County Employment and Wages News Release — 2017-09-06

From March 2016 to March 2017, employment increased in 299 of the 346 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. York, S.C., had the largest percentage increase with a gain of 6.8 percent over the year, above the national job growth rate of 1.6 percent. Within York, the largest employment increase occurred in professional and business services, which gained 3,539 jobs over the year (40.3 percent). Kanawha, W.Va., had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment among the largest counties in the U.S., with a loss of 2.7 percent. Within Kanawha, trade, transportation, and utilities had the largest decrease in employment, with a loss of 692 jobs (-3.9 percent). The U.S. average weekly wage increased 6.6 percent over the year, growing to $1,111 in the first quarter of 2017. McLean, Ill., had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in average weekly wages with a gain of 27.8 percent.