Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm Technical information: (202) 606-6567 USDL 99-256 For release: 10:00 A.M. EDT Media contact: 606-5902 Thursday, September 16, 1999 EMPLOYMENT AND AVERAGE ANNUAL PAY FOR LARGE COUNTIES, 1997 Of the 296 largest counties in the United States, 130 had rates of employment growth above the national average of 2.6 percent in 1997, while only 8 experienced declines in employment, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The southern and western states dominated the fastest-growing counties, containing the 10 fastest-growing counties and 19 of the top 20. Employment and annual pay data by county are compiled from reports submitted by employers subject to state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) laws, covering 121.1 million full- and part-time workers. Average annual pay is computed by dividing total annual payrolls of employees covered by UI programs by the average monthly number of these employees. The attached tables and charts contain data for the nation and for the 296 counties with employment of 75,000 or more. (Some areas defined as counties in this release are not officially designated as counties. In addition, data for San Juan, Puerto Rico, are published for the first time. See Technical Note.) Employment The 296 U.S. counties with 75,000 or more employees represented 69.5 percent of total U.S. covered employment in 1997. (San Juan, P.R., is not included in the grouping of U.S. counties.) Snohomish County, Wash., had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (7.5 percent), followed by the counties of Placer, Calif. (7.4 percent), Davis, Utah (7.3 percent), Collin, Tex. (7.1 percent), and San Luis Obispo, Calif. (6.8 percent). (See table 1 and chart 1.) The largest absolute gains in employment were recorded in the counties of Dallas, Tex. (79,740), Harris, Tex. (76,221), Los Angeles, Calif. (72,400), Maricopa, Ariz. (69,136), and New York, N.Y. (58,361). Employment declined in eight counties from 1996 to 1997. The largest percentage declines in employment were in the District of Columbia and St. Louis City, Mo. (both -2.3 percent), followed by the counties of Genesee, Mich. (-1.6 percent), Trumbull, Ohio (-0.6 percent), and Honolulu, Hawaii (-0.4 percent). The largest absolute declines in employment occurred in the District of Columbia (-14,258), St. Louis City, Mo. (-5,999), Genesee County, Mich. (-2,851), Honolulu County, Hawaii (-1,648), and Philadelphia County, Pa. (-1,032). (See table 2 and chart 2.) Average Annual Pay Average annual pay in 1997 was higher than the national average of $30,336 in 113 of the largest 296 counties. New York County, N.Y., comprised entirely of the borough of Manhattan, had the highest level of average annual pay at $58,791, followed by the counties of Fairfield, Conn. ($49,867), Santa Clara, Calif. ($48,702), the District of Columbia ($46,775), and Arlington, Va. ($46,145). There were 184 counties with average annual pay below the national average. The lowest level of average annual pay was reported in Horry County, S.C. ($19,527), followed by the counties of Hidalgo, Tex. ($19,779), Cameron, Tex. ($20,041), Yakima, Wash. ($20,716), and Tulare, Calif. ($20,770). (See table 2.) - 2 - Fairfield County, Conn., led the growth in average annual pay with an increase of 9.3 percent from 1996 to 1997. Santa Clara County, Calif., was second at 8.7 percent, followed by the counties of Travis, Tex., and King, Wash. (both 8.6 percent), and Durham, N.C., and Racine, Wis. (both 8.5 percent). King County, N.Y., had the slowest rate of positive growth (0.1 percent), followed by the counties of Bell, Tex. (0.2 percent), Orange, N.Y. (0.9 percent), and Harrison, Miss., and Genesee, Mich. (both 1.0 percent). None of the largest 296 counties experienced a decline in average annual pay in 1997. (Four counties were not included in the over- the-year comparisons due to significant changes in data collection. See Technical Note.) Technical Note These data are the product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Covered Employment and Wages, or the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Employment Security Agencies (SESAs). The summaries are a by-product of the administration of state unemployment insurance programs that require most employers to pay quarterly taxes based on the employment and wages of workers covered by UI. Effective with third-quarter 1997 processing, employment and wages totals were generated using new systems in each of the states and at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data for San