Employment rose in six of the seven largest counties in Missouri 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.) Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that Clay County and St. Charles County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 3.0 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Missouri, September 2023

County	Percent change, September 2023
Clay	3.0
St. Charles	2.9
Greene	1.5
St. Louis	1.5
Jackson	0.6
Boone	0.5
St. Louis City	-0.3

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 seven largest counties in Missouri, employment was highest in St. Louis County (598,700) in September 2023. Within St. Louis County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the seven largest Missouri counties accounted for 60.3 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 108 counties in Missouri with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all of the 108 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Three of the seven large Missouri counties reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) St. Louis City had the largest gain (+2.7 percent), followed by Boone County (+2.1 percent). Clay County and St. Louis County had the largest over-the-year wage losses of -1.9 percent and -1.3 percent, respectively.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Missouri, third quarter 2023

County	Percent change, third quarter 2023
St. Louis City	2.7
Boone	2.1
Jackson	0.3
Greene	0.0
St. Charles	-0.5
St. Louis	-1.3
Clay	-1.9

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).

Weekly wages in five of the seven largest counties in Missouri were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. Average weekly wages in St. Louis City ($1,442, 55^th) and St. Louis County ($1,336, 91^st) ranked among the top 100 nationwide.

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).

Among the 108 smaller counties in Missouri—those with employment below 75,000—Buchanan ($1,094) reported the highest average weekly wage. Worth County ($518) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 115 counties in Missouri were considered, 12 reported average weekly wages of $699 or lower, 56 registered wages from $700 to $849, 34 had wages from $850 to $999, and 13 had average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See map 1.) The higher-paying counties were mainly located in and around the major metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Columbia, and Kansas City.