County Employment and Wages News Release — 2014-03-19

From September 2012 to September 2013, employment increased in 286 of the 334 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Fort Bend, Texas, had the largest increase, with a gain of 6.0 percent over the year, compared with national job growth of 1.7 percent. Within Fort Bend, the largest employment increase occurred in leisure and hospitality, which gained 2,234 jobs over the year (12.1 percent). Peoria, Ill., had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment among the largest counties in the U.S. with a loss of 3.7 percent. County employment and wage data are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, which produces detailed information on county employment and wages within 6 months after the end of each quarter. The U.S. average weekly wage increased over the year by 1.9 percent to $922 in the third quarter of 2013.