Juan, Puerto Rico, are included in the tables for the first time. Coverage Employment and wage data for workers covered by state UI laws and for federal civilian workers covered by the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) program are compiled from quarterly contribution reports submitted to the SESAs by employers. In addition to the quarterly contribution report, employers who operate multiple establishments within a state complete a questionnaire, called the "Multiple Worksite Report," which provides detailed information on the location and industry of each of their establishments. Average annual employment and pay data included in this release are derived from establishment level summaries of nearly 7.5 million employer reports of employment and wages submitted by states to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These reports are based on place of employment rather than place of residence. UI and UCFE coverage is broad and basically comparable from state to state. In 1997, UI and UCFE programs covered workers in 121.1 million jobs. The estimated 115.8 million workers in these jobs (after adjustment for multiple jobholders) represented 97.4 percent of wage and salary civilian employment. Multiple jobholder estimates are produced by the Current Population Survey (CPS). Covered workers received $3.673 trillion in pay, representing 94.4 percent of the wage and salary component of personal income and 45.3 percent of the gross domestic product. Major exclusions from UI coverage during 1997 included most agricultural workers on small farms, all members of the Armed Forces, elected officials in most states, most employees of railroads, some domestic workers, most student workers at schools, and employees of certain small nonprofit organizations. Concepts and methodology Average annual pay was computed by dividing total annual pay of employees covered by UI programs by the average monthly number of these employees. Included in the annual payroll data are bonuses, the cash value of meals and lodging when supplied, tips and other gratuities, and, in some states, employer contributions to certain deferred compensation plans such as 401(k) plans and stock options. Monthly employment is based on the number of workers who worked during or received pay for the pay period including the 12th day of the month. With few exceptions, all employees of covered firms are reported, including production and sales workers, corporation officials, executives, supervisory personnel, and clerical workers. Workers on paid vacation and part-time workers also are included. Percent changes in average annual pay were computed using final 1996 data as the base. These final 1996 data may differ from the preliminary 1996 data previously published. - 2 - Average annual pay is affected by the ratio of full-time to part-time workers as well as the number of individuals in high-paying and low-paying occupations. When comparing average annual pay levels between counties, these factors should be taken into consideration. Annual pay data only approximate annual earnings because an individual may not be employed by the same employer all year or may work for more than one employer. Also, year-to-year changes in average annual pay can result from a change in the proportion of employment in high- and low-wage jobs, as well as from changes in the level of average annual pay. In order to insure the highest possible quality of data, SESAs verify with employers and update, if necessary, the industry, location, and ownership classification of all establishments on a 3-year cycle. Changes in establishment classification codes resulting from the verification process are introduced with the data reported for the first quarter of the year. Changes resulting from improved employer reporting also are introduced in the first quarter. For these reasons, some data, especially at more detailed geographic levels, may not be strictly comparable with earlier years. In 1997, effective with first-quarter data, improved Department of Defense civilian employment and wages were centrally collected from a new data source. The 1996 data have been adjusted for code changes in order to be comparable with 1997 data. Some code changes were too extensive to allow comparisons for ranking. These counties appear with totals in employment and average annual pay and undisclosed rankings. County definitions are assigned according to Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS PUBS) as issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, after approval by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to