2022. Within Johnson County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the four largest Kansas counties accounted for 57.6 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 355 largest counties made up 72.8 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 101 counties in Kansas with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 101 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,294 in the second quarter of 2022. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All four large Kansas counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2021 to the second quarter of 2022. (See chart 2.) Three counties had rates of wage gains that were above the national rate of 4.3 percent. Sedgwick County had the largest gain (+6.4 percent), followed by Shawnee County (+5.6 percent) and Wyandotte County (+4.8 percent). Johnson County (+1.6 percent) was the only large county with a rate of wage gain below the national average.

Among the 355 largest counties in the United States, 340 had over-the-year wage increases. Saratoga, NY, had the largest percentage wage increase (+16.3 percent). Benton, AR, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-16.1 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in all four of the largest counties in Kansas were below the national average of $1,294 in the second quarter of 2022. Average weekly wages in Johnson County ($1,276) ranked 101^st among the 355 largest counties nationwide. Average weekly wages in the three remaining counties were ranked among the bottom half of large counties nationwide: Shawnee County ($1,019, 294^th), Sedgwick County ($1,032, 282^nd), and Wyandotte County ($1,123, 206^th).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 91 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2022. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,262. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 264 counties. At $767 a week, Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Kansas’ smaller counties

All 101 smaller counties in Kansas—those with employment below 75,000—reported an average weekly wage below the national average. Coffey County ($1,099) reported the highest average weekly wage, followed by Leavenworth County ($1,060). Jewell County reported the lowest average wage in the state at $618 per week.

When all 105 counties in Kansas were considered, 11 reported average weekly wages of $699 or less, 32 registered wages from $700 to $799, 42 had wages from $800 to $899, 13 had wages from $900 to $999, and 7 had average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See chart 3.) The highest paying counties were in or around the metropolitan areas of Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita.

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 third quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for third quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

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 four largest counties in Kansas, second quarter 2022

Area	Establishments, second quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average weekly wage (1)
		June 2022 (thousands)	Percent change, June 2021–22 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)	Second quarter 2022	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, second quarter 2021–22 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (4)	11,460.8	149,902.0	4.0	--	$1,294	--	4.3	--
Kansas	93.8	1,381.2	1.5	--	1,039	44	4.6	38
Johnson	27.5	357.4	1.6	279	1,276	101	1.6	326
Sedgwick	13.6	252.7	2.6	203	1,032	282	6.4	82
Shawnee	5.3	96.0	0.6	325	1,019	294	5.6	111
Wyandotte	3.7	89.0	2.9	182	1,123	206	4.8	166
(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 Kansas, second quarter 2022

Area	Establishments	Employment June 2022	Average weekly wage (1)
United States (2)	11,460,819	149,901,995	$1,294
Kansas	93,827	1,381,206	1,039
Allen	387	5,659	818
Anderson	249	2,309	801
Atchison	416	5,370	852
Barber	207	1,587	787
Barton	897	11,593	853
Bourbon	373	5,501	753
Brown	334	4,873	921
Butler	1,576	19,139	884
Chase	75	899	812
Chautauqua	102	823	656
Cherokee	390	5,567	949
Cheyenne	128	931	706
Clark	86	799	880
Clay	287	2,961	717
Cloud	291	3,224	695
Coffey	271	3,434	1,099
Comanche	92	706	660
Cowley	768	13,454	897
Crawford	1,012	17,292	804
Decatur	136	925	645
Dickinson	540	6,192	785
Doniphan	216	2,286	816
Douglas	3,448	47,376	939
Edwards	127	894	776
Elk	85	640	665
Ellis	1,117	15,296	885
Ellsworth	184	2,178	821
Finney	1,092	19,645	930
Ford	837	17,671	953
Franklin	653	9,917	850
Geary	729	12,670	935
Gove	156	1,233	761
Graham	108	978	760
Grant	232	2,499	899
Gray	310	3,265	917
Greeley	69	645	766
Greenwood	195	1,537	670
Hamilton	106	1,635	856
Harper	211	2,439	847
Harvey	802	13,613	868
Haskell	150	1,647	878
Hodgeman	76	614	728
Jackson	321	4,188	823
Jefferson	401	3,987	880
Jewell	111	723	618
Johnson	27,502	357,372	1,276
Kearny	140	1,569	869
Kingman	253	2,369	783
Kiowa	105	1,087	716
Labette	477	8,252	819
Lane	92	651	806
Leavenworth	1,540	20,545	1,060
Lincoln	113	963	864
Linn	256	2,141	893
Logan	140	1,296	742
Lyon	869	15,349	835
Mcpherson	973	15,867	1,003
Marion	327	3,586	704
Marshall	398	4,522	823
Meade	172	1,633	875
Miami	873	8,434	920
Mitchell	275	3,167	791
Montgomery	1,888	14,182	793
Morris	167	1,667	731
Morton	98	864	781
Nemaha	433	5,559	907
Neosho	500	6,335	785
Ness	145	1,138	892
Norton	184	2,280	807
Osage	343	3,034	668
Osborne	173	1,350	758
Ottawa	163	1,304	714
Pawnee	193	2,582	872
Phillips	227	2,323	781
Pottawatomie	647	9,486	857
Pratt	364	4,506	869
Rawlins	120	983	842
Reno	1,639	25,875	850
Republic	217	1,935	685
Rice	335	3,942	781
Riley	1,952	29,439	932
Rooks	211	1,722	742
Rush	115	1,066	730
Russell	297	2,555	788
Saline	1,547	29,272	859
Scott	254	2,250	878
Sedgwick	13,627	252,658	1,032
Seward	556	10,854	915
Shawnee	5,266	95,971	1,019
Sheridan	130	1,059	831
Sherman	263	2,382	746
Smith	150	1,411	761
Stafford	172	1,218	805
Stanton	93	1,030	943
Stevens	190	2,197	937
Sumner	610	6,358	783
Thomas	407	4,019	844
Trego	119	1,197	780
Wabaunsee	175	1,255	743
Wallace	96	522	736
Washington	286	2,110	668
Wichita	100	756	876
Wilson	244	3,462	834
Woodson	93	683	652
Wyandotte	3,655	89,034	1,123
(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, second quarter 2022

