Of the 334 largest counties in the United States (as measured by 2007 annual average employment) 151 had over-the-year percentage change in employment below the national average (-2.3 percent) in December 2008; 174 large counties experienced changes above the national average. The percent change in average weekly wages was higher than the national average (2.2 percent) in 180 of the largest U.S. counties, but was below the national average in 137 counties.
The employment and 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 reports submitted by every employer subject to unemployment insurance (UI) laws. The 9.2 million employer reports cover 133.9 million full- and part-time workers.
Large County Employment
In December 2008, national employment, as measured by the QCEW program, was 133.9 million, down by 2.3 percent from December 2007. The 334 U.S. counties with 75,000 or more employees accounted for 71.5 percent of total U.S. employment and 77.2 percent of total wages. These 334 counties had a net job decline of 2,467,500 over the year, accounting for 77.8 percent of the overall U.S. employment decrease.
Employment declined in 285 counties from December 2007 to December 2008. The largest percentage decline in employment was in Elkhart, Ind. (-17.8 percent). Lee, Fla., had the next largest percentage decline (-9.2 percent), followed by the counties of Sarasota, Fla. (-8.1 percent), Collier, Fla. (-8.0 percent), and Marion, Fla., Macomb, Mich., and Washoe, Nev. (-7.9 percent each). The largest decline in employment levels occurred in Los Angeles, Calif. (-147,800), followed by the counties of Maricopa, Ariz. (-107,200), Orange, Calif. (-73,800), Cook, Ill. (-71,000), and Clark, Nev. (-60,000). Combined employment losses in these five counties over the year totaled 459,800 or 14.5 percent of the employment decline for the U.S. as a whole.
Employment rose in 37 of the large counties from December 2007 to December 2008. More than a third of these growing counties were located in Texas (13 counties). Neighboring Louisiana had the second largest number of counties (4) that experienced employment growth. Montgomery, Texas, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (2.7 percent) among the largest counties in the U.S. Jefferson, Texas, had the next largest increase, 2.5 percent, followed by the counties of Lubbock, Texas (2.4 percent), Fort Bend, Texas (2.2 percent), and Orleans, La. (2.1 percent). The largest gains in the level of employment from December 2007 to December 2008 were recorded in the counties of Harris, Texas (20,000), Orleans, La. (3,500), Montgomery, Texas (3,400), Bronx, N.Y. (3,200), and Jefferson, Texas (3,100).
Large County Average Weekly Wages
The national average weekly wage in the fourth quarter of 2008 was $918. Average weekly wages were higher than the national average in 106 of the largest 334 U.S. counties. New York, N.Y., held the top position among the highest-paid large counties with an average weekly wage of $1,856. Fairfield, Conn., was second with an average weekly wage of $1,596, followed by Washington, D.C. ($1,570), Suffolk, Mass.
($1,568), and Santa Clara, Calif. ($1,566). Over the year, the national average weekly wage rose by 2.2 percent. Among the largest counties, St. Louis City, Mo., led the nation in growth in average weekly wages with an increase of 56.8 percent from the fourth quarter of 2007. Clayton, Ga., was second with growth of 9.9 percent, followed by the counties of Calcasieu, La. (9.0 percent), and East Baton Rouge, La. and Jefferson, Texas (8.0 percent each).
Average weekly wages are affected by the number of high-paying and low-paying jobs in an industry. The 2.2 percent over-the-year gain in
average weekly wages for the nation is partially due to large employment declines in several industries. The largest over-the-year December percent employment declines were in construction (-10.2 percent), manufacturing (-6.2 percent), professional and business services (-4.1 percent), and trade, transportation, and utilities (-3.5 percent). Trade, transportation and utilities posted the largest number of jobs lost (-957,500) followed by manufacturing (-850,400), construction (-749,900), and professional and business services (-735,400). Among these industries, average weekly wage growth was strongest in construction (4.9 percent), and professional and business services (3.7 percent).
There were 228 counties with an average weekly wage below the national average in the fourth quarter of 2008. The lowest average weekly wage was reported in Hidalgo, Texas ($574), followed by the counties of Horry, S.C. ($581), Cameron, Texas ($584), Webb, Texas ($600), and Yakima, Wash. ($624). Forty-three large counties experienced over-the-year declines in average weekly wages. Pulaski, Ark., had the largest decrease (-14.3 percent), followed by the counties of Lake, Ill. (-9.9 percent), Santa Clara, Calif. (-7.8 percent), Douglas, Colo. (-5.9 percent), and San Mateo, Calif. (-5.4
percent).
Ten Largest U.S. Counties
Nine of the 10 largest counties (based on 2007 annual average employment levels) experienced over-the-year percent declines in employment in December 2008. Maricopa, Ariz., experienced the largest decline in employment among the 10 largest counties with a 5.8 percent decrease. Within Maricopa, every private industry group except education and health services experienced employment declines, with construction experiencing the largest decline, -25.3 percent. Orange, Calif., had the next largest decline in employment, -4.8 percent, followed by Miami-Dade, Fla. (-4.2 percent). Harris, Texas, experienced the only percentage gain in employment (1.0 percent) among the 10 largest counties. Within Harris County, the largest gains in employment were in natural resources and mining (7.1 percent) and education and health services (3.1 percent). Dallas, Texas, had the smallest decrease in employment, -1.2 percent, followed by New York, N.Y. (-1.3 percent).
Nine of the 10 largest U.S. counties saw an over-the-year increase in average weekly wages. King, Wash., had the fastest growth in wages among the 10 largest counties, with a gain of 4.0 percent. Within King County, average weekly wages increased the most in the natural resources and mining industry (11.8 percent). Miami-Dade, Fla., and Harris, Texas, tied for second in wage growth with a gain of 2.6 percent each. The only wage decrease occurred in New York, N.Y. (-0.6 percent). Dallas, Texas, had the smallest increase in wages, 1.1 percent, followed by Orange, Calif. (1.4 percent).