Section 5131 of the Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996 and the Computer Security Act of 1987, Public Law 104-106. Data shown as counties include areas designated as independent cities in some jurisdictions and, in Alaska, those designated as census areas where counties have not been created. County data also are presented for the New England states and New Jersey for comparative purposes even though townships are the more common designation used in those states. The regions referred to in this release are defined as census regions. Additional statistics and other information Average annual employment and pay data by state and county are available upon request from the Division of Occupational and Administrative Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC 20212, telephone 202-606-6567 (e-mail: 202_info@bls.gov). The comprehensive bulletin, Employment and Wages, features information by detailed industry on establish- ments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. Employment and Wages Annual Averages, 1997, which was issued in January 1999, is available for sale from the BLS Publication Sales Center, P.O. Box 2145, Chicago, Illinois 60690. News releases providing 1997 average annual pay data by state and industry and by metropolitan area also are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-606-STAT; TDD phone: 202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-326-2577. Table 1. Employment and average annual pay for 1997 and 1996-97 percent changes for all covered workers 1/ in the 297 largest counties Employment Average annual pay County 2/ 1997 Percent Change, Ranked by 1997 Percent change, 1996-97 3/ percent change, 1996-97 3/ 1996-97 4/ United States 5/ 121,082,571 2.6 - $30,336 4.8 Jefferson, Ala 373,013 1.8 206 30,326 3.8 Madison, Ala 145,790 2.3 160 32,255 3.8 Mobile, Ala 168,881 2.5 136 26,466 3.7 Montgomery, Ala 128,506 1.8 201 25,904 3.3 Anchorage, Alaska 121,917 2.5 147 34,788 3.8 Maricopa, Ariz 1,356,225 5.4 24 29,405 5.5 Pima, Ariz 296,945 2.2 169 25,491 3.2 Pulaski, Ariz 238,100 1.9 193 27,480 4.1 Alameda, Calif 633,790 2.4 148 36,580 6.1 Contra Costa, Calif 307,601 3.7 74 35,959 4.7 Fresno, Calif 307,691 -0.0 288 22,875 4.3 Kern, Calif 227,079 0.9 260 25,398 4.5 Los Angeles, Calif 3,887,834 1.9 192 34,846 4.1 Marin, Calif 104,282 3.2 100 34,860 4.4 Monterey, Calif 150,752 2.8 124 26,103 5.0 Orange, Calif 1,234,639 4.2 59 33,767 4.9 Placer, Calif 87,617 7.4 2 27,235 5.0 Riverside, Calif 390,651 4.9 36 25,352 3.9 Sacramento, Calif 518,744 3.2 97 32,162 4.9 San Bernardino, Calif 459,540 2.8 125 26,894 3.4 San Diego, Calif 1,061,622 4.4 51 30,364 5.3 San Francisco, Calif 558,733 3.0 107 44,144 6.3 San Joaquin, Calif 183,091 2.7 131 26,101 5.4 San Luis Obispo, Calif 86,491 6.8 5 24,771 3.3 San Mateo, Calif 330,445 4.5 50 42,380 7.1 Santa Barbara, Calif 165,158 1.7 213 27,738 5.7 Santa Clara, Calif 932,264 5.1 27 48,702 8.7 Santa Cruz, Calif 99,618 2.5 145 27,188 4.2 Solano, Calif 103,680 2.6 135 27,031 5.2 Sonoma, Calif 171,530 4.9 39 28,724 6.6 Stanislaus, Calif 147,624 4.8 43 24,908 4.9 Tulare, Calif 123,292 1.2 243 20,770 5.1 Ventura, Calif 257,542 0.4 279 30,454 7.7 Yolo, Calif 76,984 0.6 273 30,739 5.7 Adams, Colo 124,453 1.9 189 28,609 5.2 Arapahoe, Colo 250,156 5.8 16 35,322 6.0 Boulder, Colo 152,802 4.9 34 33,198 7.2 Denver, Colo 431,111 3.5 85 35,025 6.0 El Paso, Colo 212,766 4.5 48 27,296 5.9 Jefferson, Colo 197,483 3.5 83 31,766 4.7 Larimer, Colo 104,932 3.4 86 27,413 4.8 Fairfield, Conn 412,441 2.4 151 49,867 9.3 Hartford, Conn 485,815 1.5 225 37,545 5.4 New Haven, Conn 355,623 2.3 164 33,923 4.7 New London, Conn 119,684 2.0 185 33,043 3.3 New Castle, Del 266,745 3.8 72 35,430 5.0 District Of Columbia, DC 595,511 -2.3 296 46,775 5.2 Alachua, Fla 109,124 1.7 212 23,505 5.2 Brevard, Fla 170,876 2.8 118 28,499 4.1 Broward, Fla 602,173 1.7 209 28,401 3.1 Collier, Fla 87,467 4.2 60 $25,500 7.5 Dade, Fla 937,525 1.6 216 29,030 2.3 Duval, Fla 412,991 4.0 67 28,373 3.9 Escambia, Fla 119,025 0.7 267 24,462 3.0 Hillsborough, Fla 531,021 4.7 46 27,464 4.6 Lee, Fla 147,779 2.3 165 24,112 3.7 Leon, Fla 135,518 5.2 25 25,608 3.4 Manatee, Fla 114,920 4.8 44 21,553 2.9 Marion, Fla 77,558 4.1 64 22,473 3.7 Orange, Fla 539,275 4.9 33 27,317 4.5 Palm Beach, Fla 433,714 3.5 84 29,821 2.6 Pinellas, Fla 395,660 3.3 92 27,198 5.8 Polk, Fla 171,721 1.3 240 25,019 3.8 Sarasota, Fla 124,994 6.0 14 25,276 6.0 Seminole, Fla 122,222 6.3 10 26,345 4.9 Volusia, Fla 135,619 0.2 284 22,078 3.9 Bibb, Ga 89,226 2.5 140 26,437 2.9 Chatham, Ga 118,197 1.9 190 26,187 2.9 Clayton, Ga 106,485 2.4 153 