County Employment and Wages News Release — 2016-09-07

From March 2015 to March 2016, employment increased in 318 of the 344 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Williamson, Tenn., had the largest percentage increase with a gain of 7.9 percent over the year, above the national job growth rate of 2.0 percent. Within Williamson, the largest employment increase occurred in professional and business services, which gained 3,598 jobs over the year (11.9 percent). Midland, Texas, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment among the largest counties in the U.S., with a loss of 9.0 percent. Within Midland, natural resources and mining had the largest decrease in employment, with a loss of 3,292 jobs (-15.0 percent). County employment and wage data are from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, which provides the only detailed quarterly and annual universe count of establishments, employment, and wages at the county, MSA, state, and national levels by detailed industry.