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News Release Information

24-561-DAL
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (972) 850-4800

County Employment and Wages in Texas – Third Quarter 2023

Employment rose in 25 of the largest counties in Texas 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 Montgomery County and Hays County had the largest over-the-year increases in employment at 4.3 percent and 4.2 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)


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 26 largest counties in Texas, employment was highest in Harris County (2,427,700) in September 2023. Within Harris County’s private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 26 largest Texas counties accounted for 79.7 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 228 counties in Texas with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in 210 of the 228 smaller counties were below the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

Among Texas’ largest counties, 16 reported average weekly wage gains from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. (See chart 2.) Ten counties had rates of wage gains that were above the national rate of 0.1 percent. Bell County had the largest gain (+4.3 percent) in the state. Over-the-year wage gains among Texas’ other large counties ranged from 2.6 percent to -1.9 percent.


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).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in 6 of the 26 largest counties in Texas were above the national average of $1,334 in the third quarter of 2023. Average weekly wages in five of these counties ranked among the top 50 nationwide: Midland ($1,706, 20th), Travis ($1,691, 21st), Dallas ($1,572, 30th), Harris ($1,527, 35th), and Collin ($1,526, 36th).

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).

Average weekly wages in smaller counties

Among the 228 smaller counties in Texas—those with employment below 75,000—Loving had the highest average weekly wage at $2,178. Menard County ($641) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 254 counties in Texas were considered, 40 reported average weekly wages of less than $850, 75 registered wages from $850 to $974, 67 had wages from $975 to $1,099, 35 had average weekly wages from $1,100 to $1,224, and 37 had weekly wages of $1,225 or higher. (See map 1.) The higher-paying counties were mainly located in and around the metropolitan areas of Austin, Dallas, and Houston, as well as the West Texas region.

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Texas, third quarter 2023

(U.S. average = $1,334)

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 for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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.

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.

The County Employment and Wages release for the fourth quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.
The County Employment and Wages full data update for the fourth quarter 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the 26 largest counties in Texas, third quarter 2023
Area Establishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
September 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
September
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Third quarter
2023 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
third quarter
2022–23 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,026.4 153,772.8 1.5 -- 1,334 -- 0.1 --

Texas

831.9 13,731.1 2.6 -- 1,336 13 0.3 25

Bell

6.5 129.0 2.3 68 1,158 211 4.3 4

Bexar

45.7 927.1 2.1 87 1,194 184 0.9 79

Brazoria

6.8 119.9 (5) - 1,228 161 (5) -

Brazos

5.2 121.9 2.3 68 988 337 -0.4 197

Cameron

7.2 155.5 2.3 68 805 359 0.4 129

Collin

34.5 530.2 2.8 38 1,526 36 -1.9 303

Dallas

85.2 1,836.0 0.5 256 1,572 30 -0.2 188

Denton

20.5 308.6 2.9 35 1,190 187 0.1 164

El Paso

16.8 327.8 1.6 123 924 354 0.2 153

Fort Bend

18.0 242.5 3.3 17 1,123 243 0.9 79

Galveston

7.0 121.4 1.1 199 1,120 245 0.4 129

Harris

125.8 2,427.7 2.7 42 1,527 35 0.3 143

Hays

6.1 91.9 4.2 6 1,010 327 -0.3 192

Hidalgo

14.0 286.6 2.3 68 793 360 -1.0 252

Jefferson

5.9 119.6 0.2 296 1,231 157 0.2 153

Lubbock

8.3 150.5 2.3 68 1,026 320 1.6 44

McLennan

6.0 124.9 2.4 59 1,085 281 2.2 23

Midland

6.4 115.1 3.7 10 1,706 20 1.7 39

Montgomery

15.1 223.4 4.3 5 1,254 145 1.2 60

Nueces

8.7 160.7 3.1 25 1,083 283 1.5 46

Potter

4.1 78.3 3.3 17 1,097 268 0.8 85

Smith

6.9 112.2 1.7 115 1,065 299 -0.6 217

Tarrant

50.8 998.5 1.7 115 1,284 118 -0.1 179

Travis

52.2 902.6 1.9 102 1,691 21 -1.1 259

Webb

6.0 106.4 2.3 68 843 358 -0.2 188

Williamson

15.4 223.7 3.1 25 1,396 70 2.6 15

(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.
(5) Data do not meet BLS or state agency disclosure standards.