31,755 4.2 Cobb, Ga 266,920 3.5 80 32,079 4.8 Dekalb, Ga 305,896 1.1 249 34,205 7.6 Fulton, Ga 696,742 2.5 141 37,843 7.2 Gwinnett, Ga 235,402 5.5 21 32,316 5.8 Muscogee, Ga 95,766 6/ 6/ 24,766 6/ Richmond, Ga 103,122 2.2 173 25,611 4.0 Honolulu, Hawaii 400,672 -0.4 292 29,511 4.1 Ada, Idaho 151,201 4.3 53 28,420 2.8 Champaign, Ill 83,320 1.1 250 25,826 3.4 Cook, Ill 2,631,765 1.5 224 36,795 6.1 Du Page, Ill 533,689 3.6 76 36,507 5.8 Kane, Ill 164,417 2.3 163 29,644 4.1 Lake, Ill 274,267 2.9 111 36,469 5.5 McHenry, Ill 78,445 2.0 184 28,175 5.8 Madison, Ill 92,474 0.3 283 26,323 2.6 Peoria, Ill 102,301 1.4 233 27,694 5.2 Rock Island, Ill 76,850 2.8 116 32,293 6/ St. Clair, Ill 86,762 2.0 186 24,411 3.3 Sangamon, Ill 139,155 1.7 208 31,355 5.0 Will, Ill 120,281 1.9 197 29,273 3.2 Winnebago, Ill 141,523 0.9 258 29,073 4.7 Allen, Ind 184,331 2.5 144 28,880 3.7 Elkhart, Ind 113,055 1.3 237 27,208 3.3 Lake, Ind 201,121 2.5 139 28,986 2.3 Marion, Ind 572,615 2.2 167 31,992 5.3 St. Joseph, Ind 127,195 2.3 157 26,572 3.6 Vanderburgh, Ind 105,576 0.7 269 26,241 5.7 Linn, Iowa 110,530 2.5 143 29,076 5.6 Polk, Iowa 247,541 1.0 257 29,719 6.2 Scott, Iowa 84,074 2.8 117 26,403 4.3 Johnson, Kan 250,161 6.1 12 30,510 5.3 Sedgwick, Kan 242,373 5.1 28 $30,111 5.6 Shawnee, Kan 96,065 0.4 278 26,131 2.7 Wyandotte, Kan 78,608 1.5 229 31,033 2.8 Fayette, Ky 161,675 2.2 174 27,103 4.5 Jefferson, Ky 418,427 2.4 155 28,755 3.5 Caddo, La 117,146 0.7 270 26,019 3.2 Calcasieu, La 81,981 0.6 274 27,067 3.9 East Baton Rouge, La 223,147 1.7 211 26,929 3.6 Jefferson, La 209,834 2.3 161 25,352 5.2 Lafayette, La 110,133 6.7 7 28,207 7.4 Orleans, La 262,034 0.5 275 29,444 5.9 Cumberland, Maine 155,090 4.3 57 27,541 4.4 Anne Arundel, Md 173,370 2.8 121 30,591 4.8 Baltimore, Md 340,186 2.1 180 30,410 3.5 Howard, Md 108,082 5.6 19 32,987 5.2 Montgomery, Md 399,939 2.7 128 37,686 4.7 Prince George's, Md 288,996 1.9 195 32,644 5.9 Baltimore City, Md 382,211 0.8 264 33,787 4.7 Barnstable, Mass 79,917 3.3 89 25,132 4.1 Bristol, Mass 207,601 1.4 235 27,067 4.1 Essex, Mass 284,658 1.3 242 32,364 5.5 Hampden, Mass 192,917 2.2 171 28,700 3.7 Middlesex, Mass 783,789 3.9 69 39,957 6.1 Norfolk, Mass 303,729 1.7 207 35,428 4.4 Plymouth, Mass 158,496 3.8 70 29,250 4.3 Suffolk, Mass 562,802 1.9 198 44,415 5.2 Worcester, Mass 302,914 2.6 134 31,522 5.0 Genesee, Mich 174,895 -1.6 294 33,640 1.0 Ingham, Mich 173,857 1.8 203 31,888 6.0 Kalamazoo, Mich 119,519 0.1 285 30,066 1.9 Kent, Mich 327,849 3.5 79 30,400 4.0 Macomb, Mich 329,925 0.4 280 36,806 5.4 Oakland, Mich 709,824 2.9 114 38,828 4.9 Ottawa, Mich 109,095 3.3 94 28,955 3.9 Saginaw, Mich 95,154 1.1 247 31,557 3.3 Washtenaw, Mich 182,484 2.1 177 34,546 6.0 Wayne, Mich 849,248 0.6 271 37,026 2.4 Anoka, Minn 96,766 2.3 166 29,699 5.9 Dakota, Minn 136,866 2.3 158 29,443 3.2 Hennepin, Minn 822,466 2.3 159 36,547 6.2 Ramsey, Minn 316,884 1.3 241 33,531 3.1 St. Louis, Minn 90,747 2.1 181 25,352 2.8 Harrison, Miss 82,438 4.4 52 21,814 1.0 Hinds, Miss 140,955 2.2 168 27,253 4.9 Clay, Mo 80,459 2.6 132 27,771 2.4 Greene, Mo 133,622 3.4 88 24,274 3.5 Jackson, Mo 388,971 3.4 87 30,886 2.9 St. Charles, Mo 86,410 4.8 42 25,954 1.7 St. Louis, Mo 620,247 2.9 113 33,370 5.9 St. Louis City, Mo 255,925 -2.3 295 34,752 6.1 Douglas, Neb 306,724 1.8 202 $28,537 6.4 Lancaster, Neb 135,653 2.1 179 25,182 4.8 Clark, Nev 585,623 6.7 8 28,581 3.1 Washoe, Nev 174,853 3.1 104 28,451 2.8 Hillsborough, N.H 179,066 2.1 176 32,426 5.0 Rockingham, N.H 115,110 4.2 62 29,674 7.7 Atlantic, N.J 137,605 1.3 238 29,087 1.3 Bergen, N.J. 434,340 2.0 183 40,143 4.7 Burlington, N.J. 166,623 3.2 96 32,943 3.6 Camden, N.J. 197,444 1.5 227 31,850 3.2 Essex, N.J. 352,413 0.8 263 39,430 2.7 Gloucester, N.J. 81,635 2.4 152 29,232 4.0 Hudson, N.J. 226,400 0.3 281 38,455 4.4 Mercer, N.J. 197,019 1.5 230 39,835 6.0 Middlesex, N.J. 374,200 2.1 182 40,157 4.3 Monmouth, N.J. 220,599 2.9 112 34,161 6.1 Morris, N.J. 251,545 2.4 149 44,872 4.9 Ocean, N.J. 123,013 0.9 259 26,745 3.1 Passaic, N.J. 174,142 1.0 253 34,434 3.7 Somerset, N.J. 162,339 5.4 23 45,937 7.4 Union, N.J. 226,321 1.4 234 39,784 4.5 Bernalillo, N.M 294,708 1.4 231 26,974 4.4 Albany, N.Y. 221,312 0.0 287 31,311 4.3 Bronx, N.Y. 204,857 -0.2 290 30,128 1.8 Broome, N.Y. 95,586 1.6 218 27,172 2.7 Dutchess, N.Y. 102,930 1.0 251 31,104 1.8 Erie, N.Y. 449,287 0.7 268 28,339 2.6 Kings, N.Y. 412,874 0.6 272 27,853 0.1 Monroe, N.Y. 390,812 0.7 265 33,541 3.7 Nassau, N.Y. 569,998 1.6 219 35,186 4.4 New York, N.Y. 2,195,454 2.7 127 58,791 6.3 Niagara, N.Y. 78,864 0.9 261 28,491 3.5 Oneida, N.Y. 104,529 0.5 277 25,167 4.5 Onondaga, N.Y. 244,765 0.3 282 