Fourth Quarter — 2026-06-02

From December 2024 to December 2025, employment increased in 169 of the 372 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In December 2025, national employment increased to 156.7 million, a 0.2-percent increase over the year, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. Buncombe, NC, had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 3.7 percent. Employment data in this release are presented for December 2025, and average weekly wage data are presented for fourth quarter 2025. Among the 372 largest counties, 346 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. In the fourth quarter of 2025, average weekly wages for the nation increased to $1,569, a 4.2-percent increase over the year. San Mateo, CA, had the largest fourth quarter over-the-year wage gain at 11.1 percent. (See table 1.) Buncombe, NC, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (+3.7 percent).