County Employment and Wages News Release - 2022 Q03 Results — 2023-02-22

From September 2021 to September 2022, employment increased in 346 of the 355 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In September 2022, national employment increased to 151.2 million, a 4.3-percent increase over the year, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. Orleans, LA, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 10.7 percent. Employment data in this release are presented for September 2022, and average weekly wage data are presented for third quarter 2022. Among the 355 largest counties, 345 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. In the third quarter of 2022, average weekly wages for the nation increased to $1,334, a 6.7-percent increase over the year. Midland, TX, had the largest third quarter over-the-year wage gain at 13.9 percent. (See table 1.) Orleans, LA, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (+10.7 percent).