29,518 4.0 Orange, N.Y. 110,191 1.0 254 26,275 0.9 Queens, N.Y. 453,665 1.2 245 31,412 2.5 Richmond, N.Y. 80,633 2.8 123 28,223 2.2 Rockland, N.Y. 98,015 1.8 199 33,662 2.4 Suffolk, N.Y. 521,913 1.6 220 33,418 4.5 Westchester, N.Y. 379,896 1.3 239 39,832 4.2 Buncombe, N.C 102,539 3.7 75 24,781 3.8 Catawba, N.C 94,478 2.1 175 24,869 4.7 Cumberland, N.C 101,663 3.9 68 23,574 4.7 Durham, N.C 153,103 3.6 78 38,276 8.5 Forsyth, N.C 172,564 2.4 150 29,873 4.8 Gaston, N.C 81,099 -0.2 291 24,784 3.8 Guilford, N.C 267,553 2.9 115 28,370 3.0 Mecklenburg, N.C 452,611 4.8 40 34,337 5.5 New Hanover, N.C 79,468 5.0 31 25,062 3.6 Wake, N.C 339,184 6.1 11 29,338 5.6 Cass, N.D 75,776 4.3 58 $24,367 3.7 Butler, Ohio 111,771 2.5 142 28,787 4.2 Cuyahoga, Ohio 797,208 1.7 214 32,563 5.1 Franklin, Ohio 652,292 3.2 99 30,263 5.8 Hamilton, Ohio 562,008 2.4 154 32,599 5.1 Lake, Ohio 97,909 1.7 210 28,313 4.0 Lorain, Ohio 101,781 0.1 286 28,791 2.0 Lucas, Ohio 233,203 0.5 276 29,853 4.5 Mahoning, Ohio 109,103 1.9 194 24,117 3.5 Montgomery, Ohio 303,454 0.8 262 31,402 3.7 Stark, Ohio 168,912 1.1 248 26,253 3.8 Summit, Ohio 258,816 1.0 252 29,701 3.4 Trumbull, Ohio 97,149 -0.6 293 31,335 3.1 Oklahoma, Okla 385,562 1.8 200 26,201 3.8 Tulsa, Okla 316,447 4.8 41 28,146 5.2 Clackamas, Ore 121,531 4.5 49 28,709 5.5 Lane, Ore 132,656 3.3 93 25,166 4.2 Marion, Ore 122,321 2.2 172 25,059 4.2 Multnomah, Ore 439,795 3.5 81 32,281 5.4 Washington, Ore 201,957 6.7 6 34,933 6.6 Allegheny, Pa 682,555 1.6 217 32,612 4.9 Berks, Pa 161,498 1.6 215 29,432 4.3 Bucks, Pa 226,760 3.0 109 30,235 3.3 Chester, Pa 193,866 4.9 37 37,037 5.9 Cumberland, Pa 122,378 2.1 178 28,907 5.0 Dauphin, Pa 166,286 2.3 162 30,286 3.2 Delaware, Pa 212,667 2.9 110 31,952 1.9 Erie, Pa 124,764 1.6 222 26,795 3.3 Lackawanna, Pa 95,867 0.7 266 24,402 2.9 Lancaster, Pa 206,861 3.1 106 27,272 3.0 Lehigh, Pa 158,060 3.3 90 31,550 3.2 Luzerne, Pa 136,270 1.4 232 25,561 4.7 Montgomery, Pa 451,214 3.8 71 37,051 6.1 Northampton, Pa 82,302 1.0 256 28,044 3.7 Philadelphia, Pa 642,515 -0.2 289 35,645 3.1 Westmoreland, Pa 130,289 2.5 146 25,826 4.5 York, Pa 159,743 1.2 244 28,113 4.3 San Juan, P.R 317,075 2.8 119 18,671 3.7 Providence, R.I 277,660 1.5 223 29,658 4.4 Charleston, S.C. 168,211 5.0 30 24,055 4.0 Greenville, S.C. 214,486 3.1 101 27,751 3.9 Horry, S.C. 89,128 5.1 26 19,527 5.3 Lexington, S.C. 75,346 5.5 22 23,976 3.8 Richland, S.C. 194,939 2.0 187 26,057 4.2 Spartanburg, S.C. 118,265 1.9 196 27,028 4.2 Minnehaha, S.D 94,247 3.6 77 24,792 4.3 Davidson, Tenn 410,337 2.8 122 30,866 6.0 Hamilton, Tenn 173,805 1.0 255 28,018 5.4 Knox, Tenn 191,282 1.8 204 26,724 4.6 Shelby, Tenn 476,642 3.2 98 30,165 4.8 Bell, Tex 81,322 3.3 91 $22,797 0.2 Bexar, Tex 605,679 4.6 47 25,836 4.4 Cameron, Tex 96,404 3.1 105 20,041 5.2 Collin, Tex 133,364 7.1 4 34,858 4.2 Dallas, Tex 1,403,692 6.0 13 36,531 6.6 Denton, Tex 98,783 6.5 9 25,150 2.5 El Paso, Tex 239,197 2.7 130 22,748 4.2 Fort Bend, Tex 77,459 5.1 29 31,931 6.7 Galveston, Tex 86,307 3.1 103 26,926 6/ Harris, Tex 1,685,571 4.7 45 35,568 6.3 Hidalgo, Tex 140,410 4.1 63 19,779 4.5 Jefferson, Tex 118,431 4.3 56 29,046 4.6 Lubbock, Tex 109,604 2.7 126 23,437 3.2 Mc Lennan, Tex 93,584 2.7 129 24,383 4.6 Nueces, Tex 137,272 1.8 205 25,697 2.6 Smith, Tex 77,655 4.9 32 26,109 3.2 Tarrant, Tex 633,801 4.0 65 30,721 5.4 Travis, Tex 464,445 4.3 55 32,884 8.6 Davis, Utah 78,041 7.3 3 23,989 1.1 Salt Lake, Utah 490,471 4.0 66 28,200 6.0 Utah, Utah 125,101 4.2 61 23,842 1.5 Weber, Utah 84,481 3.1 102 23,821 4.3 Chittenden, Vt 86,355 1.3 236 29,833 4.4 Arlington, Va 159,108 1.5 228 46,145 6/ Chesterfield, Va 97,932 2.5 138 27,793 3.5 Fairfax, Va 457,392 4.9 35 40,508 6.8 Henrico, Va 149,419 5.8 17 30,297 5.0 Alexandria, Va 84,241 4.3 54 37,232 5.5 Newport News, Va 92,538 5.9 15 26,536 1.3 Norfolk, Va 149,175 3.3 95 27,996 3.0 Richmond, Va 172,921 2.6 133 33,840 4.8 Virginia Beach, Va 148,201 5.6 20 22,921 6.3 Clark, Wash 105,545 4.9 38 28,148 4.3 King, Wash 1,044,434 5.8 18 37,296 8.6 Pierce, Wash 222,352 3.8 73 26,455 3.5 Snohomish, Wash 202,962 7.5 1 32,262 5.9 Spokane, Wash 177,659 2.0 188 25,530 4.0 Thurston, Wash 78,872 2.8 120 27,377 3.0 Yakima, Wash 92,590 2.3 156 20,716 4.7 Kanawha, W.Va 109,445 1.6 221 27,698 3.0 Brown, Wis 130,794 2.5 137 28,916 6.6 Dane, Wis 255,696 2.2 170 28,474 4.7 Milwaukee, Wis 524,141 1.5 226 30,917 5.6 Outagamie, Wis 90,496 3.0 108 27,416 3.6 Racine, Wis 78,560 1.1 246 30,341 8.5 Waukesha, Wis 204,265 3.5 82 31,442 5.6 Wisnnebago, Wis 82,937 1.9 191 30,029 5.5 1/ Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. The 296 U.S. counties comprise 69.5 percent of total