Counties in Massachusetts by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Suffolk County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 14 counties in 2019, at $1,995. Franklin County had the lowest, at $841. The median was $1,050 and the figure for Massachusetts was $1,450. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest1,995Suffolk County
Median1,05014 counties
Massachusetts1,450History

Map of counties, 2019

Barnstable County: 962 USDBerkshire County: 926 USDBristol County: 1,012 USDDukes County: 1,045 USDEssex County: 1,189 USDFranklin County: 841 USDHampden County: 973 USDHampshire County: 976 USDMiddlesex County: 1,721 USDNantucket County: 1,146 USDNorfolk County: 1,303 USDPlymouth County: 1,055 USDSuffolk County: 1,995 USDWorcester County: 1,096 USD
  • Under 970
  • 970 to 1,000
  • 1,000 to 1,100
  • 1,100 to 1,200
  • 1,200 and over
USD, 2019. 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.

All counties, 2019

Suffolk County: 1,995 USDSuffolk County1,995Middlesex County: 1,721 USDMiddlesex County1,721Norfolk County: 1,303 USDNorfolk County1,303Essex County: 1,189 USDEssex County1,189Nantucket County: 1,146 USDNantucket County1,146Worcester County: 1,096 USDWorcester County1,096Plymouth County: 1,055 USDPlymouth County1,055Dukes County: 1,045 USDDukes County1,045Bristol County: 1,012 USDBristol County1,012Hampshire County: 976 USDHampshire County976Hampden County: 973 USDHampden County973Barnstable County: 962 USDBarnstable County962Berkshire County: 926 USDBerkshire County926Franklin County: 841 USDFranklin County841Suffolk County: 1,995 USDSuffolk County1,995Middlesex County: 1,721 USDMiddlesex County1,721Norfolk County: 1,303 USDNorfolk County1,303Essex County: 1,189 USDEssex County1,189Nantucket County: 1,146 USDNantucket County1,146Worcester County: 1,096 USDWorcester County1,096Plymouth County: 1,055 USDPlymouth County1,055Dukes County: 1,045 USDDukes County1,045Bristol County: 1,012 USDBristol County1,012Hampshire County: 976 USDHampshire County976Hampden County: 973 USDHampden County973Barnstable County: 962 USDBarnstable County962Berkshire County: 926 USDBerkshire County926Franklin County: 841 USDFranklin County841
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

RankCounties2019
USD
Change on 2018
1Suffolk County1,995+3.2%
2Middlesex County1,721+4.6%
3Norfolk County1,303+2.4%
4Essex County1,189+2.6%
5Nantucket County1,146+3.5%
6Worcester County1,096+3%
7Plymouth County1,055+4.1%
8Dukes County1,045+4.3%
9Bristol County1,012+4.5%
10Hampshire County976+4.5%
11Hampden County973+2.3%
12Barnstable County962+4.5%
13Berkshire County926+2.2%
14Franklin County841+2.9%

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/2019/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 Massachusetts by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/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 Massachusetts by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/massachusetts-counties?period=2019. 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 Massachusetts by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/massachusetts-counties?period=2019.

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 Massachusetts by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/massachusetts-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_massachusetts_by_2019,
  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 Massachusetts by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/massachusetts-counties?period=2019. 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/2019/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 Massachusetts by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/massachusetts-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/massachusetts-counties?period=2019.
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/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Massachusetts by average weekly wage (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

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

Suffolk County, with $1,995 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Franklin County, with $841 in 2019.

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 Massachusetts: more rankings