January 22, 2009 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Counties with highest wage growth, second quarter 2008

Among the largest counties, Rock Island County, Illinois (which borders Iowa), had the largest over-the-year gain in average weekly wages in the second quarter of 2008, with an increase of 10.5 percent coming largely from the manufacturing supersector.

Percent growth in average weekly wage, selected counties, second quarter 2007-second quarter 2008
[Chart data—TXT]

Weld, Colorado (which borders Nebraska and Wyoming), was second with growth of 10.4 percent, followed by the counties of Utah, Utah (which includes Provo), Whatcom, Washington (which includes Bellingham), and East Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The U.S. average weekly wage rose by 2.6 percent over the same time span.

The BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program produced these data, which are preliminary and subject to revision. 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: Second Quarter 2008," (PDF) (HTML) news release 09-0032.