covered employment in the U.S. 2 / Includes areas not officially designated as counties. See technical note. 3 / Percent changes were computed from annual employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications. See technical note. 4 / Rankings for percent change in employment are based on the 296 counties that are comparable over the year. 5 / Calculations for the U.S. do not include data from Puerto Rico. 6 / Data for these counties are not comparable over the year due to significant changes in the reporting procedures. Table 2. County rankings of employment and average annual pay for 1997 and 1996-97 percent changes for all covered workers 1/ in the 297 largest counties Employment Average annual pay County 2/ 1997 Net 1997 Ranked Ranked by Change, By 1997 percent 1996-97 3/ Level change 1996-97 4/ Los Angeles, Calif. 3,887,834 72,400 $34,846 48 173 Cook, Ill. 2,631,765 39,558 36,795 31 31 New York, N.Y. 2,195,454 58,361 58,791 1 24 Harris, Tex. 1,685,571 76,221 35,568 39 25 Dallas, Tex. 1,403,692 79,740 36,531 34 21 Maricopa, Ariz. 1,356,225 69,136 29,405 139 63 Orange, Calif. 1,234,639 50,067 33,767 59 104 San Diego, Calif. 1,061,622 44,539 30,364 112 78 King, Wash. 1,044,434 56,839 37,296 25 4 Dade, Fla. 937,525 14,975 29,030 148 277 Santa Clara, Calif. 932,264 45,311 48,702 3 2 Wayne, Mich. 849,248 5,327 37,026 29 274 Hennepin, Minn. 822,466 18,736 36,547 33 27 Cuyahoga, Ohio 797,208 12,945 32,563 74 90 Middlesex, Mass. 783,789 29,399 39,957 14 34 Oakland, Mich. 709,824 19,887 38,828 19 101 Fulton, Ga 696,742 17,089 37,843 22 14 Allegheny, Pa. 682,555 10,863 32,612 72 103 Franklin, Ohio 652,292 20,234 30,263 117 50 Philadelphia, Pa 642,515 (1,032) 35,645 38 248 Tarrant, Tex 633,801 24,651 30,721 106 75 Alameda, Calif 633,790 15,115 36,580 32 32 St. Louis, Mo 620,247 17,429 33,370 65 45 Bexar, Tex 605,679 26,386 25,836 238 149 Broward, Fla 602,173 10,179 28,401 168 247 District Of Columbia, D.C. 595,511 (14,258) 46,775 4 83 Clark, Nev 585,623 36,662 28,581 161 243 Marion, Ind 572,615 12,511 31,992 84 77 Nassau, N.Y 569,998 8,849 35,186 43 143 Suffolk, Mass 562,802 10,223 44,415 8 80 Hamilton, Ohio 562,008 12,987 32,599 73 92 San Francisco, Calif 558,733 16,491 44,144 9 23 Orange, Fla 539,275 25,358 27,317 196 136 Du Page, Ill 533,689 18,715 36,507 35 51 Hillsborough, Fla 531,021 23,606 27,464 192 128 Milwaukee, Wis 524,141 7,640 30,917 102 60 Suffolk, N.Y 521,913 8,078 33,418 64 138 Sacramento, Calif 518,744 16,275 32,162 82 102 Salt Lake, Utah 490,471 18,868 28,200 175 35 Hartford, Conn 485,815 7,241 37,545 24 73 Shelby, Tenn 476,642 14,841 30,165 119 113 Travis, Tex 464,445 19,257 32,884 70 3 San Bernardino, Calif 459,540 12,313 26,894 213 222 Fairfax, Va 457,392 21,447 40,508 11 16 Queens, N.Y 453,665 5,168 31,412 95 271 Mecklenburg, N.C 452,611 20,890 34,337 53 68 Montgomery, Pa 451,214 16,422 37,051 27 33 Erie, N.Y 449,287 3,171 28,339 171 269 Multnomah, Ore 439,795 14,840 32,281 79 70 Bergen, N.J 434,340 8,709 40,143 13 116 Palm Beach, Fla 433,714 14,503 $29,821 127 267 Denver, Colo 431,111 14,410 35,025 44 38 Jefferson, Ky 418,427 9,632 28,755 156 218 Duval, Fla 412,991 15,776 28,373 169 185 Kings, N.Y 412,874 2,505 27,853 183 293 Fairfield, Conn 412,441 9,595 49,867 2 1 Davidson, Tenn 410,337 11,146 30,866 104 40 Honolulu, Hawaii 400,672 (1,648) 29,511 135 170 Montgomery, Md 399,939 10,529 37,686 23 122 Pinellas, Fla 395,660 12,521 27,198 202 54 Monroe, N.Y 390,812 2,787 33,541 62 208 Riverside, Calif 390,651 18,189 25,352 250 189 Jackson, Mo 388,971 12,934 30,886 103 255 Oklalahoma, Okla 385,562 6,949 26,201 228 198 Baltimore City, Md 382,211 2,895 33,787 58 118 Westchester, N.Y 379,896 4,875 39,832 16 168 Middlesex, N.J 374,200 7,618 40,157 12 156 Jefferson, Ala 373,013 6,528 30,326 114 195 New Haven, Conn 355,623 7,897 33,923 56 127 Essex, N.J 352,413 2,729 39,430 18 265 Baltimore, Md 340,186 6,983 30,410 110 216 Wake, N.C 339,184 19,602 29,338 140 61 San Mateo, Calif 330,445 14,202 42,380 10 15 Macomb, Mich 329,925 1,346 36,806 30 74 Kent, Mich 327,849 11,128 30,400 111 180 San Juan, P.R 317,075 8,654 18,671 297 205 Ramsey, Minn 316,884 3,994 33,531 63 244 Tulsa, Okla 316,447 14,603 28,146 178 81 Fresno, Calif 307,691 (55) 22,875 285 157 Contra Costa, Calif 307,601 11,033 35,959 37 121 Douglas, Neb 306,724 5,418 28,537 162 22 Dekalb, Ga 305,896 3,277 34,205 54 9 Norfolk, Mass 303,729 5,172 35,428 41 146 Montgomery, Ohio 303,454 2,437 31,402 96 206 Worcester, Mass 302,914 7,551 31,522 93 97 Pima, Ariz 296,945 6,447 25,491 247 239 Bernalillo, N.M 294,708 4,144 26,974 210 142 Prince George's, Md 288,996 5,271 32,644 71 46 