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 Texas, third quarter 2023
Area Establishments Employment September 2023 Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,026,378 153,772,811 1,334

Texas

831,938 13,731,145 1,336

Anderson

1,712 20,025 1,111

Andrews

533 7,551 1,479

Angelina

1,968 35,096 937

Aransas

687 6,308 865

Archer

254 1,750 896

Armstrong

77 454 906

Atascosa

954 14,214 1,157

Austin

1,530 12,813 1,211

Bailey

240 2,355 886

Bandera

510 3,659 833

Bastrop

1,816 21,699 976

Baylor

188 1,548 915

Bee

568 8,415 854

Bell

6,517 128,982 1,158

Bexar

45,724 927,088 1,194

Blanco

493 4,034 1,294

Borden

82 544 1,161

Bosque

396 3,991 982

Bowie

2,477 41,614 977

Brazoria

6,821 119,904 1,228

Brazos

5,228 121,875 988

Brewster

452 4,393 931

Briscoe

81 384 840

Brooks

147 2,406 998

Brown

944 15,710 880

Burleson

446 4,884 1,021

Burnet

1,679 16,800 1,050

Caldwell

879 10,033 957

Calhoun

709 13,253 1,552

Callahan

330 2,836 969

Cameron

7,192 155,518 805

Camp

287 3,907 965

Carson

190 6,629 1,706

Cass

581 7,657 843

Castro

291 2,481 836

Chambers

900 20,679 1,389

Cherokee

916 14,578 929

Childress

240 2,859 904

Clay

192 1,669 861

Cochran

129 720 1,052

Coke

112 831 1,174

Coleman

257 2,182 853

Collin

34,465 530,169 1,526

Collingsworth

129 820 1,007

Colorado

650 7,683 989

Comal

5,040 73,879 1,051

Comanche

407 4,333 866

Concho

92 934 1,057

Cooke

1,113 15,462 1,131

Coryell

1,049 14,933 992

Cottle

173 939 1,219

Crane

118 1,303 1,353

Crockett

207 1,388 946

Crosby

185 1,167 867

Culberson

107 1,517 1,653

Dallam

406 4,830 1,017

Dallas

85,229 1,836,026 1,572

Dawson

496 4,031 1,005

Deaf Smith

489 8,404 1,021

Delta

116 944 777

Denton

20,468 308,628 1,190

DeWitt

601 7,302 1,015

Dickens

64 412 877

Dimmit

315 5,725 1,449

Donley

124 884 754

Duval

203 3,746 713

Eastland

534 5,845 999

Ector

4,250 78,178 1,367

Edwards

77 647 734

Ellis

3,877 61,146 1,062

El Paso

16,848 327,787 924

Erath

1,272 18,173 894

Falls

296 3,070 957

Fannin

640 8,732 1,022

Fayette

870 9,149 976

Fisher

117 832 1,034

Floyd

247 1,453 814

Foard

55 351 722

Fort Bend

18,040 242,494 1,123

Franklin

422 3,557 979

Freestone

392 4,797 988

Frio

402 6,695 1,122

Gaines

703 6,870 1,149

Galveston

6,954 121,350 1,120

Garza

179 1,613 991

Gillespie

1,248 12,144 914

Glasscock

135 694 1,126

Goliad

170 1,443 942

Gonzales

559 7,275 1,008

Gray

560 7,446 1,107

Grayson

3,242 52,083 1,067

Gregg

4,359 75,174 1,086

Grimes

594 7,844 1,120

Guadalupe

2,656 47,285 1,089

Hale

865 10,991 897

Hall

131 776 673

Hamilton

274 2,848 844

Hansford

230 2,164 1,067

Hardeman

134 1,354 937

Hardin

992 12,255 945

Harris

125,787 2,427,721 1,527

Harrison

1,489 21,834 1,127

Hartley

164 2,565 944

Haskell

206 1,588 727

Hays

6,116 91,938 1,010

Hemphill

205 1,458 1,151

Henderson

1,661 19,282 878

Hidalgo

13,986 286,593 793

Hill

810 11,190 1,013

Hockley

626 8,901 1,134

Hood

1,694 18,024 941

Hopkins

976 14,214 989

Houston

1,042 7,370 1,163

Howard

943 12,714 1,182

Hudspeth

85 1,314 1,380

Hunt

1,802 30,622 1,100

Hutchinson

461 7,958 1,313

Irion

78 786 1,531

Jack

258 2,540 1,073

Jackson

427 5,718 1,040

Jasper

675 9,011 973

Jeff Davis

88 765 857

Jefferson

5,878 119,559 1,231

Jim Hogg

126 1,720 917

Jim Wells

872 15,373 893

Johnson

3,982 56,872 1,051

Jones

338 2,893 900

Karnes

419 6,520 1,233

Kaufman

2,595 41,397 1,004

Kendall

1,907 20,089 1,159

