Of the 328 largest counties in the United States, as measured by 2006 annual average employment, 130 had over-the-year percentage growth in employment above the national average (0.9 percent) in September 2007; 179 large counties experienced changes below the national average. The percent change in average weekly wages was higher than the national average (4.3 percent) in 101 of the largest U.S. counties, but was below the national average in 207 counties.
Large County Employment
In September 2007, national employment, as measured by the QCEW program, was 136.2 million, up by 0.9 percent from September 2006. The 328 U.S. counties with 75,000 or more employees accounted for 70.9 percent of total U.S. employment and 76.7 percent of total wages. These 328 counties had a net job gain of 742,807 over the year, accounting for 61.1 percent of the overall U.S. employment increase. Employment rose in 217 of the large counties from September 2006 to September 2007. Orleans County, La., had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (8.6 percent). Fort Bend, Texas, had the next largest increase, 7.1 percent, followed by the counties of Williamson, Tenn. (5.8 percent), Wake, N.C. (5.2 percent), and Utah, Utah (5.0 percent). The large employment gains in Orleans County reflected significant recovery from the substantial job losses that occurred in 2005 and 2006, which were related to Hurricane Katrina.
Employment declined in 86 counties from September 2006 to September 2007. The largest percentage decline in employment was in Trumbull County, Ohio (-5.7 percent). Collier, Fla., had the next largest employment decline (-5.4 percent), followed by the counties of Sarasota, Fla. (-4.3 percent), Manatee, Fla. (-4.2 percent), and Atlantic, N.J. (-3.8 percent).
The largest gains in the level of employment from September 2006 to September 2007 were recorded in the counties of Harris, Texas (74,700), New York, N.Y. (46,800), Dallas, Texas (32,700), King,Wash. (26,600), and Wake, N.C. (22,300). (See table A.) The largest decline in employment levels occurred in Orange, Calif. (-19,100), followed by the counties of Wayne, Mich. (-18,000), Oakland, Mich. (-9,600), Pinellas, Fla. (-9,500), and Macomb, Mich. (-9,400).
Large County Average Weekly Wages
The national average weekly wage in the third quarter of 2007 was $818. Average weekly wages were higher than the national average in
112 of the largest 328 U.S. counties. Santa Clara, Calif., held the top position among the highest-paid large counties with an average weekly wage of $1,585. New York County, N.Y., was second with an average weekly wage of $1,544, followed by Washington, D.C. ($1,376), Arlington, Va. ($1,364), and San Mateo, Calif. ($1,322).
There were 215 counties with an average weekly wage below the national average in the third quarter of 2007. The lowest average weekly wage was reported in Cameron County, Texas ($518), followed by the counties of Hidalgo, Texas ($529), Horry, S.C. ($536), Webb, Texas ($548), and Yakima, Wash. ($568).
Over the year, the national average weekly wage rose by 4.3 percent. Among the largest counties, Clayton County, Ga., led the nation in growth in average weekly wages, with an increase of 23.9 percent from the third quarter of 2006. Muscogee, Ga., was second with growth of 12.1 percent, followed by the counties of Santa Clara, Calif. (11.8 percent), Rock Island, Ill. (11.5 percent), and Davidson, Tenn. (9.1 percent).
Ten large counties experienced over-the-year declines in average weekly wages. Among the five largest decreases in wages, Trumbull, Ohio, had the greatest decline (-10.6 percent), followed by the counties of Vanderburgh, Ind. (-6.1 percent), Genesee, Mich. (-4.0 percent), Saginaw, Mich. (-3.1 percent), and Montgomery, Ohio (-3.0 percent).
Ten Largest U.S. Counties
Seven of the 10 largest counties (based on 2006 annual average employment levels) experienced over-the-year percent increases in employment in September 2007. Harris, Texas, experienced the largest percent gain in employment among the 10 largest counties with a 3.8 percent increase. Within Harris County, the largest gains in employment were in construction (5.5 percent) and education and health services (5.4 percent). King, Wash., had the next largest increase in employment, 2.3 percent, followed by Dallas, Texas (2.2 percent). September employment levels remained stable over the year in both San Diego, Calif., and Cook, Ill. (0.0 percent each). Orange, Calif., experienced a 1.3 percent decrease in employment over the year. Within Orange County, five industry groups experienced employment declines, with financial activities experiencing the largest decline, -9.8 percent.
Each of the 10 largest U.S. counties saw an over-the-year increase in average weekly wages. New York, N.Y., had the fastest growth in wages among the 10 largest counties, with a gain of 8.7 percent. Within New York County, average weekly wages increased the most in the financial activities industry (16.3 percent), followed by the natural resources and mining industry (11.8 percent). Because natural resources and mining is a small industry in New York County, its over-the-year average weekly wage growth had little impact on the county’s overall average weekly wage growth. King, Wash., was second in wage growth with a gain of 8.0 percent, followed by Harris, Texas (6.7 percent). The smallest wage gain among the 10 largest counties occurred in Orange, Calif. (2.6 percent), followed by Cook, Ill. (3.3 percent), and Los Angeles, Calif. (3.4 percent).
