County Employment and Wages News Release — 2011-09-29

From March 2010 to March 2011, employment increased in 256 of the 322 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Elkhart, Ind., posted the largest percentage increase, with a gain of 6.2 percent over the year, compared with national job growth of 1.3 percent. Within Elkhart, the largest employment increase occurred in manufacturing, which gained 5,125 jobs over the year (12.4 percent). Sacramento, Calif., experienced the largest over-the- year percentage decrease in employment among the largest counties in the U.S. with a loss of 1.6 percent. The U.S. average weekly wage increased over the year by 5.2 percent to $935 in the first quarter of 2011. Among the large counties in the U.S., Peoria, Ill., had the largest over-the-year increase in average weekly wages in the first quarter of 2011 with a gain of 18.9 percent. Within Peoria, professional and business services had the largest impact on the county�s over-the-year increase in average weekly wages.