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News Release Information

20-2208-KAN
Thursday, December 10, 2020

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (816) 285-7000

County Employment and Wages in Kansas – Second Quarter 2020

Employment declined in all of the largest counties in Kansas from June 2019 to June 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2019.) Regional Commissioner Michael Hirniak noted that Sedgwick County had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment at 11.3 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment decreased 9.4 percent over the year, with all of the 357 largest U.S. counties reporting declines. Atlantic, NJ, had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment with a loss of 34.2 percent.

Among the four largest counties in Kansas, employment was highest in Johnson County (333,200) in June 2020. Within Johnson County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the four largest Kansas counties accounted for 56.6 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 357 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 101 counties in Kansas with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 99 of the 101 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,188 in the second quarter of 2020. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All four large Kansas counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2019 to the second quarter of 2020. (See chart 2.)  Johnson County had a wage gain of 9.1 percent, exceeding the national rate of 8.6 percent. Shawnee County had the next highest rate of wage gain at 5.3 percent.

Among the 357 largest counties in the United States, 352 had over-the-year wage increases. The increases in average weekly wages largely reflect substantial employment loss among lower-paid industries. Atlantic, NJ, had the largest percentage wage increase (+22.5 percent). Five large counties had wage declines during the period. Ector, TX, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-6.6 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Johnson County, with average weekly wages of $1,207, was the only large county in Kansas to record wages above the national average of $1,188 in the second quarter of 2020. Average weekly wages in Johnson County ranked 89th among the top 100 nationwide.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 101 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2020. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,045. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in 256 counties. At $698 a week, Cameron, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Kansas’s smaller counties

Among the 101 smaller counties in Kansas–those with employment below 75,000–2 had average weekly wages that were above the national average, and also led all counties in the state. Coffey County reported an average weekly wage of $1,771, followed by Linn at $1,293. Jewell County reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state at $538.

When all 105 counties in Kansas were considered, 20 reported average weekly wages of less than $675, 21 registered wages from $675 to $724, 22 had wages from $725 to $774, 19 had wages from $775 to $824, and 23 had average weekly wages of $825 or higher. (See chart 3.) The highest paying counties were located in and around the Kansas City metropolitan area.

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. The 2019 edition of this publication was published in September 2020. Tables and additional content from the 2019 edition of Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online are available at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/2019/home.htm. The 2020 edition of Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online will be available in September 2021.

The County Employment and Wages release for third quarter 2020 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 24, 2021.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for third quarter 2020 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, March 9, 2021.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on Second Quarter 2020 QCEW Data

Response rate tables for the second quarter of 2020 are available at www.bls.gov/covid19/county-employment-and-wages-covid-19-impact-second-quarter-2020.htm. For more information about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on QCEW data, see www.bls.gov/covid19/effects-of-covid-19-pandemic-on-county-employment-and-wages-data.htm.

Special Notice: Imputation Methodology Improvements

QCEW implemented improvements to imputation methodology, effective with second quarter 2020 processing. For more information on QCEW imputation methodology and the impact of the improved methods, see www.bls.gov/cew/additional-resources/imputation-methodology.htm.


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 sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Covered employment and wages in the United States and the four largest counties in Kansas, second quarter 2020
AreaEstablishments,
second quarter 2020
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
June 2020
(thousands)
Percent change,
June 2019–20 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Second quarter
2020
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
second quarter
2019–20 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

10,451.0135,114.4-9.4--$1,188--8.6--

Kansas

90.01,306.0-7.0--969387.134

Johnson

24.5333.2-6.4771,207899.1133

Sedgwick

12.9229.2-11.32519452864.7323

Shawnee

5.190.6-5.9619173135.3312

Wyandotte

3.686.3-4.4271,0981644.2327

Footnotes:
(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Percent changes were computed from quarterly 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 employment and wages in the United States and all counties in Kansas, second quarter 2020
AreaEmployment June 2020Average Weekly Wage(1)

United States(2)

