Counties in Alabama by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Washington County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 67 counties in 2023, at $1,716. Perry County had the lowest, at $773. The median was $938 and the figure for Alabama was $1,150. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,716Washington County
Lowest773Perry County
Median93867 counties
Alabama1,150History

Map of counties, 2023

Autauga County: 958 USDBaldwin County: 939 USDBarbour County: 841 USDBibb County: 986 USDBlount County: 840 USDBullock County: 926 USDButler County: 840 USDCalhoun County: 960 USDChambers County: 944 USDCherokee County: 831 USDChilton County: 897 USDChoctaw County: 1,125 USDClarke County: 957 USDClay County: 816 USDCleburne County: 1,061 USDCoffee County: 855 USDColbert County: 1,089 USDConecuh County: 872 USDCoosa County: 925 USDCovington County: 870 USDCrenshaw County: 890 USDCullman County: 956 USDDale County: 1,213 USDDallas County: 909 USDDeKalb County: 944 USDElmore County: 864 USDEscambia County: 964 USDEtowah County: 865 USDFayette County: 826 USDFranklin County: 889 USDGeneva County: 787 USDGreene County: 800 USDHale County: 899 USDHenry County: 1,009 USDHouston County: 996 USDJackson County: 920 USDJefferson County: 1,331 USDLamar County: 935 USDLauderdale County: 867 USDLawrence County: 917 USDLee County: 974 USDLimestone County: 1,136 USDLowndes County: 1,277 USDMacon County: 1,025 USDMadison County: 1,432 USDMarengo County: 991 USDMarion County: 879 USDMarshall County: 892 USDMobile County: 1,139 USDMonroe County: 978 USDMontgomery County: 1,137 USDMorgan County: 1,122 USDPerry County: 773 USDPickens County: 939 USDPike County: 938 USDRandolph County: 811 USDRussell County: 896 USDSt. Clair County: 957 USDShelby County: 1,246 USDSumter County: 883 USDTalladega County: 1,040 USDTallapoosa County: 873 USDTuscaloosa County: 1,109 USDWalker County: 903 USDWashington County: 1,716 USDWilcox County: 1,043 USDWinston County: 924 USD
  • Under 860
  • 860 to 900
  • 900 to 940
  • 940 to 970
  • 970 to 1,100
  • 1,100 and over
USD, 2023. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Washington County: 1,716 USDWashington County1,716Madison County: 1,432 USDMadison County1,432Jefferson County: 1,331 USDJefferson County1,331Lowndes County: 1,277 USDLowndes County1,277Shelby County: 1,246 USDShelby County1,246Dale County: 1,213 USDDale County1,213Mobile County: 1,139 USDMobile County1,139Montgomery County: 1,137 USDMontgomery County1,137Limestone County: 1,136 USDLimestone County1,136Choctaw County: 1,125 USDChoctaw County1,125Morgan County: 1,122 USDMorgan County1,122Tuscaloosa County: 1,109 USDTuscaloosa County1,109Colbert County: 1,089 USDColbert County1,089Cleburne County: 1,061 USDCleburne County1,061Wilcox County: 1,043 USDWilcox County1,043Talladega County: 1,040 USDTalladega County1,040Macon County: 1,025 USDMacon County1,025Henry County: 1,009 USDHenry County1,009Houston County: 996 USDHouston County996Marengo County: 991 USDMarengo County991Bibb County: 986 USDBibb County986Monroe County: 978 USDMonroe County978Lee County: 974 USDLee County974Escambia County: 964 USDEscambia County964Calhoun County: 960 USDCalhoun County960Autauga County: 958 USDAutauga County958Clarke County: 957 USDClarke County957St. Clair County: 957 USDSt. Clair County957Cullman County: 956 USDCullman County956Chambers County: 944 USDChambers County944DeKalb County: 944 USDDeKalb County944Baldwin County: 939 USDBaldwin County939Pickens County: 939 USDPickens County939Pike County: 938 USDPike County938Lamar County: 935 USDLamar County935Bullock County: 926 USDBullock County926Coosa County: 925 USDCoosa County925Winston County: 924 USDWinston County924Jackson County: 920 USDJackson County920Lawrence County: 917 USDLawrence County917Washington County: 1,716 USDWashington County1,716Madison County: 1,432 USDMadison County1,432Jefferson County: 1,331 USDJefferson County1,331Lowndes County: 1,277 USDLowndes County1,277Shelby County: 1,246 USDShelby County1,246Dale County: 1,213 USDDale County1,213Mobile County: 1,139 USDMobile County1,139Montgomery County: 1,137 USDMontgomery County1,137Limestone County: 1,136 USDLimestone County1,136Choctaw County: 1,125 USDChoctaw County1,125Morgan County: 1,122 USDMorgan County1,122Tuscaloosa County: 1,109 USDTuscaloosa County1,109Colbert County: 1,089 USDColbert County1,089Cleburne County: 1,061 USDCleburne County1,061Wilcox County: 1,043 USDWilcox County1,043Talladega County: 1,040 USDTalladega County1,040Macon County: 1,025 USDMacon County1,025Henry County: 1,009 USDHenry County1,009Houston County: 996 