Technical information: (202) 691-6567    USDL 08-0455
              http://www.bls.gov/cew/ 
                                         For release:  10:00 A.M. EDT 
Media contact:               691-5902    Wednesday, April 9, 2008 

          COUNTY EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES:  THIRD QUARTER 2007 

  In September 2007, Orleans County, La., had the largest over-the-
year percentage increase in employment among the largest counties in 
the U.S., according to preliminary data released today by the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Orleans County, 
which includes the city of New Orleans, experienced an over-the-year 
employment gain of 8.6 percent, compared with national job growth of 
0.9 percent. Clayton County, Ga., had the largest over-the-year gain 
in average weekly wages in the third quarter of 2007, with an 
increase of 23.9 percent due to increases in wage disbursements in 
the trade, transportation, and utilities supersector during the 
quarter. The U.S. average weekly wage rose by 4.3 percent over the 
same time span. 
 
  Of the 328 largest counties in the United States, as measured by 
2006 annual average employment, 130 had over-the-year percentage 
growth in employment above the national average (0.9 percent) in 
September 2007; 179 large counties experienced changes below the 
national average. The percent change in average weekly wages was 
higher than the national average (4.3 percent) in 101 of the largest 
U.S. counties, but was below the national average in 207 counties.  

Table A.  Top 10 large counties ranked by September 2007 employment, September 2006-07 employment growth,  		
and September 2006-07 percent growth in employment  		

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                                       Employment in large counties		
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     September 2007 employment    |       Growth in employment,      |   Percent growth in employment, 		
            (thousands)           |         September 2006-07        |         September 2006-07		
                                  |            (thousands)           |                  		
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                                  |                                  |                                  		
 United States           136,246.9| United States             1,216.7| United States                 0.9		
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                                  |                                  |                                  		
 Los Angeles, Calif.       4,191.6| Harris, Texas                74.7| Orleans, La.                  8.6		
 Cook, Ill.                2,541.5| New York, N.Y.               46.8| Fort Bend, Texas              7.1		
 New York, N.Y.            2,350.3| Dallas, Texas                32.7| Williamson, Tenn.             5.8
 Harris, Texas             2,028.0| King, Wash.                  26.6| Wake, N.C.                    5.2
 Maricopa, Ariz.           1,825.1| Wake, N.C.                   22.3| Utah, Utah                    5.0
 Orange, Calif.            1,503.8| Mecklenburg, N.C.            21.8| Hidalgo, Texas                4.5
 Dallas, Texas             1,487.3| Tarrant, Texas               19.8| Snohomish, Wash.              4.4
 San Diego, Calif.         1,325.9| Salt Lake, Utah              19.5| Mecklenburg, N.C.             4.0
 King, Wash.               1,182.8| Bexar, Texas                 18.1| Charleston, S.C.              3.8
 Miami-Dade, Fla.          1,012.4| San Francisco, Calif.        18.0| Harris, Texas                 3.8
                                  |                                  | Arlington, Va.                3.8
                                  |                                  |                                  
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  The employment and 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 reports 
submitted by every employer subject to unemployment insurance (UI) 
laws. The number of employer reports surpassed the 9.0 million mark 
this quarter; the number of employer reports crossed the 8.0 million 
mark in third quarter 2001.  The employer reports in third quarter 
2007 cover 136.2 million full- and part-time workers. The attached 
tables contain data for the nation and for the 328 U.S. counties with 
annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2006. September 
2007 employment and 2007 third-quarter average weekly wages for all 
states are provided in table 4 of this release. Final data for all 
states, metropolitan statistical areas, counties, and the nation 
through the fourth quarter of 2006 are available on the BLS Web site 
at http://www.bls.gov/cew/. Preliminary data for first and second 
quarter 2007 also are available on the BLS Web site. Updated data for 
first and second quarter 2007 and preliminary data for third quarter 
2007 will be available later in April on the BLS Web site.