135,114,354$1,188

Kansas

1,305,983969

Allen

5,405694

Anderson

2,126731

Atchison

5,117826

Barber

1,546729

Barton

11,761763

Bourbon

5,714681

Brown

4,800821

Butler

18,503780

Chase

871660

Chautauqua

734618

Cherokee

5,523851

Cheyenne

916654

Clark

797783

Clay

2,915689

Cloud

3,067651

Coffey

3,4231,771

Comanche

627616

Cowley

13,041771

Crawford

16,197737

Decatur

928598

Dickinson

5,849721

Doniphan

2,105777

Douglas

44,621866

Edwards

953757

Elk

577585

Ellis

14,712792

Ellsworth

2,281750

Finney

19,001846

Ford

16,093923

Franklin

9,013836

Geary

12,813841

Gove

1,258719

Graham

829699

Grant

2,686809

Gray

3,104848

Greeley

672680

Greenwood

1,495666

Hamilton

1,535768

Harper

2,281798

Harvey

12,943799

Haskell

1,637819

Hodgeman

609677

Jackson

3,857716

Jefferson

3,563785

Jewell

718538

Johnson

333,2051,207

Kearny

1,451818

Kingman

3,0071,005

Kiowa

1,042715

Labette

8,028745

Lane

610773

Leavenworth

20,119946

Lincoln

989771

Linn

1,9601,293

Logan

1,260679

Lyon

14,148790

Mcpherson

15,046933

Marion

3,328687

Marshall

4,489751

Meade

1,577850

Miami

8,208787

Mitchell

3,149749

Montgomery

13,744720

Morris

1,538640

Morton

817733

Nemaha

5,226785

Neosho

6,208735

Ness

1,082747

Norton

2,214761

Osage

2,702609

Osborne

1,381663

Ottawa

1,197639

Pawnee

2,664835

Phillips

2,308707

Pottawatomie

9,420774

Pratt

4,437805

Rawlins

989712

Reno

25,710784

Republic

1,830610

Rice

3,602740

Riley

26,452869

Rooks

1,710673

Rush

929684

Russell

2,332702

Saline

27,075796

Scott

2,266796

Sedgwick

229,200945

Seward

10,387912

Shawnee

90,584917

Sheridan

1,061771

Sherman

2,394681

Smith

1,294654

Stafford

1,277674

Stanton

918882

Stevens

2,043846

Sumner

6,111756

Thomas

3,857755

Trego

1,276680

Wabaunsee

1,359648

Wallace

531709

Washington

2,097610

Wichita

806821

Wilson

3,325712

Woodson

725581

Wyandotte

86,2531,098

(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: Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. Data are preliminary.

Table 3. Covered employment and wages by state, second quarter 2020
StateEstablishments,
second quarter 2020
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
June 2020
(thousands)
Percent change,
June 2019–20
Second quarter
2020
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
second quarter
2019–20
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

10,451.0135,114.4-9.4$1,188--8.6--

Alabama

131.21,868.7-6.4964405.942

Alaska

22.7296.2-12.71,1951411.211

Arizona

170.72,708.4-5.11,090227.930

Arkansas

93.01,156.5-5.5924477.333

California

1,633.115,911.2-10.21,468410.912

Colorado

216.42,545.9-8.01,22698.725

Connecticut

123.41,483.6-12.31,407611.39

Delaware

34.5416.0-9.31,156179.022

District of Columbia

41.7701.8-10.01,987111.77

Florida

738.08,113.8-7.11,032286.640

Georgia

307.24,196.0-7.01,075235.744

Hawaii

45.9524.9-20.11,1082112.06

Idaho

67.9748.3-2.3882507.632

Illinois

379.65,391.8-11.31,218108.626

Indiana

171.62,865.7-7.3960415.645

Iowa

104.71,458.8-8.0978368.427

Kansas

90.01,306.0-7.0969387.134

Kentucky

125.41,754.0-8.2970376.441

Louisiana

137.81,710.1-11.0985346.739

Maine

53.8572.5-10.89803512.35

Maryland

175.82,430.3-11.21,305810.713

Massachusetts

263.13,178.8-14.31,570214.01

Michigan

268.53,850.9-12.91,114209.516

Minnesota

185.42,644.6-10.51,200139.022

Mississippi

73.81,063.1-6.4812515.942

Missouri

215.92,622.2-7.51,015327.134

Montana

51.5459.5-4.9919489.119

Nebraska

72.9932.3-6.0960418.028

Nevada

85.91,191.6-15.41,048269.119

New Hampshire

54.8605.4-10.51,2151211.58

New Jersey

284.13,570.3-14.61,376711.39

New Mexico

62.4757.0-9.4958437.831

New York

652.08,142.6-15.91,520312.84

North Carolina

296.24,205.4-6.91,038276.937

North Dakota

32.4390.1-9.71,061243.351

Ohio

302.35,049.8-8.01,031297.036

Oklahoma

112.11,521.3-6.3940444.449

Oregon

160.91,789.3-9.61,1431910.315

Pennsylvania

362.85,314.5-11.11,170169.218

Rhode Island

39.5429.3-13.21,1721513.13

South Carolina

144.41,991.0-7.2928466.937

South Dakota

34.7415.9-5.9912499.022

Tennessee

171.12,847.2-6.61,016315.346

Texas

727.411,807.1-6.31,156175.047

Utah

111.61,474.8-3.01,017309.119

Vermont

26.1271.8-13.61,0552513.62

Virginia

283.33,635.2-8.81,218109.417

Washington

253.83,207.1-8.41,424510.614

West Virginia

51.3634.9-9.4933454.948

Wisconsin

179.22,690.0-8.71,014338.028

Wyoming

27.2260.5-9.6965393.750

Puerto Rico

46.1798.7-7.9556(3)4.7(3)

Virgin Islands

3.435.4-7.01,016(3)6.9(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.

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, December 10, 2020