County Employment and Wages News Release — 2014-06-19

From December 2012 to December 2013, employment increased in 292 of the 334 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Weld, Colo., had the largest increase, with a gain of 6.0 percent over the year, compared with national job growth of 1.8 percent. Within Weld, the largest employment increase occurred in construction, which gained 1,864 jobs over the year (25.5 percent). St. Clair, Ill., had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment among the largest counties in the U.S. with a loss of 3.1 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 was unchanged over the year, remaining at $1,000 in the fourth quarter of 2013.