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News Release Information

22-1556-NEW
Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:

County Employment and Wages in New Jersey — Fourth Quarter 2021

Employment increased in all 15 of the largest counties in New Jersey from December 2020 to December 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 William J. Sibley noted that Atlantic County (8.6 percent) had the largest over-the-year increases in employment. Atlantic County’s rate of job growth ranked 9th among the 343 largest counties in the United States. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

National employment increased 5.2 percent over the year, with 334 of the 343 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Clark, NV, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 13.3 percent. Hinds, MS, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 0.9 percent.

Among the 15 largest counties in New Jersey, Middlesex County (436,200) and Bergen County (435,200) had the highest employment levels in December 2021. Altogether, New Jersey’s largest counties accounted for 89.7 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 343 largest counties made up 72.4 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the six counties in New Jersey with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 5 of the 6 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,418 in the fourth quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large County Wage Changes

Fourteen of 15 large New Jersey counties reported average weekly wage gains from the fourth quarter of 2020 to the fourth quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) None of New Jersey’s large counties had rates of wage gains that were above the national rate of 5.9 percent. Bergen County had the largest gain (+4.8 percent), followed by Camden County (+4.7 percent), Ocean County (+4.6 percent), and Middlesex County (+4.3 percent). No other large county in New Jersey had a gain exceeding 2.8 percent. Morris County’s wage average declined 3.4 percent.

Among the 343 largest counties in the United States, 334 had over-the-year wage increases. Palm Beach, FL, had the largest percentage wage increase (+15.6 percent). Kitsap, WA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-5.5 percent).

Large County Average Weekly Wages

Weekly wages in the 8 of the 15 largest counties in New Jersey were above the national average of $1,418 in the fourth quarter of 2021. Average weekly wages in three of these counties ranked among the top 25 nationwide: Morris ($1,929, 12th), Somerset ($1,852, 16th), and Hudson ($1,710, 25th).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 84 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the fourth quarter of 2021. Santa Clara, CA, had the highest average weekly wage at $4,005. Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 259 counties. At $826 a week, Hidalgo, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.  

Average Weekly Wages in New Jersey's Smaller Counties

Of the six smaller counties in New Jersey—those with employment below 75,000—Hunterdon ($1,438) reported an average weekly wage above the national average of $1,418. Cape May County ($984) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 21 counties in New Jersey were considered, 7 reported average weekly wages of less than $1,199, 6 registered wages from $1,200 to $1,449, 5 had wages from $1,450 to $1,699, and 3 had average weekly wages above $1,700. The higher-paying counties were located in the New York metropolitan area, clustered in northern and central New Jersey, and most of the lower-paying counties were in the southern part of the state. (See chart 3.)

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/.

The County Employment and Wages release for first quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, August 24, 2022. The County Employment and Wages full data update for first quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 7, 2022.


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 individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 15 largest counties in New Jersey, fourth quarter 2021
AreaEstablishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
December 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2020–21 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Fourth quarter
2021
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2020–21 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,194.1148,293.65.2--$1,418--5.9--

New Jersey

315.64,123.76.8--1,56383.048

Atlantic

7.2121.68.691,1472492.2292

Bergen

36.1435.26.1581,601464.8174

Burlington

12.3206.25.8761,394921.4313

Camden

13.8202.55.31051,381984.7181

Essex

23.6333.27.6191,631412.8273

Gloucester

7.2121.18.0131,1122752.7275

Hudson

18.5270.97.5201,710250.7327

Mercer

12.1260.93.91941,645352.0300

Middlesex

24.9436.25.8761,541554.3205

Monmouth

21.9260.74.41621,3711042.5281

Morris

18.2293.14.81441,92912-3.4339

Ocean

15.3174.26.8391,1092794.6185

Passaic

14.6167.18.0131,2721602.2292

Somerset

10.9188.62.82571,852161.6309

Union

16.4225.85.9711,630421.0319

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 New Jersey, fourth quarter 2021
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment December 2021Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,194,120148,293,597$1,418

