County Employment and Wages News Release — 2013-01-08

From June 2011 to June 2012, employment increased in 287 of the 328 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Yakima, Wash., posted the largest increase, with a gain of 8.2 percent over the year, compared with national job growth of 1.8 percent. Within Yakima, the largest employment increase occurred in natural resources and mining, which gained 8,646 jobs over the year (34.6 percent). Madison, Ill., St. Clair, Ill., and Clay, Mo., had the largest over-the-year decreases in employment among the largest counties in the U.S. with losses of 2.0 percent each. County employment and wage data are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, which produces detailed information on local employment and wages within 7 months after the end of each quarter. The U.S. average weekly wage increased over the year by 1.3 percent to $903 in the second quarter of 2012.