USDHouston County996Marengo County: 991 USDMarengo County991Bibb County: 986 USDBibb County986Monroe County: 978 USDMonroe County978Lee County: 974 USDLee County974Escambia County: 964 USDEscambia County964Calhoun County: 960 USDCalhoun County960Autauga County: 958 USDAutauga County958Clarke County: 957 USDClarke County957St. Clair County: 957 USDSt. Clair County957Cullman County: 956 USDCullman County956Chambers County: 944 USDChambers County944DeKalb County: 944 USDDeKalb County944Baldwin County: 939 USDBaldwin County939Pickens County: 939 USDPickens County939Pike County: 938 USDPike County938Lamar County: 935 USDLamar County935Bullock County: 926 USDBullock County926Coosa County: 925 USDCoosa County925Winston County: 924 USDWinston County924Jackson County: 920 USDJackson County920Lawrence County: 917 USDLawrence County917
USD. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023
USD
Change on 2022
1Washington County1,716+26.2%
2Madison County1,432+4%
3Jefferson County1,331+4.3%
4Lowndes County1,277+4.8%
5Shelby County1,246+1.9%
6Dale County1,213+5.3%
7Mobile County1,139+3.6%
8Montgomery County1,137+5.3%
9Limestone County1,136+6.9%
10Choctaw County1,125+5.2%
11Morgan County1,122+2.7%
12Tuscaloosa County1,109+5.2%
13Colbert County1,089+2.6%
14Cleburne County1,061+5%
15Wilcox County1,043+3%
16Talladega County1,040+1.9%
17Macon County1,025+2.2%
18Henry County1,009+3.6%
19Houston County996+2.3%
20Marengo County991+5%
21Bibb County986+5.8%
22Monroe County978+0.8%
23Lee County974+4.1%
24Escambia County964+2.8%
25Calhoun County960+8.1%
26Autauga County958+6.9%
27Clarke County957+3.1%
27St. Clair County957+4%
29Cullman County956+2.6%
30Chambers County944+7.9%
30DeKalb County944+5.4%
32Baldwin County939+3.9%
32Pickens County939+4.6%
34Pike County938+3%
35Lamar County935+4.1%
36Bullock County926+6.1%
37Coosa County925-1.2%
38Winston County924+1%
39Jackson County920+6.1%
40Lawrence County917+8.4%
41Dallas County909+7.1%
42Walker County903+4.2%
43Hale County899+2.2%
44Chilton County897+5%
45Russell County896+1.9%
46Marshall County892+3.1%
47Crenshaw County890+3.4%
48Franklin County889+1.4%
49Sumter County883+2.7%
50Marion County879+2.9%
51Tallapoosa County873+6.7%
52Conecuh County872+4.2%
53Covington County870+4.7%
54Lauderdale County867+4.6%
55Etowah County865+2.6%
56Elmore County864+6.3%
57Coffee County855+3.3%
58Barbour County841+2.4%
59Blount County840+1.8%
59Butler County840+3.1%
61Cherokee County831+3.2%
62Fayette County826+9.1%
63Clay County816+2.1%
64Randolph County811+5.6%
65Greene County800+1.4%
66Geneva County787+4.9%
67Perry County773+8.1%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages paid during the year divided by the average number of covered jobs and by 52, in US dollars, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

In current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. An average per job, so part-time jobs pull it down and high earners pull it up; for the typical job use median_annual_wage. Wages include bonuses, stock options exercised, severance pay and tips, which makes counties with corporate headquarters stand out. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Alabama by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Alabama by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2023. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/alabama-counties?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Alabama by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/alabama-counties?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Alabama by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/alabama-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_alabama_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Alabama by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/alabama-counties?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Alabama by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/alabama-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/alabama-counties?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Alabama by average weekly wage (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"average_weekly_wage","level":"province","within":"Alabama","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=average_weekly_wage&level=province&within=Alabama&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Washington County, with $1,716 in 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Perry County, with $773 in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average weekly wage (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Alabama: more rankings