BLS - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

09/17/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/17/2021 09:25

County Employment and Wages in Ohio — First Quarter 2021

News Release Information

21-1538-CHI
Friday, September 17, 2021

Employment fell in the 13 largest counties in Ohio from March 2020 to March 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2020.) Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that Lucas County and Montgomery County had the largest over-the-year decreases in employment at 5.8 percent and 5.7 percent, respectively. (See chart 1 and table 1.)

View Chart Data

National employment decreased 4.5 percent over the year, with 324 of the 343 largest U.S. counties reporting declines. Calcasieu, LA, had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment with a loss of 14.9 percent. Utah, UT, experienced the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment with a gain of 6.1 percent.

Among the 13 largest counties in Ohio, employment was highest in Franklin County (728,000) in March 2021. Within Franklin County's private industry, health care and social assistance accounted for the largest employment. Together, the 13 largest Ohio counties accounted for 64.7 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 343 largest counties made up 72.3 percent of total U.S. employment.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 75 counties in Ohio with employment below 75,000. Wage levels in all 75 smaller counties were below the national average in the first quarter of 2021. (See table 2.)

Large county wage changes

All 13 large Ohio counties reported average weekly wage gains from the first quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2021. (See chart 2.) One county had a rate of wage gain that was above the national rate of 5.6 percent. Summit County had the largest gain (+6.1 percent), followed by Stark County (+5.1 percent) and Mahoning County (+4.7 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among Ohio's other 10 large counties ranged from 4.3 percent to 0.9 percent.

View Chart Data

Among the 343 largest counties in the United States, 312 had over-the-year wage increases. Nationally, across most industries, increases in average weekly wages reflect substantial employment declines combined with wage increases. The lowest paying industry, leisure and hospitality, had the largest employment loss, which resulted in higher average weekly wages for the industry and the nation. San Francisco, CA, had the largest percentage wage increase (+33.9 percent). Clayton, GA, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease (-14.2 percent).

Large county average weekly wages

Weekly wages in 2 of the 13 largest counties in Ohio were above the national average of $1,289 in the first quarter of 2021. Average weekly wages in four counties ranked among the top 100 nationwide: Hamilton ($1,369, 63rd), Delaware ($1,306, 81st), Cuyahoga ($1,263, 92nd), and Franklin ($1,256, 97th).

Among the largest U.S. counties, 84 reported average weekly wages above the U.S. average in the first quarter of 2021. New York, NY, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,967. Average weekly wages were below the national average in the remaining 259 counties. At $685 a week, Cameron, TX, had the lowest average weekly wage.

Average weekly wages in Ohio's smaller counties

Among the 75 smaller counties in Ohio-those with employment below 75,000-all reported an average weekly wage below the national average of $1,289. Meigs County ($632) reported the lowest average weekly wage in the state.

When all 88 counties in Ohio were considered, 28 reported average weekly wages of less than $800, 32 registered wages from $800 to $899, 15 had wages from $900 to $999, and 13 registered average weekly wages of $1,000 or higher. (See chart 3.)

Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note or visit www.bls.gov/cew.

Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update. The Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online is available at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/.

The County Employment and Wages release for second quarter 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 17, 2021. The County Employment and Wages full data update for second quarter 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.


Technical Note

Average weekly wage data by county are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, also known as the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The average weekly wage values are calculated by dividing quarterly total wages by the average of the three monthly employment levels of those covered by UI programs. The result is then divided by 13, the number of weeks in a quarter. It is to be noted, therefore, that over-the-year wage changes for geographic areas may reflect shifts in the composition of employment by industry, occupation, and such other factors as hours of work. Thus, wages may vary among counties, metropolitan areas, or states for reasons other than changes in the average wage level. Data for all states, Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), counties, and the nation are available on the BLS web site at www.bls.gov/cew/. However, data in QCEW press releases have been revised and may not match the data contained on the Bureau's web site.

QCEW data are not designed as a time series. QCEW data are simply the sums of individual establishment records reflecting the number of establishments that exist in a county or industry at a point in time. Establishments can move in or out of a county or industry for a number of reasons-some reflecting economic events, others reflecting administrative changes.

