Counties in Massachusetts by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Suffolk County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 14 counties in 2023, at $2,393. Franklin County had the lowest, at $1,037. The median was $1,308 and the figure for Massachusetts was $1,760. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest2,393Suffolk County
Lowest1,037Franklin County
Median1,30814 counties
Massachusetts1,760History

Map of counties, 2023

Barnstable County: 1,195 USDBerkshire County: 1,157 USDBristol County: 1,197 USDDukes County: 1,322 USDEssex County: 1,426 USDFranklin County: 1,037 USDHampden County: 1,160 USDHampshire County: 1,162 USDMiddlesex County: 2,060 USDNantucket County: 1,463 USDNorfolk County: 1,569 USDPlymouth County: 1,296 USDSuffolk County: 2,393 USDWorcester County: 1,320 USD
  • Under 1,200
  • 1,200 to 1,300
  • 1,300 to 1,500
  • 1,500 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.

All counties, 2023

Suffolk County: 2,393 USDSuffolk County2,393Middlesex County: 2,060 USDMiddlesex County2,060Norfolk County: 1,569 USDNorfolk County1,569Nantucket County: 1,463 USDNantucket County1,463Essex County: 1,426 USDEssex County1,426Dukes County: 1,322 USDDukes County1,322Worcester County: 1,320 USDWorcester County1,320Plymouth County: 1,296 USDPlymouth County1,296Bristol County: 1,197 USDBristol County1,197Barnstable County: 1,195 USDBarnstable County1,195Hampshire County: 1,162 USDHampshire County1,162Hampden County: 1,160 USDHampden County1,160Berkshire County: 1,157 USDBerkshire County1,157Franklin County: 1,037 USDFranklin County1,037Suffolk County: 2,393 USDSuffolk County2,393Middlesex County: 2,060 USDMiddlesex County2,060Norfolk County: 1,569 USDNorfolk County1,569Nantucket County: 1,463 USDNantucket County1,463Essex County: 1,426 USDEssex County1,426Dukes County: 1,322 USDDukes County1,322Worcester County: 1,320 USDWorcester County1,320Plymouth County: 1,296 USDPlymouth County1,296Bristol County: 1,197 USDBristol County1,197Barnstable County: 1,195 USDBarnstable County1,195Hampshire County: 1,162 USDHampshire County1,162Hampden County: 1,160 USDHampden County1,160Berkshire County: 1,157 USDBerkshire County1,157Franklin County: 1,037 USDFranklin County1,037
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
1Suffolk County2,393-0.2%
2Middlesex County2,060+1.3%
3Norfolk County1,569+2.1%
4Nantucket County1,463+1.2%
5Essex County1,426+1.4%
6Dukes County1,322+3.1%
7Worcester County1,320+2.5%
8Plymouth County1,296+3.8%
9Bristol County1,197+2.1%
10Barnstable County1,195+3.5%
11Hampshire County1,162+3.8%
12Hampden County1,160+4.8%
13Berkshire County1,157+4.8%
14Franklin County1,037+5.6%

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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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/massachusetts-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 Massachusetts 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/massachusetts-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 Massachusetts 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/massachusetts-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_massachusetts_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 Massachusetts 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/massachusetts-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 Massachusetts 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/massachusetts-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/massachusetts-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  - 
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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 $2,393 in 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Franklin County, with $1,037 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 Massachusetts: more rankings