County Employment and Wages News Release — 2008-07-24

In December 2007, Fort Bend County, Texas, 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. Fort Bend County, which contains a portion of southwest Houston, experienced an over-the-year employment gain of 7.4 percent, compared with national job growth of 0.8 percent. Pulaski County, Ark., which includes Little Rock, had the largest over-the-year gain in average weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2007, with an increase of 26.2 percent due to gains in the information supersector. The U.S. average weekly wage rose by 4.2 percent over the same time span. Of the 328 largest counties in the United States, as measured by 2006 annual average employment, 126 had over-the-year percentage growth in employment above the national average (0.8 percent) in December 2007; 182 large counties experienced changes below the national average.