Special Report
This Is the County With the Highest Wage Growth in America
Published:
Inflation is surging at a historic pace in the United States. Goods and services are 8.3% more expensive, on average, than they were at this time last year. In most of the country, rising prices are outpacing wage gains, resulting in declining purchasing power for millions of Americans.
There are parts of the country, however, where workers are seeing their wages grow far faster than average. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24/7 Wall St. identified the counties with the largest wage gains in America.
Nationwide, the average weekly wage climbed by 5.9% between the end of 2020 and the end of 2021. In dozens of counties, comparable wage growth has topped 7.5%, including Palm Beach County, Florida, where average weekly wages have climbed 15.6% in the last year – the highest in the country.
Rapidly rising wages in these areas are partially the result of broader market forces. attributable to employers fighting to attract new talent, and also to hold on to their workforce. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Will Dudley, former president of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, said the U.S. labor market is the tightest it has ever been. Under these conditions, employers are raising wages to attract talent and fill open positions, as workers are quitting at historic rates, often in search of higher wages. Here is a look at the states where quits are on the rise.
Of course – along with supply chain disruptions and rising energy prices – rising wages are also driving up inflation. When companies pay their workers more, production costs rise, and higher production costs often mean that price hikes are necessary to maintain profitability. Here is a look at the country with the highest inflation in the world.
Among the 50 counties on this list, average weekly wages have climbed anywhere from 7.7% to 15.6% over the last year. Most of the counties with the largest wage gains are in the South, including 13 in Florida alone.
Click here to see the counties with the highest wage growth in America
Click here to read our detailed methodology
50. Jefferson County, CO
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +7.7%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,479
> Employment: 240,000
> Total population: 578,800
> Largest place in county: Lakewood
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49. DuPage County, IL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +7.7%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,567
> Employment: 598,200
> Total population: 926,000
> Largest place in county: Naperville
48. Lake County, OH
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +7.8%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,114
> Employment: 92,500
> Total population: 229,800
> Largest place in county: Mentor
47. Winnebago County, IL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +7.8%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,136
> Employment: 120,900
> Total population: 283,600
> Largest place in county: Rockford
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46. Seminole County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +7.8%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,202
> Employment: 206,900
> Total population: 466,700
> Largest place in county: Sanford
45. Outagamie County, WI
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +7.8%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,208
> Employment: 105,500
> Total population: 186,800
> Largest place in county: Appleton
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44. Spokane County, WA
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.0%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,192
> Employment: 235,700
> Total population: 513,400
> Largest place in county: Spokane
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43. St. Clair County, IL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.1%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,114
> Employment: 90,300
> Total population: 261,200
> Largest place in county: Belleville
42. Clackamas County, OR
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.1%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,368
> Employment: 167,500
> Total population: 415,100
> Largest place in county: Lake Oswego
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41. Davidson County, TN
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.1%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,535
> Employment: 523,000
> Total population: 690,500
> Largest place in county: Nashville-Davidson
40. Williamson County, TN
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.1%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,635
> Employment: 148,500
> Total population: 232,400
> Largest place in county: Franklin
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39. Marion County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.2%
> Avg. weekly wage: $959
> Employment: 113,600
> Total population: 360,200
> Largest place in county: Ocala
38. Chatham County, GA
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.2%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,129
> Employment: 165,900
> Total population: 289,600
> Largest place in county: Savannah
37. Clay County, MO
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.2%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,187
> Employment: 105,100
> Total population: 246,500
> Largest place in county: Kansas City
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36. Sarasota County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.2%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,200
> Employment: 182,000
> Total population: 427,800
> Largest place in county: North Port
35. Jefferson Parish, LA
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.2%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,229
> Employment: 181,700
> Total population: 434,900
> Largest place in parish: Metairie
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34. Orange County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.2%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,306
> Employment: 870,100
> Total population: 1,373,800
> Largest place in county: Orlando
33. DeKalb County, GA
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.2%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,386
> Employment: 302,200
> Total population: 755,300
> Largest place in county: North Atlanta
32. Greene County, MO
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.3%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,070
> Employment: 171,800
> Total population: 291,600
> Largest place in county: Springfield
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31. Johnson County, KS
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.3%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,421
> Employment: 355,500
> Total population: 597,600
> Largest place in county: Overland Park
30. Travis County, TX
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.3%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,775
> Employment: 848,700
> Total population: 1,250,900
> Largest place in county: Austin
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29. Weld County, CO
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.4%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,203
> Employment: 109,200
> Total population: 315,400
