County Employment and Wages News Release - 2023 Q03 Results — 2024-02-21

From September 2022 to September 2023, employment increased in 309 of the 360 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In September 2023, national employment increased to 153.8 million, a 1.5-percent increase over the year, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. Hall, GA, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 5.4 percent. Employment data in this release are presented for September 2023, and average weekly wage data are presented for third quarter 2023. Among the 360 largest counties, 169 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. In the third quarter of 2023, average weekly wages for the nation increased to $1,334, a 0.1-percent increase over the year. Clayton, GA, had the largest third quarter over-the-year wage gain at 7.7 percent. (See table 1.) Hall, GA, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (+5.4 percent).