Kenedy

30 260 1,331

Kent

31 366 670

Kerr

1,587 18,796 1,062

Kimble

173 1,192 813

King

30 417 1,080

Kinney

76 941 938

Kleberg

637 11,614 910

Knox

155 1,212 904

Lamar

1,354 21,932 980

Lamb

410 3,879 916

Lampasas

469 5,177 850

La Salle

193 3,302 1,326

Lavaca

505 6,126 910

Lee

464 6,940 1,069

Leon

432 5,012 1,144

Liberty

1,276 20,000 1,005

Limestone

411 8,820 1,054

Lipscomb

95 1,217 947

Live Oak

324 3,695 1,154

Llano

621 5,806 924

Loving

16 825 2,178

Lubbock

8,337 150,452 1,026

Lynn

197 1,404 1,080

McCulloch

279 2,376 911

McLennan

6,000 124,902 1,085

McMullen

83 571 1,201

Madison

304 4,386 920

Marion

176 2,204 744

Martin

223 2,127 1,346

Mason

190 1,163 797

Matagorda

828 11,307 1,262

Maverick

952 18,465 786

Medina

902 10,763 896

Menard

78 428 641

Midland

6,384 115,083 1,706

Milam

515 5,997 951

Mills

143 1,266 817

Mitchell

177 2,087 1,015

Montague

515 4,898 853

Montgomery

15,067 223,399 1,254

Moore

546 12,539 1,067

Morris

242 3,374 1,010

Motley

69 335 720

Nacogdoches

1,443 22,636 955

Navarro

1,012 16,771 932

Newton

140 1,244 857

Nolan

423 6,148 1,034

Nueces

8,673 160,729 1,083

Ochiltree

413 4,225 1,030

Oldham

99 900 964

Orange

1,468 24,185 1,145

Palo Pinto

733 8,136 886

Panola

572 8,031 1,112

Parker

3,617 40,308 1,049

Parmer

339 6,374 1,083

Pecos

469 5,669 1,121

Polk

958 12,510 960

Potter

4,066 78,250 1,097

Presidio

202 2,043 989

Rains

262 2,255 823

Randall

2,767 35,858 965

Reagan

154 1,663 1,642

Real

116 840 725

Red River

254 2,721 819

Reeves

483 7,597 1,449

Refugio

213 2,307 950

Roberts

47 200 924

Robertson

380 5,462 1,142

Rockwall

3,324 40,236 1,035

Runnels

281 2,961 824

Rusk

884 13,468 980

Sabine

230 2,390 831

San Augustine

162 2,104 1,085

San Jacinto

292 2,457 834

San Patricio

1,245 23,599 1,189

San Saba

209 1,554 802

Schleicher

85 701 965

Scurry

462 6,072 1,287

Shackelford

142 1,275 1,352

Shelby

611 8,627 954

Sherman

141 1,098 1,018

Smith

6,902 112,173 1,065

Somervell

268 3,955 1,237

Starr

652 14,748 724

Stephens

308 3,228 837

Sterling

84 448 913

Stonewall

73 742 1,088

Sutton

167 1,237 1,147

Swisher

187 1,851 797

Tarrant

50,787 998,531 1,284

Taylor

3,893 67,429 1,046

Terrell

56 291 1,002

Terry

366 3,085 948

Throckmorton

76 434 745

Titus

884 17,290 928

Tom Green

3,136 49,438 1,020

Travis

52,182 902,553 1,691

Trinity

233 2,363 766

Tyler

346 4,002 898

Upshur

590 7,895 916

Upton

132 3,676 1,544

Uvalde

712 9,585 841

Val Verde

960 18,351 877

Van Zandt

1,137 12,593 832

Victoria

2,421 37,350 1,056

Walker

1,155 25,519 970

Waller

1,127 25,560 1,117

Ward

411 5,738 1,418

Washington

1,083 16,414 934

Webb

6,029 106,382 843

Wharton

1,146 16,861 971

Wheeler

209 1,792 882

Wichita

3,405 53,621 943

Wilbarger

341 5,926 865

Willacy

316 4,194 830

Williamson

15,439 223,731 1,396

Wilson

906 9,638 927

Winkler

234 3,738 1,513

Wise

1,632 22,023 1,139

Wood

945 10,708 913

Yoakum

286 3,405 1,318

Young

609 7,000 969

Zapata

171 2,862 849

Zavala

176 2,530 1,027

(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, third quarter 2023
State Establishments,
third quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
September 2023
(thousands)
Percent change,
September
2022–23
Third quarter
2023 ($)
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
third quarter
2022–23
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,026.4 153,772.8 1.5 1,334 -- 0.1 --