The preliminary QCEW data presented in this release may differ from data released by the individual states as well as from the data presented on the BLS Web site. These potential differences result from the states' continuing receipt, review and editing of UI data over time. On the other hand, differences between data in this release and the data found on the BLS web site are the result of adjustments made to improve over-the-year comparisons. Specifically, these adjustments account for administrative (noneconomic) changes such as a correction to a previously reported location or industry classification. Adjusting for these administrative changes allows users to more accurately assess changes of an economic nature (such as a firm moving from one county to another or changing its primary economic activity) over a 12-month period. Currently, adjusted data are available only from BLS press releases.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Area Establishments,
first quarter 2021
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage
March 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
March 2020-21
National ranking
by percent change
First quarter
2021
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
first quarter 2020-21
National ranking
by percent change

United States

10,755.4 140,455.8 -4.5 -- $1,289 -- 5.6 --

Ohio

310.1 5,136.8 -3.9 -- 1,098 25 3.3 37

Butler

8.2 148.3 -4.4 151 1,062 195 0.9 300

Cuyahoga

37.2 678.0 -5.4 206 1,263 92 3.5 208

Delaware

6.1 85.8 -2.5 63 1,306 81 1.5 291

Franklin

35.5 728.0 -3.8 117 1,256 97 2.9 237

Hamilton

25.1 487.0 -5.2 193 1,369 63 4.3 165

Lake

6.4 89.5 -5.5 211 962 271 1.9 276

Lorain

6.4 91.4 -4.5 155 892 316 2.3 258

Lucas

10.4 192.2 -5.8 225 1,047 207 1.1 297

Mahoning

5.9 90.3 -5.3 198 820 332 4.7 141

Montgomery

12.4 237.8 -5.7 221 1,010 237 1.9 276

Stark

8.8 149.9 -4.2 141 890 318 5.1 120

Summit

14.9 249.9 -5.4 206 1,083 176 6.1 83

Warren

5.6 94.2 -2.9 78 1,148 143 4.2 167

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Area Employment March 2021 Average weekly wage

United States

140,455,819 $1,289

Ohio

5,136,826 1,098

Adams

5,882 803

Allen

48,226 917

Ashland

18,535 795

Ashtabula

28,284 772

Athens

19,735 843

Auglaize

20,408 881

Belmont

19,756 759

Brown

7,582 684

Butler

148,250 1,062

Carroll

5,582 756

Champaign

9,873 815

Clark

44,862 859

Clermont

57,195 939

Clinton

17,283 1,097

Columbiana

27,900 798

Coshocton

9,146 811

Crawford

12,351 806

Cuyahoga

677,971 1,263

Darke

17,466 845

Defiance

14,502 885

Delaware

85,841 1,306

Erie

32,353 833

Fairfield

42,222 807

Fayette

10,502 785

Franklin

728,001 1,256

Fulton

17,343 850

Gallia

10,635 786

Geauga

33,453 875

Greene

74,291 1,159

Guernsey

13,743 832

Hamilton

487,014 1,369

Hancock

44,014 1,216

Hardin

8,017 699

Harrison

3,255 913

Henry

9,921 863

Highland

10,696 742

Hocking

6,572 651

Holmes

19,643 837

Huron

19,868 820

Jackson

9,856 728

Jefferson

19,854 794

Knox

19,487 793

Lake

89,539 962

Lawrence

13,547 717

Licking

73,237 845

Logan

18,073 875

Lorain

91,387 892

Lucas

192,212 1,047

Madison

17,732 875

Mahoning

90,280 820

Marion

23,486 865

Medina

56,978 953

Meigs

3,439 632

Mercer

19,128 775

Miami

39,624 876

Monroe

2,966 921

Montgomery

237,751 1,010

Morgan

2,591 767

Morrow

5,132 706

Muskingum

32,450 856

Noble

2,879 797

Ottawa

11,925 947

Paulding

4,604 753

Perry

5,748 764

Pickaway

14,079 922

Pike

9,426 965

Portage

50,945 927

Preble

10,581 891

Putnam

11,521 774

Richland

46,738 814

Ross

28,539 921

Sandusky

24,614 840

Scioto

22,948 792

Seneca

18,523 782

Shelby

26,325 959

Stark

149,888 890

Summit

249,946 1,083

Trumbull

57,744 800

Tuscarawas

34,773 790

Union

32,360 1,211

Van Wert

10,939 794

Vinton

2,190 717

Warren

94,199 1,148

Washington

23,579 949

Wayne

45,589 919

Williams

16,521 827

Wood

65,698 980

Wyandot

9,186 857

NOTE: Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. Data are preliminary.

