Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

News Release Information

22-1983-SAN
Thursday, October 06, 2022

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (415) 625-2270

County Employment and Wages in Idaho — First Quarter 2022

Employment rose in both of Idaho’s large counties from March 2021 to March 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2021.) Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that Canyon County had an over-the-year employment increase of 5.8 percent, while Ada County reported an increase of 4.1 percent. (See table 1.)

National employment increased 5.0 percent over the year, with 349 of the 355 largest U.S. counties reporting gains. Clark, NV, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment with a gain of 12.5 percent. Jefferson, LA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 0.8 percent.

Employment in Ada County was 268,500 in March 2022; Canyon County reported 83,000 employed. These two counties accounted for 43.6 percent of total employment in Idaho. Nationwide, the 355 largest counties made up 73 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 42 counties in Idaho with employment below 75,000. Average weekly wages were below the national average of $1,374 in 41 of the 42 smaller counties in the first quarter 2022. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

From the first quarter of 2021 to the first quarter of 2022, the average weekly wage in Canyon County increased 9.7 percent, above the national rate of 6.7 percent. The average weekly wage increase in Ada County (6.9 percent) was also above the national rate.

Among the 355 largest counties in the United States, 348 had over-the-year wage increases. Peoria, IL, had the largest percentage wage increase (+25.8 percent). San Francisco, CA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-9.1 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Ada County’s $1,142 average wage (189th) and Canyon County’s $828 average wage(350th) both ranked in the bottom half of the 355 largest U.S. counties. Nationally, the average weekly wage was $1,374 in the first quarter of 2022.

Among the largest U.S. counties, 87 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the first quarter of 2022. New York, NY, had the highest average weekly wage at $4,064. Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 268 counties. At $736 a week, Cameron, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Idaho’s smaller counties

Among the 42 smaller counties in Idaho—those with employment below 75,000—only Butte County ($1,830) reported an average weekly wage above the national average of $1,374. Boise County ($556) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 44 counties in Idaho were considered, 12 reported average weekly wages of less than $750, 19 registered wages from $750 to $849, 7 had wages from $850 to $949, and 6 had average weekly wages of $950 or higher. (See chart 1.)

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. The 2019 edition of this publication was published in September 2020. Tables and additional content from the 2019 edition of Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online are available at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/2019/home.htm. The 2020 edition of Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online will be available in September 2021.

The County Employment and Wages release for second quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, November 22, 2022. The County Employment and Wages full data update for second quarter 2022 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, December 6, 2022.

Changes to QCEW with First Quarter 2022 Release

County Changes for the 2022 County Employment and Wages News Releases

Counties with annual average employment of 75,000 or more in 2021 are included in this release and will be included in future 2022 releases. Nationally, twelve counties have been added to the publication tables. No counties were dropped from the publication tables.

Industry Changes to QCEW Data

Beginning with the full release of first quarter 2022 data on September 7, 2022, the QCEW program will use the 2022 version of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) as the basis for the publication of economic data by industry. For information on the use of the 2022 version of NAICS in QCEW, please see www.bls.gov/cew/classifications/industry/naics-2022.htm.


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 two largest counties in Idaho, first quarter 2022
AreaEstablishments,
first quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
March 2022
(thousands)
Percent change,
March
2021–22 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
First quarter
2022
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
first quarter
2021–22 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

11,299.0147,648.45.0--$1,374--6.7--

Idaho

83.6806.44.7--982498.518

Ada

20.9268.54.11611,1421896.9174

Canyon

6.983.05.8678283509.747

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 Idaho, first quarter 2022
AreaEstablishmentsEmployment March 2022Average weekly wage (1)

United States (2)

