For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, November 22, 2022 USDL-22-2205

Technical information: (202) 691-6567 • QCEWInfo@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/cew

Media contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov

COUNTY EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES – SECOND QUARTER 2022

From June 2021 to June 2022, employment increased in 338 of the 355 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In June 2022, national employment increased to 149.9

million, a 4.0-percent increase over the year, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and 

Wages (QCEW) program. Orange, FL, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a 

gain of 9.7 percent. Employment data in this release are presented for June 2022, and average weekly 

wage data are presented for second quarter 2022.

Among the 355 largest counties, 340 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. In the 

second quarter of 2022, average weekly wages for the nation increased to $1,294, a 4.3-percent increase 

over the year. Saratoga, NY, had the largest second quarter over-the-year wage gain at 16.3 percent. 

(See table 1.)

Chart 1. Percent change in employment, June 2021 to June 2022, by largest gains and losses

-1.0%

-0.4%

-0.4%

-0.3%

-0.1%

-0.1%

-0.1%

7.4%

7.4%

7.4%

7.4%

7.7%

7.9%

8.0%

8.3%

9.0%

9.7%

-2% 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12%

Kanawha, WV

Newport News City, VA

Chesapeake City, VA

Stark, OH

Hinds, MS

Montgomery, MD

Jefferson, LA

... Travis, TX

Clark, NV

Osceola, FL

Tulare, CA

Midland, TX

Clayton, GA

New York, NY

Gloucester, NJ

San Francisco, CA

Orange, FL
- 2 -

Large County Employment in June 2022

Orange, FL, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (+9.7 percent). Within

Orange, the largest employment increase occurred in leisure and hospitality, which rose by 38,690 over 

the year (+23.2 percent).

Kanawha, WV, experienced the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment, with a loss of 

1.0 percent. Within Kanawha, education and health services had the largest employment decrease, with a 

decline of 533 (-2.7 percent).

Large County Average Weekly Wage in Second Quarter 2022

Saratoga, NY, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in average weekly wages (+16.3

percent). Within Saratoga, an average weekly wage gain of $1,748 (+109.3 percent) in manufacturing

made the largest contribution to the county’s increase in average weekly wages.

Benton, AR, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in average weekly wages, with a loss of 

16.1 percent. Within Benton, professional and business services had the largest impact, with an average 

weekly wage decrease of $952 (-35.9 percent) over the year.

Chart 2. Percent change in average weekly wage, second quarter 2021 to second quarter 2022, by largest

gains and losses

-16.1%

-15.3%

-9.0%

-6.6%

-1.8%

8.8%

8.8%

8.8%

9.0%

9.6%

10.0%

11.0%

11.1%

12.2%

14.5%

16.3%

-20% -16% -12% -8% -4% 0% 4% 8% 12% 16% 20%

Benton, AR

San Francisco, CA

San Mateo, CA

Santa Clara, CA

Marin, CA

... Galveston, TX

Rutherford, TN

Polk, FL

Weld, CO

Hall, GA

Chittenden, VT

Midland, TX

Elkhart, IN

Clay, MO

Iredell, NC

Saratoga, NY
- 3 -

Ten Largest Counties

All of the 10 largest counties had over-the-year percentage increases in employment. In June 2022, New 

York, NY, had the largest over-the-year employment percentage gain (+8.0 percent). Within New York,

leisure and hospitality had the largest employment increase and rose by 78,453 (+45.6 percent). (See 

table 2.)

Among the 10 largest counties, 8 had over-the-year percentage increases in average weekly wages. In 

second quarter 2022, Miami-Dade, FL, experienced the largest over-the-year percentage gain in average 

weekly wages (+7.7 percent). Within Miami-Dade, professional and business services had the largest 

impact, with an average weekly wage increase of $199 (+14.1 percent) over the year.

For More Information

The tables and charts included in this release contain data for the nation and for the 355 U.S. counties 

with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2021. June 2022 employment and second 

quarter 2022 average weekly wages for all states are provided in table 3 of this release.

The QCEW Technical Note is available at www.bls.gov/cew/news-release-technical-note.htm.

QCEW response rate tables are available at www.bls.gov/cew/response-rates/.

The most current news release on quarterly measures of gross job flows is available from QCEW 

Business Employment Dynamics at www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cewbd.pdf.

Several BLS regional offices issue QCEW news releases targeted to local data users. Links to these 

releases are available at www.bls.gov/cew/regional-resources.htm.

QCEW data are available in the Census Business Builder suite of web tools assisting business owners 

and regional analysts in data-driven decision making at www.census.gov/data/data-tools/cbb.html. 

The QCEW news release schedule is available at www.bls.gov/cew/release-calendar.htm.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access 

telecommunications relay services. ____________ The County Employment and Wages full data update for second quarter 2022 is scheduled to be 

released on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). 

The County Employment and Wages news release for third quarter 2022 is scheduled to be 

released on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).
- 4 -

Improved Usability of QCEW State and Local Government Employment and Wages 

QCEW state and local government employment and wage measures will include data for some states 

that were previously suppressed for confidentiality reasons. Publication of these data is possible 

because state and local government employment and wages are fully disclosable by law in many 

states. The improved data, which will be available on December 6, 2022, account for about 4.2

million in June 2022 employment. Suppressed data were always included in totals and do not 

represent an increase in employment.

For more information about the improved usability of QCEW state and local government data, see 

www.bls.gov/cew/additional-resources/improved-usability-of-state-and-local-government-data.htm.