Employment rose in the four largest counties in Kansas from June 2020 to June 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2020.) Regional Commissioner Michael Hirniak noted that Sedgwick County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 7.1 percent. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 6.7 percent over the year, with 339 of the 343 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Atlantic, NJ, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 36.8 percent. Calcasieu, LA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 0.9 percent.

Among the four largest counties in Kansas, employment was highest in Johnson County (346,400) in June 2021. Within Johnson County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the four largest Kansas counties accounted for 56.9 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 343 largest counties made up 72.2 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 100 of the 101 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,241 in the second quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Three of the four largest Kansas counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2020 to the second quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) Shawnee County had a wage gain of 5.0 percent, exceeding the national rate of 4.5 percent. Johnson County and Sedgwick County saw weekly wages rise 3.4 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively.

Among the 343 largest counties in the United States, 302 had over-the-year wage increases. San Francisco, CA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+29.7 percent). Atlantic, NJ, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-7.4 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Johnson County, with average weekly wages of $1,247, was the only large county in Kansas to record wages above the national average of $1,241 in the second quarter of 2021. Average weekly wages in Johnson County ranked 84^th among the 343 largest counties nationwide. The average weekly wages in Wyandotte County ($1,084, 188^th), Sedgwick County ($968, 291^st), and Shawnee County ($963, 298^th) ranked in the lower half of large counties nationwide.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 90 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the second quarter of 2021. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,516. Average weekly wages were at or below the national average in the remaining 253 counties. At $728 a week, Hidalgo, 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—Coffey County ($1,329) had the highest average weekly wage and was the only county in the state to report an average weekly wage above the national average. Jewell County ($559) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 105 counties in Kansas were considered, 11 reported average weekly wages of less than $650, 30 registered wages from $650 to $749, 43 had wages from $750 to $849, 15 had wages from $850 to $949, and 6 had average weekly wages of $950 or higher. (See chart 3.) Most of the highest paying counties were located in and around the Kansas City metropolitan area and the northeastern part of the state.

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. 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. The Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online is available at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/.

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 establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the four largest counties in Kansas, second quarter 2021

Area	Establishments, second quarter (thousands)	Employment			Average weekly wage (1)
		June 2021 (thousands)	Percent change, June 2020–21 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)	Second quarter 2021	National ranking by level (3)	Percent change, second quarter 2020–21 (2)	National ranking by percent change (3)
United States (4)	10,863.2	144,044.8	6.7	--	$1,241	--	4.5	--
Kansas	90.5	1,356.0	4.0	--	995	41	2.7	30
Johnson	25.1	346.4	4.0	273	1,247	84	3.4	169
Sedgwick	13.0	245.0	7.1	101	968	291	2.4	212
Shawnee	5.1	94.0	3.5	298	963	298	5.0	90
Wyandotte	3.5	85.7	0.8	336	1,084	188	-1.4	324
(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 Kansas, second quarter 2021

Area	Establishments	Employment June 2021	Average weekly wage (1)
United States (2)	10,863,217	144,044,799	$1,241
Kansas	90,529	1,355,958	995
Allen	400	5,885	743
Anderson	247	2,456	858
Atchison	400	5,176	824
Barber	199	1,620	777
Barton	897	11,697	795
Bourbon	362	5,874	719
Brown	335	4,938	828
Butler	1,468	19,241	817
Chase	85	852	743
Chautauqua	97	825	605
Cherokee	394	5,572	881
Cheyenne	131	910	652
Clark	92	828	867
Clay	293	2,939	672
Cloud	288	3,283	645
Coffey	256	3,514	1,329
Comanche	86	655	635
Cowley	730	13,420	838
Crawford	980	16,814	752
Decatur	135	932	599
Dickinson	517	6,499	752
Doniphan	200	2,276	778
Douglas	3,193	45,366	890
Edwards	131	958	743
Elk	81	576	628
Ellis	1,088	15,311	800
Ellsworth	183	2,252	774
Finney	1,058	18,957	886
Ford	823	17,067	924
Franklin	615	9,503	846
Geary	696	12,747	852
Gove	154	1,301	685
Graham	109	887	724
Grant	233	2,532	852
Gray	304	3,086	838
Greeley	66	653	714
Greenwood	203	1,496	645
Hamilton	99	1,613	808
Harper	207	2,336	828
Harvey	764	13,516	827
Haskell	154	1,704	832
Hodgeman	72	645	697
Jackson	308	4,173	746
Jefferson	398	3,878	803
Jewell	107	710	559
Johnson	25,119	346,400	1,247
Kearny	134	1,527	840
Kingman	247	2,617	747
Kiowa	105	1,012	683
Labette	466	8,232	779
Lane	85	635	795
Leavenworth	1,480	20,458	965
Lincoln	113	915	797
Linn	254	2,037	867
Logan	133	1,296	711
Lyon	842	15,134	793
Mcpherson	941	15,348	926
Marion	317	3,492	668
Marshall	398	4,484	775
Meade	156	1,630	855
Miami	837	8,616	828
Mitchell	266	3,206	750
Montgomery	1,834	14,217	735
Morris	156	1,567	661
Morton	99	833	760
Nemaha	407	5,370	797
Neosho	479	6,227	766
Ness	146	1,040	810
Norton	194	2,332	757
Osage	316	2,949	630
Osborne	180	1,403	698
Ottawa	162	1,269	686
Pawnee	199	2,734	807
Phillips	226	2,333	715
Pottawatomie	675	9,855	827
Pratt	354	4,507	828
Rawlins	128	1,078	793
Reno	1,618	26,452	793
Republic	215	1,868	634
Rice	326	3,902	732
Riley	1,782	27,746	864
Rooks	198	1,753	690
Rush	108	998	687
Russell	289	2,463	726
Saline	1,481	28,031	827
Scott	257	2,363	784
Sedgwick	12,971	244,976	968
Seward	553	10,633	893
Shawnee	5,116	93,965	963
Sheridan	135	1,075	797
Sherman	261	2,375	698
Smith	147	1,361	656
Stafford	174	1,209	676
Stanton	100	1,001	903
Stevens	184	2,094	864
Sumner	563	6,263	768
Thomas	399	3,967	779
Trego	125	1,270	722
Wabaunsee	179	1,378	652
Wallace	93	551	661
Washington	284	2,133	613
Wichita	112	755	801
Wilson	240	3,466	751
Woodson	94	670	643
Wyandotte	3,492	85,669	1,084
(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, second quarter 2021

