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News Release Information

24-480-CHI
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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

County Employment and Wages in Wisconsin — Third Quarter 2023

Employment rose in 3 of the 6 largest counties in Wisconsin from September 2022 to September 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2022.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that Dane County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 2.0 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


National employment increased 1.5 percent over the year, with 309 of the 360 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Hall, GA, had the largest increase in employment (+5.4 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment (-7.3 percent).

Among the six largest counties in Wisconsin, employment was highest in Milwaukee County (469,500) in September 2023. Within Milwaukee County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the six largest Wisconsin counties accounted for 48.6 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 360 largest counties made up 72.9 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 66 counties in Wisconsin with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all of the 66 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Four of the six large Wisconsin counties reported average weekly wage declines from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Waukesha County had the largest loss (–2.4 percent), followed by Brown County (–2.0 percent). Over-the-year wage changes among Wisconsin’s other four large counties ranged from –1.3 percent to +1.4 percent.


Nationwide, wages increased by 0.1 percent over the year. Among the 360 largest counties in the United States, 169 had over-the-year wage increases. Clayton, GA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+7.7 percent). Elkhart, IN, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-6.0 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in the six largest counties in Wisconsin were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. Average weekly wages in three of these counties ranked among the top half nationwide: Dane ($1,331, 93rd), Waukesha ($1,218, 171st), and Milwaukee ($1,216, 174th).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 92 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the third quarter of 2023. San Mateo, CA, had the highest average weekly wage ($3,288). Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 268 counties. Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage ($793).

Smaller county average weekly wages

Among the 66 smaller counties in Wisconsin—those with employment below 75,000—all reported an average weekly wage below the national average of $1,334. Sheboygan County ($1,115) reported the highest average weekly wage in the state, while Florence County ($612) reported the state's lowest average weekly wage.

When all 72 counties in Wisconsin were considered, 15 counties reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 25 counties registered wages from $850 to $949, 16 counties had wages from $950 to $1,049, and 16 had average weekly wages of $1,050 or higher. (See map 1.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Wisconsin, third quarter 2023

(U.S. average = $1,334)


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 for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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.

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.

The County Employment and Wages release for the fourth quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for the fourth quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the six largest counties in Wisconsin, third quarter 2023
Area Establishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
September 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
September
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Third quarter
2023 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
third quarter
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,026.4 153,772.8 1.5 -- 1,334 -- 0.1 --

Wisconsin

206.2 2,938.6 1.0 -- 1,133 33 -0.4 37

Brown

7.5 156.0 -0.2 318 1,126 240 -2.0 307

Dane

17.6 355.8 2.0 95 1,331 93 0.5 122

Milwaukee

29.2 469.5 -0.1 315 1,216 174 -1.1 259

Outagamie

5.9 107.7 0.7 239 1,129 237 1.4 51

Waukesha

14.3 247.8 0.8 227 1,218 171 -2.4 323

Winnebago

4.2 92.5 -0.4 329 1,140 224 -1.3 277

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 Wisconsin, third quarter 2023
Area Establishments Employment September 2023 Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,026,378 153,772,811 1,334

