County Employment and Wages News Release — 2018-05-23

From December 2016 to December 2017, employment increased in 316 of the 346 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Midland, Texas, had the largest percentage increase with a gain of 11.5 percent over the year, above the national job growth rate of 1.5 percent. Within Midland, the largest employment increase occurred in natural resources and mining, which gained 5,247 jobs over the year (27.1 percent). Shawnee, Kan., and Caddo, La., had the largest over-the- year percentage decreases in employment among the largest counties in the U.S., with losses of 1.8 percent each. Within Shawnee, professional and business services had the largest decrease in employment, with a loss of 1,173 jobs (-8.0 percent). Within Caddo, trade, transportation, and utilities had the largest decrease in employment, with a loss of 769 jobs (-3.3 percent). The U.S. average weekly wage increased 3.9 percent over the year, growing to $1,109 in the fourth quarter of 2017.