April 12, 2007 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Employment growth and decline by county, September 2005-2006

In September 2006, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment among the largest counties in the U.S.

[Chart data—TXT]

Jefferson Parish, a New Orleans suburb, experienced an over-the-year employment gain of 22.4 percent. Employment gains in Jefferson Parish reflected significant recovery from substantial job losses that occurred in September 2005 due to Hurricane Katrina. In contrast, Orleans Parish, which was also affected by Hurricane Katrina, continued to show an over-the-year employment decline (-12.3 percent).

Snohomish, Washington (which is part of the Seattle metropolitan area) had the next largest increase, 8.2 percent, followed by the counties of Collin, Texas (a Dallas suburb), Harrison, Mississippi (which includes the cities of Biloxi and Gulfport), and Montgomery, Texas (which is near Houston).

Orleans Parish, Louisiana, experienced the largest percentage decline in employment during the year ending September 2006. Trumbull, Ohio (in the Youngstown area), had the next largest employment decline, -4.5 percent, followed by the counties of Macomb and Oakland, Michigan (both in the Detroit area), and Rock Island, Illinois (which borders Iowa).

Of the 325 largest counties in the United States, 130 had over-the-year percentage growth in employment above the national average (1.5 percent) in September 2006, and 187 experienced changes below the national average.

The BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program produced these data, which are preliminary and subject to revision. Employment data presented here are for all workers covered by State and Federal unemployment insurance programs. The largest counties are those with employment levels of 75,000 or more. Find out more in "County Employment and Wages: Third Quarter 2006" (PDF) (TXT), news release 07-0525.