State Establishments,
first quarter 2021
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage
March 2021
(thousands)
Percent change,
March 2020-21
First quarter
2021
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
first quarter 2020-21
National ranking
by percent change

United States

10,755.4 140,455.8 -4.5 $1,289 -- 5.6 --

Alabama

135.9 1,924.3 -3.0 996 37 2.5 40

Alaska

23.3 295.0 -5.5 1,125 23 -0.6 48

Arizona

176.5 2,894.2 -2.3 1,150 21 4.8 17

Arkansas

95.3 1,194.2 -2.0 957 43 3.7 30

California

1,651.4 16,507.7 -5.9 1,623 4 11.3 1

Colorado

224.7 2,634.7 -3.5 1,335 10 4.1 25

Connecticut

128.3 1,550.5 -5.4 1,575 5 4.7 19

Delaware

35.2 425.6 -4.1 1,264 13 1.6 44

District of Columbia

44.0 708.1 -9.0 2,166 1 8.7 4

Florida

780.8 8,701.9 -3.1 1,104 24 5.1 13

Georgia

329.2 4,393.8 -2.6 1,198 17 3.6 33

Hawaii

48.0 564.4 -14.1 1,091 26 5.7 9

Idaho

74.2 768.6 1.9 906 50 4.9 15

Illinois

390.0 5,559.6 -5.5 1,387 8 6.7 7

Indiana

176.2 2,956.4 -2.5 1,026 34 3.3 37

Iowa

105.1 1,473.6 -3.3 1,004 35 2.6 39

Kansas

90.4 1,335.4 -3.3 986 39 1.9 43

Kentucky

130.7 1,835.2 -2.5 965 41 2.3 42

Louisiana

141.5 1,787.6 -5.9 977 40 1.0 46

Maine

56.2 585.0 -2.8 1,000 36 4.7 19

Maryland

174.3 2,522.1 -5.0 1,386 9 8.5 5

Massachusetts

271.2 3,334.9 -6.6 1,732 3 7.8 6

Michigan

267.5 4,026.6 -5.9 1,155 20 4.8 17

Minnesota

189.7 2,695.4 -5.1 1,290 11 4.6 22

Mississippi

75.3 1,098.4 -2.5 811 51 1.1 45

Missouri

221.8 2,705.5 -3.0 1,055 30 3.7 30

Montana

53.2 465.2 0.1 915 48 5.4 10

Nebraska

73.4 944.7 -2.8 990 38 3.6 33

Nevada

92.8 1,291.5 -8.4 1,080 27 4.7 19

New Hampshire

56.8 631.8 -3.9 1,258 15 5.4 10

New Jersey

297.0 3,818.6 -5.5 1,533 7 5.3 12

New Mexico

65.2 774.5 -7.4 958 42 3.8 28

New York

664.6 8,587.8 -8.7 1,869 2 10.4 2

North Carolina

302.7 4,423.2 -1.7 1,137 22 4.1 25

North Dakota

32.3 388.7 -6.1 1,037 32 -0.9 51

Ohio

310.1 5,136.8 -3.9 1,098 25 3.3 37

Oklahoma

114.4 1,549.7 -3.7 939 46 -0.8 50

Oregon

169.4 1,841.9 -5.2 1,172 18 6.4 8

Pennsylvania

369.7 5,531.3 -5.4 1,226 16 4.3 23

Rhode Island

41.2 447.8 -5.6 1,171 19 3.4 35

South Carolina

150.1 2,056.2 -2.6 957 43 3.8 28

South Dakota

35.6 417.1 -0.9 932 47 3.4 35

Tennessee

180.2 2,968.7 -2.1 1,077 28 5.0 14

Texas

750.1 12,216.7 -3.4 1,261 14 2.4 41

Utah

117.3 1,548.8 1.5 1,065 29 3.7 30

Vermont

27.0 283.7 -6.9 1,028 33 4.9 15

Virginia

291.3 3,765.8 -3.9 1,285 12 4.2 24

Washington

261.2 3,252.0 -5.1 1,540 6 9.1 3

West Virginia

52.3 648.6 -3.8 911 49 0.8 47

Wisconsin

183.1 2,730.0 -3.7 1,047 31 3.9 27

Wyoming

27.8 255.9 -4.6 953 45 -0.6 48

Puerto Rico

47.1 856.5 -3.1 562 2.0

Virgin Islands

3.6 34.7 -14.0 961 -8.0

Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

View Chart Data