Wisconsin

206,208 2,938,556 1,133

Adams

405 4,488 805

Ashland

639 7,875 939

Barron

1,557 21,676 874

Bayfield

562 4,308 770

Brown

7,502 156,041 1,126

Buffalo

397 3,722 909

Burnett

454 4,936 862

Calumet

950 16,375 947

Chippewa

1,928 26,463 954

Clark

952 11,119 916

Columbia

1,777 22,315 954

Crawford

507 6,698 834

Dane

17,575 355,839 1,331

Dodge

1,987 36,908 1,064

Door

1,395 15,011 818

Douglas

1,206 16,166 991

Dunn

1,123 18,051 988

Eau Claire

3,245 58,154 1,062

Florence

138 988 612

Fond du Lac

2,540 46,158 1,073

Forest

300 3,229 825

Grant

1,502 17,423 867

Green

1,155 15,315 960

Green Lake

529 6,055 916

Iowa

717 11,007 1,001

Iron

240 1,749 712

Jackson

480 7,910 953

Jefferson

2,262 34,190 960

Juneau

742 9,645 914

Kenosha

4,231 72,746 1,017

Kewaunee

561 6,736 873

La Crosse

3,499 69,500 1,059

Lafayette

484 5,018 927

Langlade

626 7,384 841

Lincoln

778 10,321 902

Manitowoc

1,964 33,240 969

Marathon

3,865 69,753 1,056

Marinette

1,250 17,823 979

Marquette

379 3,935 816

Menominee

115 2,054 880

Milwaukee

29,159 469,458 1,216

Monroe

1,327 21,222 975

Oconto

906 9,225 858

Oneida

1,482 16,558 995

Outagamie

5,910 107,745 1,129

Ozaukee

3,139 41,142 1,066

Pepin

269 2,483 893

Pierce

1,035 10,739 829

Polk

1,296 16,468 896

Portage

1,928 33,629 1,035

Price

442 5,194 892

Racine

5,104 75,835 1,068

Richland

525 5,626 874

Rock

3,842 69,031 1,066

Rusk

373 4,669 842

St. Croix

2,642 36,078 1,034

Sauk

2,128 36,310 933

Sawyer

696 7,271 877

Shawano

1,064 12,167 821

Sheboygan

2,974 61,143 1,115

Taylor

533 7,942 890

Trempealeau

838 12,591 919

Vernon

801 8,873 878

Vilas

994 8,594 834

Walworth

3,342 44,290 924

Washburn

614 5,604 798

Washington

3,812 57,239 1,062

Waukesha

14,320 247,773 1,218

Waupaca

1,384 18,628 881

Waushara

570 6,258 799

Winnebago

4,219 92,462 1,140

Wood

2,144 36,771 1,029

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, third quarter 2023
State Establishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
September 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
September
2022–23
Third quarter
2023
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
third quarter
2022–23
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,026.4 153,772.8 1.5 $1,334 -- 0.1 --

Alabama

157.7 2,079.6 1.8 1,121 35 0.4 24

Alaska

25.4 335.4 3.1 1,328 15 1.8 2

Arizona

223.1 3,163.8 2.1 1,248 20 -0.2 33

Arkansas

103.1 1,284.3 1.4 1,036 50 0.0 30

California

1,785.3 18,102.2 0.2 1,613 4 0.8 12

Colorado

261.9 2,888.7 2.3 1,431 8 -0.5 40

Connecticut

150.0 1,679.0 1.4 1,480 6 -0.6 42

Delaware

42.3 472.5 2.1 1,269 18 -1.6 51

District of Columbia

52.1 758.7 0.8 2,159 1 1.4 4

Florida

894.2 9,668.6 2.5 1,218 25 -0.1 31

Georgia

392.5 4,807.3 1.5 1,249 19 -0.2 33

Hawaii

57.4 627.9 0.7 1,226 23 1.1 8

Idaho

95.3 852.7 2.1 1,068 46 0.5 19

Illinois

411.3 6,044.1 0.8 1,346 12 -1.0 48

Indiana

192.3 3,175.6 1.0 1,115 36 -0.7 45

Iowa

110.5 1,559.7 1.0 1,112 37 -0.6 42

Kansas

99.7 1,419.7 1.3 1,087 43 0.3 25

Kentucky

152.2 1,985.4 2.0 1,092 42 1.0 11

Louisiana

155.4 1,886.6 0.5 1,107 40 0.6 15

Maine

64.9 649.1 1.5 1,129 34 1.1 8

Maryland

190.1 2,689.7 0.8 1,424 9 0.5 19

Massachusetts

295.8 3,653.5 0.5 1,643 3 -0.7 45

Michigan

325.5 4,422.2 1.9 1,228 22 -0.5 40

Minnesota

206.4 2,923.5 1.4 1,329 14 -1.3 50

Mississippi

88.3 1,163.1 0.9 927 51 -0.6 42

Missouri

250.4 2,894.1 1.5 1,152 31 0.3 25

Montana

66.9 513.2 1.5 1,072 45 1.2 6

Nebraska

78.3 1,014.0 2.3 1,111 38 -0.4 37

Nevada

107.5 1,537.8 2.8 1,201 27 -0.3 36

New Hampshire

66.3 687.6 1.4 1,350 11 -1.2 49

New Jersey

326.8 4,256.9 1.9 1,456 7 -0.4 37

New Mexico

67.9 857.2 1.6 1,096 41 1.1 8

New York

701.8 9,525.5 1.7 1,610 5 0.2 28

North Carolina

375.6 4,835.1 2.0 1,222 24 1.2 6

North Dakota

35.8 428.3 1.9 1,205 26 1.3 5

Ohio

344.4 5,488.1 1.3 1,185 30 -0.1 31

Oklahoma

131.1 1,684.9 2.1 1,052 48 0.5 19

Oregon

203.4 2,001.8 1.0 1,301 16 0.5 19

Pennsylvania

392.5 5,996.0 1.3 1,283 17 -0.9 47

Rhode Island

48.2 495.1 1.6 1,234 21 0.7 14

South Carolina

179.7 2,256.4 2.6 1,086 44 0.6 15

South Dakota

39.8 457.6 2.0 1,058 47 0.6 15

Tennessee

221.2 3,216.1 0.4 1,199 28 0.1 29

Texas

831.9 13,731.1 2.6 1,336 13 0.3 25

Utah

137.2 1,706.1 2.3 1,195 29 0.8 12

Vermont

32.4 306.5 1.4 1,141 32 -0.2 33

Virginia

315.8 4,053.6 1.8 1,383 10 0.5 19

Washington

242.6 3,618.1 1.3 1,682 2 1.5 3

West Virginia

59.1 695.3 1.8 1,044 49 0.6 15

Wisconsin

206.2 2,938.6 1.0 1,133 33 -0.4 37

Wyoming

30.6 285.2 2.1 1,111 38 2.4 1

Puerto Rico

53.6 940.2 1.6 633 (3) 2.8 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.8 35.1 1.9 953 (3) -4.0 (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: Tuesday, March 19, 2024