Essex, Mass 284,658 3,541 32,364 76 64 Providence, R.I 277,660 4,179 29,658 132 148 Lake, Ill 274,267 7,801 36,469 36 67 Guilford, N.C 267,553 7,443 28,370 170 253 Cobb, Ga 266,920 9,055 32,079 83 111 New Castle, Del 266,745 9,700 35,430 40 99 Orleans, La 262,034 1,400 29,444 136 44 Summit, Ohio 258,816 2,648 29,701 129 223 Ventura, Calif 257,542 1,073 30,454 109 8 St. Louis City, Mo 255,925 (5,999) 34,752 50 30 Dane, Wis 255,696 5,526 28,474 165 120 Morris, N.J 251,545 5,953 44,872 7 105 Johnson, Kan 250,161 14,319 $30,510 108 76 Arapahoe, Colo 250,156 13,640 35,322 42 37 Polk, Iowa 247,541 2,370 29,719 128 28 Onondaga, N.Y 244,765 726 29,518 134 181 Sedgwick, Kan 242,373 11,771 30,111 121 62 El Paso, Tex 239,197 6,268 22,748 287 165 Pulaski, Ariz 238,100 4,431 27,480 191 172 Gwinnett, Ga 235,402 12,231 32,316 77 52 Lucas, Ohio 233,203 1,212 29,853 125 133 Kern, Calif 227,079 1,973 25,398 248 140 Bucks, Pa 226,760 6,572 30,235 118 231 Hudson, N.J 226,400 713 38,455 20 144 Union, N.J 226,321 3,144 39,784 17 135 East Baton Rouge, La 223,147 3,727 26,929 211 210 Pierce, Wash 222,352 8,046 26,455 220 215 Albany, N.Y 221,312 14 31,311 99 152 Monmouth, N.J 220,599 6,271 34,161 55 29 Greenville, S.C 214,486 6,541 27,751 186 184 El Paso, Colo 212,766 9,183 27,296 197 43 Delaware, Pa 212,667 6,052 31,952 85 280 Jefferson, La 209,834 4,766 25,352 251 88 Bristol, Mass 207,601 2,824 27,067 207 174 Lancaster, Pa 206,861 6,139 27,272 198 249 Bronx, N.Y 204,857 (369) 30,128 120 283 Waukesha, Wis 204,265 6,865 31,442 94 59 Snohomish, Wash 202,962 14,180 32,262 80 48 Washington, Ore 201,957 12,763 34,933 45 20 Lake, Ind 201,121 4,947 28,986 149 276 Jefferson, Colo 197,483 6,620 31,766 89 124 Camden, N.J 197,444 2,873 31,850 88 241 Mercer, N.J 197,019 2,823 39,835 15 42 Richland, S.C 194,939 3,863 26,057 234 161 Chester, Pa 193,866 9,013 37,037 28 47 Hampden, Mass 192,917 4,124 28,700 159 207 Knox, Tenn 191,282 3,364 26,724 216 131 Allen, Ind 184,331 4,430 28,880 153 204 San Joaquin, Calif 183,091 4,734 26,101 233 72 Washtenaw, Mich 182,484 3,780 34,546 51 36 Hillsborough, N.H 179,066 3,735 32,426 75 96 Spokane, Wash 177,659 3,426 25,530 245 177 Genesee, Mich 174,895 (2,851) 33,640 61 289 Washoe, Nev 174,853 5,250 28,451 166 260 Passaic, N.J 174,142 1,766 34,434 52 199 Ingham, Mich 173,857 3,068 31,888 87 39 Hamilton, Tenn 173,805 1,698 28,018 181 71 Anne Arundel, Md 173,370 4,711 30,591 107 110 Richmond, Va 172,921 4,376 33,840 57 112 Forsyth, N.C 172,564 4,047 29,873 124 115 Polk, Fla 171,721 2,175 25,019 260 196 Sonoma, Calif 171,530 7,962 28,724 157 19 Brevard, Fla 170,876 4,700 $28,499 163 171 Stark, Ohio 168,912 1,851 26,253 226 192 Mobile, Ala 168,881 4,199 26,466 219 203 Charleston, S.C 168,211 8,082 24,055 276 179 Burlington, N.J 166,623 5,243 32,943 69 213 Dauphin, Pa 166,286 3,772 30,286 116 238 Santa Barbara, Calif 165,158 2,695 27,738 187 56 Kane, Ill 164,417 3,667 29,644 133 175 Somerset, N.J 162,339 8,308 45,937 6 11 Fayette, Ky 161,675 3,405 27,103 205 132 Berks, Pa 161,498 2,619 29,432 138 150 York, Pa 159,743 1,892 28,113 179 155 Arlington, Va 159,108 2,306 46,145 5 5/ Plymouth, Mass 158,496 5,830 29,250 142 158 Lehigh, Pa 158,060 5,026 31,550 92 234 Cumberland, Maine 155,090 6,375 27,541 190 145 Durham, N.C 153,103 5,286 38,276 21 5 Boulder, Colo 152,802 7,167 33,198 66 13 Ada, Idaho 151,201 6,299 28,420 167 262 Monterey, Calif 150,752 4,045 26,103 232 94 Henrico, Va 149,419 8,147 30,297 115 93 Norfolk, Va 149,175 4,701 27,996 182 254 Virginia Beach, Va 148,201 7,824 22,921 284 26 Lee, Fla 147,779 3,266 24,112 275 202 Stanislaus, Calif 147,624 6,758 24,908 261 106 Madison, Ala 145,790 3,316 32,255 81 193 Winnebago, Ill 141,523 1,320 29,073 146 126 Hinds, Miss 140,955 3,076 27,253 199 108 Hidalgo, Tex 140,410 5,560 19,779 295 134 Sangamon, Ill 139,155 2,360 31,355 97 98 Atlantic, N.J 137,605 1,767 29,087 144 286 Nueces, Tex 137,272 2,412 25,697 241 270 Dakota, Minn 136,866 3,122 29,443 137 237 Luzerne, Pa 136,270 1,905 25,561 244 123 Lancaster, Neb 135,653 2,806 25,182 253 109 Volusia, Fla 135,619 322 22,078 289 186 Leon, Fla 135,518 6,670 25,608 243 225 Greene, Mo 133,622 4,420 24,274 273 220 Collin, Tex 133,364 8,848 34,858 47 160 Lane, Ore 132,656 4,189 25,166 255 163 Brown, Wis 130,794 3,232 28,916 151 18 Westmoreland, Pa 130,289 3,128 25,826 240 139 Montgomery, Ala 128,506 2,273 25,904 237 230 St. Joseph, Ind 127,195 2,910 26,572 217 214 Utah, Utah 125,101 5,036 23,842 279 285 Sarasota, Fla 124,994 7,089 25,276 252 41 Erie, Pa 124,764 1,906 26,795 214 232 Adams, Colo 124,453 2,379 28,609 160 82 Tulare, Calif 123,292 1,468 20,770 292 91 Ocean, N.J 