County Employment and Wages News Release — 2011-03-29

From September 2009 to September 2010, employment increased in 162 of the 326 largest U.S. counties according to preliminary data, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Elkhart, Ind., posted the largest percentage increase, with a gain of 6.8 percent over the year, compared with national job growth of 0.2 percent. Within Elkhart, the largest employment increase occurred in manufacturing, which gained 5,570 jobs over the year (14.2 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 3.7 percent. Within Sacramento, state government had the largest percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 7.5 percent. The U.S. average weekly wage increased over the year by 3.4 percent to $870 in the third quarter of 2010.