County Employment And Wages: Third Quarter 2004 — 2005-04-14

In September 2004, Rutherford County, Tenn., had the largest over- the-year percentage increase in employment among the largest counties in the U.S., according to preliminary data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Rutherford County experienced an over-the-year employment gain of 9.2 percent, compared with national job growth of 1.3 percent. St. Joseph County, Ind., had the largest over-the-year gain in average weekly wages in the third quarter of 2004, with an increase of 10.4 percent. The U.S. average weekly wage increased by 4.0 percent over the same time span. Of the 317 largest counties in the United States, as measured by 2003 employment, 139 had over-the-year percentage growth in employment above the national average in September 2004, and 162 experienced changes below the national average. Average weekly wages grew faster than the national average in 137 of the largest U.S.