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News Release Information

22-100-NEW
Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (617) 565-4141

County Employment and Wages in New York – Second Quarter 2021

Employment rose in all 18 of the largest counties in New York 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.) Chief Regional Economist Martin Kohli noted that Richmond County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment at 14.5 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 18 largest counties in New York, employment was highest in New York County (2,181,700). Together, the 18 largest New York counties accounted for 85.4 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 44 counties in New York with employment levels below 75,000. Wage levels in 42 of the 44 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,241 in the second quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Eleven New York large counties reported average weekly wage gains from the second quarter of 2020 to the second quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) Onondaga (+5.9 percent) and Oneida Counties (+5.8 percent) had the largest gains. Over-the-year wage declines were reported in seven of New York’s largest counties, with the largest decline posted by Westchester County (-7.1 percent).

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

New York County had the highest average weekly wage in the state at $2,555 and ranked fourth among the 343 largest U.S. counties. Westchester County ($1,591) ranked 21st nationally. Five additional counties (Albany, Bronx, Dutchess, Nassau, and Suffolk) had average weekly wages that placed in the top 100 nationwide. Broome ($1,030) and Oneida ($1,003) reported the lowest average weekly wages among the state’s large counties and ranked 231st and 260th nationwide, respectively.

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 New York’s smaller counties

Forty-two of New York’s 44 counties with employment below 75,000 had average weekly wages below the national average of $1,241. Steuben ($1,376) and Schenectady ($1,242) were the exceptions. (See table 2.) Hamilton and Yates Counties reported the lowest average weekly wages at $774 and $797, respectively.

When all 62 counties in New York were considered, 5 reported average weekly wages of less than $900, 17 registered wages from $900 to $999, 20 recorded wages from $1,000 to $1,099, 9 had wages from $1,100 to $1,199, and 11 had average weekly wages of $1,200 or higher. (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 third quarter 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, February 23, 2022. The County Employment and Wages full data update for third quarter 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 9, 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; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 18 largest counties in New York, second quarter 2021
AreaEstablishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage 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)

10,863.2144,044.86.7--$1,241--4.5--

New York

667.98,885.49.2--1,54051.342

Albany

10.3220.34.32551,338594.6107

Bronx

19.1304.65.61841,229962.1227

Broome

4.279.24.72331,0302312.0230

Dutchess

8.4105.98.0781,259794.7101

Erie

24.5439.98.3671,1151700.8281

Kings

66.1770.612.1151,054213-0.6316

Monroe

18.7364.66.11621,1361581.0273

Nassau

53.8601.212.2131,37153-1.1320

New York

125.92,181.76.51372,55545.377

Oneida

5.298.64.12671,0032605.856

Onondaga

12.6233.75.71741,1611385.950

Orange

10.8143.010.3311,081190-0.5314

Queens

53.5660.211.9171,1981092.0230

Richmond

10.0126.014.581,160139-0.3312

Rockland

11.2126.913.0111,149146-0.1305

Saratoga

6.187.012.1151,142155-2.4333

Suffolk

53.4646.811.3231,304670.4294

Westchester

35.7402.18.8511,59121-7.1339

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 York, second quarter 2021
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment June 2021Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