New Jersey

315,6394,123,7261,563

Atlantic

7,175121,5971,147

Bergen

36,071435,2011,601

Burlington

12,251206,2071,394

Camden

13,811202,4521,381

Cape May

4,09337,398984

Cumberland

3,60459,2661,120

Essex

23,589333,1571,631

Gloucester

7,195121,0721,112

Hudson

18,490270,8931,710

Hunterdon

4,20345,2051,438

Mercer

12,101260,9321,645

Middlesex

24,948436,1731,541

Monmouth

21,860260,7031,371

Morris

18,214293,1451,929

Ocean

15,254174,2111,109

Passaic

14,551167,1121,272

Salem

1,45421,2951,240

Somerset

10,902188,6411,852

Sussex

3,64537,9601,129

Union

16,355225,7591,630

Warren

2,92132,2851,167

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, fourth quarter 2021
StateEstablishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
December 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2020–21
Fourth quarter
2021
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2020–21
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,194.1148,293.65.2$1,418--5.9--

Alabama

141.22,007.03.11,153364.934

Alaska

24.1299.43.11,311194.143

Arizona

190.23,057.85.11,281235.527

Arkansas

97.01,236.13.41,064496.414

California

1,701.917,622.27.41,80444.837

Colorado

232.92,776.46.21,484107.83

Connecticut

134.01,639.93.91,61163.945

Delaware

37.0452.04.51,337165.923

District of Columbia

46.1749.45.12,32011.050

Florida

834.79,241.16.71,297209.72

Georgia

351.24,629.85.01,292217.09

Hawaii

50.4613.89.21,229280.851

Idaho

81.8802.35.11,111427.46

Illinois

400.55,877.35.41,473116.911

Indiana

179.43,089.33.41,153367.09

Iowa

107.31,527.42.21,157355.330

Kansas

92.51,381.02.41,132415.824

Kentucky

136.51,919.84.51,110435.033

Louisiana

146.11,853.92.91,142406.021

Maine

59.7613.73.31,163346.414

Maryland

178.12,648.43.91,49993.846

Massachusetts

281.83,556.95.51,83223.747

Michigan

274.94,250.86.31,291222.749

Minnesota

191.02,823.75.21,378134.044

Mississippi

78.51,147.32.4944514.837

Missouri

226.12,804.82.91,179334.540

Montana

56.7489.04.61,108447.18

Nebraska

77.5978.51.51,144386.119

Nevada

98.31,432.611.51,246255.824

New Hampshire

61.2662.23.91,580712.31

New Jersey

315.64,123.76.81,56383.048

New Mexico

66.5819.16.51,097474.441

New York

674.49,195.85.81,82936.813

North Carolina

324.74,646.64.71,241267.83

North Dakota

33.3407.93.41,192314.934

Ohio

318.85,352.62.91,221295.231

Oklahoma

117.81,604.52.11,080486.911

Oregon

173.41,915.04.81,332176.119

Pennsylvania

379.75,807.94.51,352155.132

Rhode Island

44.1475.55.71,315184.441

South Carolina

155.82,147.93.51,101466.414

South Dakota

37.6435.52.71,108445.726

Tennessee

191.73,123.33.91,258247.37

Texas

779.413,012.76.11,376146.317

Utah

126.91,624.14.31,231276.218

Vermont

28.7298.74.31,189324.934

Virginia

303.43,918.03.11,424124.837

Washington

276.13,427.06.31,68356.021

West Virginia

54.7674.43.11,053505.527

Wisconsin

194.02,832.62.41,202305.429

Wyoming

28.8267.22.71,143397.75

Puerto Rico

48.2935.36.8645(3)3.9(3)

Virgin Islands

3.435.0-0.41,090(3)3.0(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, July 26, 2022