123,013 1,138 26,745 215 245 Cumberland, Pa 122,378 2,533 $28,907 152 95 Marion, Ore 122,321 2,591 25,059 259 166 Seminole, Fla 122,222 7,196 26,345 223 107 Anchorage, Alaska 121,917 2,919 34,788 49 190 Clackamas, Ore 121,531 5,228 28,709 158 66 Will, Ill 120,281 2,185 29,273 141 235 New London, Conn 119,684 2,388 33,043 67 233 Kalamazoo, Mich 119,519 96 30,066 122 281 Escambia, Fla 119,025 843 24,462 268 251 Jefferson, Tex 118,431 4,905 29,046 147 129 Spartanburg, S.C 118,265 2,156 27,028 209 169 Chatham, Ga 118,197 2,240 26,187 229 258 Caddo, La 117,146 762 26,019 235 240 Rockingham, N.H 115,110 4,630 29,674 131 7 Manatee, Fla 114,920 5,241 21,553 291 259 Elkhart, Ind 113,055 1,484 27,208 201 227 Butler, Ohio 111,771 2,719 28,787 155 164 Linn, Iowa 110,530 2,665 29,076 145 58 Orange, N.Y 110,191 1,098 26,275 225 291 Lafayette, La 110,133 6,902 28,207 174 12 Lubbock, Tex 109,604 2,917 23,437 283 242 Kanawha, W. Va 109,445 1,676 27,698 188 252 Alachua, Fla 109,124 1,792 23,505 282 86 Mahoning, Ohio 109,103 2,009 24,117 274 219 Ottawa, Mich 109,095 3,441 28,955 150 188 Howard, Md 108,082 5,707 32,987 68 84 Clayton, Ga 106,485 2,461 31,755 90 162 Vanderburgh, Ind 105,576 745 26,241 227 57 Clark, Wash 105,545 4,903 28,148 177 159 Larimer, Colo 104,932 3,492 27,413 194 114 Oneida, N.Y 104,529 542 25,167 254 137 Marin, Calif 104,282 3,185 34,860 46 147 Solano, Calif 103,680 2,584 27,031 208 89 Richmond, Ga 103,122 2,185 25,611 242 182 Dutchess, N.Y 102,930 1,069 31,104 100 282 Buncombe, N.C 102,539 3,617 24,781 265 197 Peoria, Ill 102,301 1,423 27,694 189 85 Lorain, Ohio 101,781 59 28,791 154 279 Cumberland, N.C 101,663 3,826 23,574 281 117 Santa Cruz, Calif 99,618 2,394 27,188 203 167 Denton, Tex 98,783 6,037 25,150 256 272 Rockland, N.Y 98,015 1,780 33,662 60 273 Chesterfield, Va 97,932 2,410 27,793 184 221 Lake, Ohio 97,909 1,655 28,313 172 183 Trumbull, Ohio 97,149 (562) 31,335 98 246 Anoka, Minn 96,766 2,132 29,699 130 49 Cameron, Tex 96,404 2,893 20,041 294 87 Shawnee, Kan 96,065 414 26,131 230 266 Lackawanna, Pa 95,867 682 24,402 270 257 Muscogee, Ga 95,766 5/ 24,766 267 5/ Broome, N.Y 95,586 1,500 $27,172 204 264 Saginaw, Mich 95,154 1,056 31,557 91 229 Catawba, N.C 94,478 1,984 24,869 262 125 Minnehaha, S.D 94,247 3,288 24,792 263 154 Mc Lennan, Tex 93,584 2,460 24,383 271 130 Yakima, Wash 92,590 2,126 20,716 293 119 Newport News, Va 92,538 5,163 26,536 218 287 Madison, Ill 92,474 269 26,323 224 268 St. Louis, Minn 90,747 1,853 25,352 249 263 Outagamie, Wis 90,496 2,643 27,416 193 212 Bibb, Ga 89,226 2,192 26,437 221 256 Horry, S.C 89,128 4,357 19,527 296 79 Placer, Calif 87,617 6,017 27,235 200 100 Collier, Fla 87,467 3,541 25,500 246 10 St. Clair, Ill 86,762 1,724 24,411 269 228 San Luis Obispo, Calif 86,491 5,527 24,771 266 226 St. Charles, Mo 86,410 3,979 25,954 236 284 Chittenden, Vt 86,355 1,144 29,833 126 141 Galveston, Tex 86,307 2,622 26,926 212 5/ Weber, Utah 84,481 2,570 23,821 280 151 Alexandria, Va 84,241 3,494 37,232 26 69 Scott, Iowa 84,074 2,313 26,403 222 153 Champaign, Ill 83,320 879 25,826 239 224 Wisnnebago, Wis 82,937 1,571 30,029 123 65 Harrison, Miss 82,438 3,451 21,814 290 290 Northampton, Pa 82,302 804 28,044 180 201 Calcasieu, La 81,981 449 27,067 206 187 Gloucester, N.J 81,635 1,897 29,232 143 178 Bell, Tex 81,322 2,580 22,797 286 292 Gaston, N.C 81,099 (201) 24,784 264 194 Richmond, N.Y 80,633 2,186 28,223 173 278 Clay, Mo 80,459 2,066 27,771 185 275 Barnstable, Mass 79,917 2,556 25,132 257 176 New Hanover, N.C 79,468 3,781 25,062 258 211 Thurston, Wash 78,872 2,147 27,377 195 250 Niagara, N.Y 78,864 682 28,491 164 217 Wyandotte, Kan 78,608 1,134 31,033 101 261 Racine, Wis 78,560 882 30,341 113 6 McHenry, Ill 78,445 1,569 28,175 176 53 Davis, Utah 78,041 5,337 23,989 277 288 Smith, Tex 77,655 3,652 26,109 231 236 Marion, Fla 77,558 3,021 22,473 288 209 Fort Bend, Tex 77,459 3,753 31,931 86 17 Yolo, Calif 76,984 459 30,739 105 55 Rock Island, Ill 76,850 2,118 32,293 78 5/ Cass, N.D 75,776 3,106 24,367 272 200 Lexington, S.C 75,346 3,914 23,976 278 191 1/ Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. The 296 U.S. counties comprise 69.5 percent of total covered employment in the U.S. 2/ Includes areas not officially designated as counties. See technical note. 3/ Percent changes were computed from annual employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications. See technical note. 4/ Rankings for percent change in average annual pay are based on the 293 counties that are comparable over the year. 5/ Data for these counties are not comparable over the year due to significant changes in the reporting procedures.