10,863,217144,044,799$1,241

New York

667,8648,885,3681,540

Albany

10,283220,3251,338

Allegany

89212,683868

Bronx

19,147304,5641,229

Broome

4,23779,2201,030

Cattaraugus

1,75927,155934

Cayuga

1,66224,7281,030

Chautauqua

3,11545,644915

Chemung

1,87532,8131,072

Chenango

1,02416,7671,032

Clinton

1,90332,0581,007

Columbia

2,05120,824941

Cortland

1,08316,474924

Delaware

1,20214,2071,012

Dutchess

8,403105,9291,259

Erie

24,458439,9011,115

Essex

1,28114,254943

Franklin

1,10417,5131,080

Fulton

1,17716,005949

Genesee

1,44223,065956

Greene

1,30314,2321,035

Hamilton

2401,890774

Herkimer

1,23016,487889

Jefferson

2,84240,234955

Kings

66,077770,5791,054

Lewis

5776,635915

Livingston

1,42719,140943

Madison

1,57320,087954

Monroe

18,654364,6411,136

Montgomery

1,20518,190943

Nassau

53,830601,1881,371

New York

125,9052,181,6532,555

Niagara

4,79968,340937

Oneida

5,23398,6451,003

Onondaga

12,599233,6841,161

Ontario

3,18950,9461,070

Orange

10,774142,9951,081

Orleans

77811,2911,026

Oswego

2,30431,1521,077

Otsego

1,51321,7241,024

Putnam

3,11125,9061,218

Queens

53,452660,1841,198

Rensselaer

3,37052,6731,116

Richmond

10,000125,9921,160

Rockland

11,191126,9411,149

St. Lawrence

2,04434,3471,020

Saratoga

6,11387,0241,142

Schenectady

3,41056,4851,242

Schoharie

6758,386905

Schuyler

4315,177866

Seneca

75211,0901,047

Steuben

2,09635,4081,376

Suffolk

53,361646,7791,304

Sullivan

2,10128,329981

Tioga

86712,7571,133

Tompkins

2,63845,1181,229

Ulster

5,32256,8571,029

Warren

2,38437,217969

Washington

1,20114,9001,065

Wayne

2,05128,086962

Westchester

35,700402,1321,591

Wyoming

89513,7401,006

Yates

6626,912797

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, second quarter 2021
StateEstablishments,
second quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage 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)

10,863.2144,044.86.7$1,241--4.5--

Alabama

137.81,952.04.41,010354.815

Alaska

23.7315.56.71,18117-1.251

Arizona

180.22,857.85.31,154205.96

Arkansas

96.11,205.34.4974455.212

California

1,662.916,992.17.01,57937.55

Colorado

228.92,723.97.11,283104.419

Connecticut

130.11,604.17.91,41160.647

Delaware

35.1440.15.11,165191.741

District of Columbia

44.0724.63.32,09615.48

Florida

782.58,654.06.71,113247.73

Georgia

337.04,453.56.51,139225.96

Hawaii

48.7590.512.71,117230.746

Idaho

76.4801.87.3930505.310

Illinois

394.65,743.56.51,260113.525

Indiana

178.23,011.85.21,013345.48

Iowa

106.11,528.04.8999382.138

Kansas

90.51,356.04.0995412.730

Kentucky

132.41,851.25.6999382.928

Louisiana

142.71,806.65.41,005362.039

Maine

57.0623.08.71,005362.433

Maryland

175.62,599.76.81,31991.044

Massachusetts

277.43,497.010.11,59121.143

Michigan

270.24,175.68.41,143212.532

Minnesota

192.82,814.56.41,240133.326

Mississippi

75.71,107.14.1843513.822

Missouri

221.62,759.35.31,052323.623

Montana

55.1490.77.0959474.518

Nebraska

74.4976.64.8997403.921

Nevada

93.91,353.914.01,106255.310

New Hampshire

58.5657.48.71,345810.61

New Jersey

300.43,993.812.01,38770.845

New Mexico

63.0790.64.3987422.928

New York

667.98,885.49.21,54051.342

North Carolina

311.14,511.37.21,092275.114

North Dakota

32.6407.44.31,067290.647

Ohio

312.45,266.74.31,068283.623

Oklahoma

114.61,568.73.1963462.433

Oregon

169.21,899.65.61,196154.815

Pennsylvania

370.95,674.76.91,193162.039

Rhode Island

42.1472.210.01,16818-0.350

South Carolina

150.12,091.94.9977445.212

South Dakota

36.3442.36.4936492.631

Tennessee

182.33,012.45.91,094267.64

Texas

758.012,466.75.71,210144.717

Utah

119.91,586.07.61,060304.220

Vermont

27.8292.47.51,05331-0.249

Virginia

293.63,854.36.11,257123.227

Washington

263.63,376.75.71,54748.32

West Virginia

52.7663.84.8955482.237

Wisconsin

186.52,845.75.71,037332.335

Wyoming

28.2275.15.6987422.335

Puerto Rico

47.6867.28.6567(3)2.0(3)

Virgin Islands

3.535.70.0923(3)-8.4(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: Wednesday, January 26, 2022