11,299,030147,648,359$1,374

Idaho

83,632806,369982

Ada

20,850268,5231,142

Adams

193956863

Bannock

2,65834,821810

Bear Lake

2391,854665

Benewah

3813,340925

Bingham

1,24915,286812

Blaine

1,92213,4011,067

Boise

2401,717556

Bonner

2,08615,392804

Bonneville

4,65958,350842

Boundary

5233,708817

Butte

1408,9131,830

Camas

683531,030

Canyon

6,88782,965828

Caribou

3033,4361,103

Cassia

1,03812,228787

Clark

482891,014

Clearwater

3362,664810

Custer

2671,265686

Elmore

6857,260761

Franklin

4733,980703

Fremont

4623,054695

Gem

6034,387707

Gooding

5556,037852

Idaho

6454,434743

Jefferson

9107,570732

Jerome

78511,050851

Kootenai

6,76365,922940

Latah

1,22913,711830

Lemhi

4022,526826

Lewis

1991,604692

Lincoln

1721,582790

Madison

1,31617,157662

Minidoka

6898,267758

Nez Perce

1,33220,734908

Oneida

1591,461584

Owyhee

3432,980750

Payette

7106,793831

Power

2643,377844

Shoshone

4524,920939

Teton

6703,776827

Twin Falls

3,38340,539804

Valley

7654,894816

Washington

3162,902715

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, first quarter 2022
StateEstablishments,
first quarter
(thousands)
EmploymentAverage weekly wage (1)
March 2022
(thousands)
Percent change,
March
2021–22
First quarter
2022
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
first quarter
2021–22
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

11,299.0147,648.45.0$1,374--6.7--

Alabama

143.71,990.42.51,072398.221

Alaska

24.2303.92.81,178254.945

Arizona

195.83,048.25.01,234217.529

Arkansas

98.31,232.73.11,0604010.92

California

1,667.617,720.87.71,64451.051

Colorado

238.02,767.95.11,45598.811

Connecticut

135.71,618.64.31,71649.26

Delaware

38.1447.83.91,362147.529

District of Columbia

46.9749.15.82,22112.649

Florida

844.09,249.26.11,2222310.83

Georgia

359.64,615.25.01,301178.811

Hawaii

50.4612.17.91,135304.247

Idaho

83.6806.44.7982498.518

Illinois

403.85,808.84.51,48787.333

Indiana

183.03,071.13.71,127329.85

Iowa

108.21,511.62.51,080367.627

Kansas

93.11,369.82.51,073389.010

Kentucky

137.51,911.54.01,038447.627

Louisiana

147.61,820.61.31,058428.616

Maine

60.4604.12.81,1033510.34

Maryland

179.92,623.13.91,410102.050

Massachusetts

286.63,516.05.31,82735.943

Michigan

282.24,212.54.61,225226.241

Minnesota

194.12,772.62.71,374116.837

Mississippi

77.91,134.22.9879518.518

Missouri

227.12,788.23.01,128317.034

Montana

57.5479.93.1991488.320

Nebraska

78.7965.41.51,079379.26

Nevada

102.71,441.311.61,164278.023

New Hampshire

61.1659.94.31,361157.825

New Jersey

317.94,085.17.21,60664.646

New Mexico

68.0817.45.11,018456.540

New York

681.39,107.26.01,97225.644

North Carolina

335.84,638.34.81,241209.26

North Dakota

33.3400.52.71,106346.935

Ohio

320.55,299.03.11,179247.529

Oklahoma

120.71,601.82.91,012468.023

Oregon

175.11,921.94.01,259187.432

Pennsylvania

384.05,778.24.31,309166.935

Rhode Island

45.0469.34.71,249196.837

South Carolina

164.12,142.93.91,043439.26

South Dakota

37.8432.03.51,012468.616

Tennessee

198.13,104.14.61,172268.811

Texas

788.412,985.46.11,369128.714

Utah

126.51,625.64.51,152288.221

Vermont

29.3295.83.91,107337.726

Virginia

310.83,889.43.11,366136.639

Washington

277.33,453.46.01,59673.848

West Virginia

55.2668.12.9968506.142

Wisconsin

193.92,816.52.91,137298.714

Wyoming

28.9263.62.61,0594111.21

Puerto Rico

48.7917.16.8579(3)2.8(3)

Virgin Islands

3.534.8-0.3947(3)-3.7(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.

Chart 1

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, October 06, 2022