State	Establishments, second quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average weekly wage (1)
		June 2022 (thousands)	Percent change, June 2021–22	Second quarter 2022	National ranking by level	Percent change, second quarter 2021–22	National ranking by percent change
United States (2)	11,460.8	149,902.0	4.0	$1,294	--	4.3	--
Alabama	147.8	2,007.0	2.1	1,069	37	6.2	16
Alaska	24.4	329.5	4.4	1,237	17	4.7	36
Arizona	199.8	2,962.1	3.3	1,220	21	5.8	22
Arkansas	98.5	1,240.4	2.8	997	49	2.4	47
California	1,706.1	17,915.3	5.6	1,572	4	-0.6	51
Colorado	242.3	2,838.5	4.1	1,361	9	6.2	16
Connecticut	137.6	1,654.7	3.1	1,458	6	3.5	42
Delaware	39.1	456.4	2.5	1,227	18	5.8	22
District of Columbia	48.2	747.6	3.2	2,139	1	2.0	48
Florida	858.7	9,126.7	5.0	1,186	22	6.5	10
Georgia	369.2	4,669.6	4.9	1,221	20	7.2	5
Hawaii	51.6	612.6	3.4	1,152	26	3.2	44
Idaho	83.2	824.2	2.7	1,009	48	8.5	1
Illinois	408.0	5,959.3	3.7	1,325	11	5.2	29
Indiana	184.6	3,087.8	2.5	1,083	35	6.9	8
Iowa	110.2	1,555.3	1.7	1,057	40	5.8	22
Kansas	93.8	1,381.2	1.5	1,039	44	4.6	38
Kentucky	140.9	1,886.9	1.8	1,070	36	7.1	7
Louisiana	149.9	1,837.0	1.2	1,067	38	6.5	10
Maine	61.6	637.6	1.9	1,086	34	8.0	3
Maryland	184.9	2,640.3	1.5	1,378	8	4.6	38
Massachusetts	288.5	3,654.3	4.3	1,637	2	2.8	46
Michigan	289.6	4,326.6	3.7	1,183	23	3.5	42
Minnesota	197.8	2,876.6	2.0	1,289	13	4.0	40
Mississippi	79.5	1,136.6	2.4	887	51	5.3	28
Missouri	231.6	2,852.0	3.3	1,106	32	5.1	32
Montana	59.4	504.8	2.7	1,028	45	7.4	4
Nebraska	79.9	988.5	1.2	1,060	39	6.3	13
Nevada	106.9	1,462.4	7.8	1,163	24	5.2	29
New Hampshire	62.4	671.9	2.0	1,349	10	0.4	50
New Jersey	321.7	4,221.9	5.8	1,440	7	3.8	41
New Mexico	69.6	822.4	3.6	1,040	43	5.5	25
New York	672.2	9,341.5	5.1	1,587	3	3.1	45
North Carolina	344.0	4,695.0	4.0	1,160	25	6.3	13
North Dakota	33.9	416.9	2.3	1,131	30	6.0	19
Ohio	322.7	5,404.1	2.6	1,127	31	5.4	26
Oklahoma	121.9	1,610.4	2.5	1,016	46	5.4	26
Oregon	176.7	1,956.6	2.7	1,253	15	4.8	35
Pennsylvania	387.9	5,901.3	3.9	1,252	16	4.9	34
Rhode Island	45.7	488.6	3.3	1,227	18	5.0	33
South Carolina	162.7	2,170.7	3.5	1,043	42	6.8	9
South Dakota	38.4	454.0	2.6	997	49	6.5	10
Tennessee	201.0	3,151.9	4.7	1,152	26	5.2	29
Texas	796.9	13,135.7	5.2	1,284	14	6.1	18
Utah	130.3	1,644.0	3.7	1,137	28	7.2	5
Vermont	29.9	297.7	1.2	1,135	29	8.1	2
Virginia	320.6	3,949.1	2.4	1,316	12	4.7	36
Washington	264.9	3,547.2	4.7	1,569	5	1.6	49
West Virginia	56.5	672.1	1.2	1,013	47	6.0	19
Wisconsin	197.9	2,897.0	1.6	1,097	33	5.9	21
Wyoming	29.5	280.6	1.6	1,048	41	6.3	13
Puerto Rico	49.2	910.1	4.8	597	(3)	5.3	(3)
Virgin Islands	3.6	33.7	-5.2	1,014	(3)	9.1	(3)
(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.