> Largest place in county: Greeley
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28. Horry County, SC
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.5%
> Avg. weekly wage: $883
> Employment: 129,400
> Total population: 344,200
> Largest place in county: Myrtle Beach
27. Manatee County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.5%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,103
> Employment: 136,900
> Total population: 393,800
> Largest place in county: Bradenton
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26. McHenry County, IL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.5%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,112
> Employment: 94,900
> Total population: 307,300
> Largest place in county: Crystal Lake
25. Stearns County, MN
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.5%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,182
> Employment: 83,200
> Total population: 159,800
> Largest place in county: St. Cloud
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24. Hillsborough County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.5%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,373
> Employment: 745,000
> Total population: 1,451,400
> Largest place in county: Tampa
23. Santa Clara County, CA
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.7%
> Avg. weekly wage: $4,005
> Employment: 1,109,800
> Total population: 1,924,400
> Largest place in county: San Jose
22. Collier County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.8%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,332
> Employment: 159,800
> Total population: 379,300
> Largest place in county: Golden Gate
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21. Boulder County, CO
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +8.9%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,799
> Employment: 191,300
> Total population: 324,700
> Largest place in county: Boulder
20. Sussex County, DE
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +9.0%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,065
> Employment: 83,300
> Total population: 230,200
> Largest place in county: Seaford
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19. Douglas County, CO
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +9.1%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,637
> Employment: 139,500
> Total population: 344,300
> Largest place in county: Highlands Ranch
18. Pasco County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +9.3%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,027
> Employment: 130,800
> Total population: 539,900
> Largest place in county: Bayonet Point
17. Wake County, NC
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +9.4%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,450
> Employment: 601,400
> Total population: 1,091,700
> Largest place in county: Raleigh
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16. Broward County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +9.5%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,366
> Employment: 825,200
> Total population: 1,942,300
> Largest place in county: Fort Lauderdale
15. St. Joseph County, IN
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +9.7%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,151
> Employment: 117,500
> Total population: 270,900
> Largest place in county: South Bend
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14. Brazos County, TX
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +9.8%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,027
> Employment: 114,600
> Total population: 226,400
> Largest place in county: College Station
13. Pinellas County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +9.8%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,307
> Employment: 447,200
> Total population: 971,000
> Largest place in county: St. Petersburg
12. Clayton County, GA
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +9.9%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,294
> Employment: 119,800
> Total population: 287,600
> Largest place in county: Forest Park
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11. St. Johns County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +10.0%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,111
> Employment: 87,900
> Total population: 255,400
> Largest place in county: Fruit Cove
10. Forsyth County, NC
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +10.0%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,244
> Employment: 190,500
> Total population: 378,500
> Largest place in county: Winston-Salem
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9. Washington County, AR
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +10.1%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,234
> Employment: 114,700
> Total population: 236,200
> Largest place in county: Fayetteville
8. Lake County, IN
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +10.6%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,184
> Employment: 185,800
> Total population: 486,000
> Largest place in county: Hammond
7. Albany County, NY
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +10.8%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,503
> Employment: 223,800
> Total population: 306,200
> Largest place in county: Albany
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6. Miami-Dade County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +11.1%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,447
> Employment: 1,174,100
> Total population: 2,705,500
> Largest place in county: Miami
5. Adams County, CO
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +11.9%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,373
> Employment: 236,200
> Total population: 509,800
> Largest place in county: Thornton
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4. Lake County, IL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +13.1%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,842
> Employment: 328,100
> Total population: 699,700
> Largest place in county: Waukegan
3. Elkhart County, IN
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +13.4%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,319
> Employment: 141,200
> Total population: 205,200
> Largest place in county: Elkhart
2. Westchester County, NY
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +14.3%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,914
> Employment: 409,900
> Total population: 968,700
> Largest place in county: Yonkers
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1. Palm Beach County, FL
> 1-yr. change in avg. weekly wage: +15.6%
> Avg. weekly wage: $1,549
> Employment: 632,300
> Total population: 1,482,100
> Largest place in county: West Palm Beach
Methodology
To identify the county with the largest wage gains, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed county level wage data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counties are ranked on the percent change in average weekly wage from Q4 2020 to Q4 2021. In the case of a tie, the county with the higher average weekly wage at the end of 2021 ranked higher.
County equivalents, such as boroughs, independent cities, and parishes were also considered. Only the 344 largest counties and county equivalents as measured by total employment were considered.
Population figures are five year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey.
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