State	Establishments, second quarter (thousands)	Employment		Average weekly wage (1)
		June 2021 (thousands)	Percent change, June 2020–21	Second quarter 2021	National ranking by level	Percent change, second quarter 2020–21	National ranking by percent change
United States (2)	10,863.2	144,044.8	6.7	$1,241	--	4.5	--
Alabama	137.8	1,952.0	4.4	1,010	35	4.8	15
Alaska	23.7	315.5	6.7	1,181	17	-1.2	51
Arizona	180.2	2,857.8	5.3	1,154	20	5.9	6
Arkansas	96.1	1,205.3	4.4	974	45	5.2	12
California	1,662.9	16,992.1	7.0	1,579	3	7.5	5
Colorado	228.9	2,723.9	7.1	1,283	10	4.4	19
Connecticut	130.1	1,604.1	7.9	1,411	6	0.6	47
Delaware	35.1	440.1	5.1	1,165	19	1.7	41
District of Columbia	44.0	724.6	3.3	2,096	1	5.4	8
Florida	782.5	8,654.0	6.7	1,113	24	7.7	3
Georgia	337.0	4,453.5	6.5	1,139	22	5.9	6
Hawaii	48.7	590.5	12.7	1,117	23	0.7	46
Idaho	76.4	801.8	7.3	930	50	5.3	10
Illinois	394.6	5,743.5	6.5	1,260	11	3.5	25
Indiana	178.2	3,011.8	5.2	1,013	34	5.4	8
Iowa	106.1	1,528.0	4.8	999	38	2.1	38
Kansas	90.5	1,356.0	4.0	995	41	2.7	30
Kentucky	132.4	1,851.2	5.6	999	38	2.9	28
Louisiana	142.7	1,806.6	5.4	1,005	36	2.0	39
Maine	57.0	623.0	8.7	1,005	36	2.4	33
Maryland	175.6	2,599.7	6.8	1,319	9	1.0	44
Massachusetts	277.4	3,497.0	10.1	1,591	2	1.1	43
Michigan	270.2	4,175.6	8.4	1,143	21	2.5	32
Minnesota	192.8	2,814.5	6.4	1,240	13	3.3	26
Mississippi	75.7	1,107.1	4.1	843	51	3.8	22
Missouri	221.6	2,759.3	5.3	1,052	32	3.6	23
Montana	55.1	490.7	7.0	959	47	4.5	18
Nebraska	74.4	976.6	4.8	997	40	3.9	21
Nevada	93.9	1,353.9	14.0	1,106	25	5.3	10
New Hampshire	58.5	657.4	8.7	1,345	8	10.6	1
New Jersey	300.4	3,993.8	12.0	1,387	7	0.8	45
New Mexico	63.0	790.6	4.3	987	42	2.9	28
New York	667.9	8,885.4	9.2	1,540	5	1.3	42
North Carolina	311.1	4,511.3	7.2	1,092	27	5.1	14
North Dakota	32.6	407.4	4.3	1,067	29	0.6	47
Ohio	312.4	5,266.7	4.3	1,068	28	3.6	23
Oklahoma	114.6	1,568.7	3.1	963	46	2.4	33
Oregon	169.2	1,899.6	5.6	1,196	15	4.8	15
Pennsylvania	370.9	5,674.7	6.9	1,193	16	2.0	39
Rhode Island	42.1	472.2	10.0	1,168	18	-0.3	50
South Carolina	150.1	2,091.9	4.9	977	44	5.2	12
South Dakota	36.3	442.3	6.4	936	49	2.6	31
Tennessee	182.3	3,012.4	5.9	1,094	26	7.6	4
Texas	758.0	12,466.7	5.7	1,210	14	4.7	17
Utah	119.9	1,586.0	7.6	1,060	30	4.2	20
Vermont	27.8	292.4	7.5	1,053	31	-0.2	49
Virginia	293.6	3,854.3	6.1	1,257	12	3.2	27
Washington	263.6	3,376.7	5.7	1,547	4	8.3	2
West Virginia	52.7	663.8	4.8	955	48	2.2	37
Wisconsin	186.5	2,845.7	5.7	1,037	33	2.3	35
Wyoming	28.2	275.1	5.6	987	42	2.3	35
Puerto Rico	47.6	867.2	8.6	567	(3)	2.0	(3)
Virgin Islands	3.5	35.7	0.0	923	(3)	-8.4	(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.