Alabama

157.7 2,079.6 1.8 1,121 35 0.4 24

Alaska

25.4 335.4 3.1 1,328 15 1.8 2

Arizona

223.1 3,163.8 2.1 1,248 20 -0.2 33

Arkansas

103.1 1,284.3 1.4 1,036 50 0.0 30

California

1,785.3 18,102.2 0.2 1,613 4 0.8 12

Colorado

261.9 2,888.7 2.3 1,431 8 -0.5 40

Connecticut

150.0 1,679.0 1.4 1,480 6 -0.6 42

Delaware

42.3 472.5 2.1 1,269 18 -1.6 51

District of Columbia

52.1 758.7 0.8 2,159 1 1.4 4

Florida

894.2 9,668.6 2.5 1,218 25 -0.1 31

Georgia

392.5 4,807.3 1.5 1,249 19 -0.2 33

Hawaii

57.4 627.9 0.7 1,226 23 1.1 8

Idaho

95.3 852.7 2.1 1,068 46 0.5 19

Illinois

411.3 6,044.1 0.8 1,346 12 -1.0 48

Indiana

192.3 3,175.6 1.0 1,115 36 -0.7 45

Iowa

110.5 1,559.7 1.0 1,112 37 -0.6 42

Kansas

99.7 1,419.7 1.3 1,087 43 0.3 25

Kentucky

152.2 1,985.4 2.0 1,092 42 1.0 11

Louisiana

155.4 1,886.6 0.5 1,107 40 0.6 15

Maine

64.9 649.1 1.5 1,129 34 1.1 8

Maryland

190.1 2,689.7 0.8 1,424 9 0.5 19

Massachusetts

295.8 3,653.5 0.5 1,643 3 -0.7 45

Michigan

325.5 4,422.2 1.9 1,228 22 -0.5 40

Minnesota

206.4 2,923.5 1.4 1,329 14 -1.3 50

Mississippi

88.3 1,163.1 0.9 927 51 -0.6 42

Missouri

250.4 2,894.1 1.5 1,152 31 0.3 25

Montana

66.9 513.2 1.5 1,072 45 1.2 6

Nebraska

78.3 1,014.0 2.3 1,111 38 -0.4 37

Nevada

107.5 1,537.8 2.8 1,201 27 -0.3 36

New Hampshire

66.3 687.6 1.4 1,350 11 -1.2 49

New Jersey

326.8 4,256.9 1.9 1,456 7 -0.4 37

New Mexico

67.9 857.2 1.6 1,096 41 1.1 8

New York

701.8 9,525.5 1.7 1,610 5 0.2 28

North Carolina

375.6 4,835.1 2.0 1,222 24 1.2 6

North Dakota

35.8 428.3 1.9 1,205 26 1.3 5

Ohio

344.4 5,488.1 1.3 1,185 30 -0.1 31

Oklahoma

131.1 1,684.9 2.1 1,052 48 0.5 19

Oregon

203.4 2,001.8 1.0 1,301 16 0.5 19

Pennsylvania

392.5 5,996.0 1.3 1,283 17 -0.9 47

Rhode Island

48.2 495.1 1.6 1,234 21 0.7 14

South Carolina

179.7 2,256.4 2.6 1,086 44 0.6 15

South Dakota

39.8 457.6 2.0 1,058 47 0.6 15

Tennessee

221.2 3,216.1 0.4 1,199 28 0.1 29

Texas

831.9 13,731.1 2.6 1,336 13 0.3 25

Utah

137.2 1,706.1 2.3 1,195 29 0.8 12

Vermont

32.4 306.5 1.4 1,141 32 -0.2 33

Virginia

315.8 4,053.6 1.8 1,383 10 0.5 19

Washington

242.6 3,618.1 1.3 1,682 2 1.5 3

West Virginia

59.1 695.3 1.8 1,044 49 0.6 15

Wisconsin

206.2 2,938.6 1.0 1,133 33 -0.4 37

Wyoming

30.6 285.2 2.1 1,111 38 2.4 1

Puerto Rico

53.6 940.2 1.6 633 (3) 2.8 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.8 35.1 1.9 953 (3) -4.0 (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: Tuesday, March 19, 2024