Counties in Minnesota by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Hennepin County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 87 counties in 2016, at $1,286. Pine County had the lowest, at $586. The median was $741 and the figure for Minnesota was $1,044. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,286Hennepin County
Lowest586Pine County
Median74187 counties
Minnesota1,044History

Map of counties, 2016

Aitkin County: 657 USDAnoka County: 969 USDBecker County: 711 USDBeltrami County: 757 USDBenton County: 761 USDBig Stone County: 725 USDBlue Earth County: 786 USDBrown County: 758 USDCarlton County: 797 USDCarver County: 983 USDCass County: 589 USDChippewa County: 725 USDChisago County: 805 USDClay County: 732 USDClearwater County: 760 USDCook County: 593 USDCottonwood County: 698 USDCrow Wing County: 733 USDDakota County: 991 USDDodge County: 824 USDDouglas County: 778 USDFaribault County: 716 USDFillmore County: 627 USDFreeborn County: 762 USDGoodhue County: 856 USDGrant County: 699 USDHennepin County: 1,286 USDHouston County: 624 USDHubbard County: 679 USDIsanti County: 740 USDItasca County: 764 USDJackson County: 686 USDKanabec County: 700 USDKandiyohi County: 725 USDKittson County: 705 USDKoochiching County: 748 USDLac qui Parle County: 637 USDLake County: 755 USDLake of the Woods County: 623 USDLe Sueur County: 768 USDLincoln County: 652 USDLyon County: 779 USDMcLeod County: 835 USDMahnomen County: 651 USDMarshall County: 779 USDMartin County: 741 USDMeeker County: 692 USDMille Lacs County: 652 USDMorrison County: 665 USDMower County: 934 USDMurray County: 674 USDNicollet County: 789 USDNobles County: 784 USDNorman County: 680 USDOlmsted County: 1,106 USDOtter Tail County: 717 USDPennington County: 800 USDPine County: 586 USDPipestone County: 679 USDPolk County: 732 USDPope County: 804 USDRamsey County: 1,164 USDRed Lake County: 666 USDRedwood County: 677 USDRenville County: 762 USDRice County: 837 USDRock County: 677 USDRoseau County: 797 USDSt. Louis County: 827 USDScott County: 908 USDSherburne County: 814 USDSibley County: 736 USDStearns County: 851 USDSteele County: 793 USDStevens County: 814 USDSwift County: 704 USDTodd County: 705 USDTraverse County: 656 USDWabasha County: 680 USDWadena County: 728 USDWaseca County: 743 USDWashington County: 867 USDWatonwan County: 664 USDWilkin County: 835 USDWinona County: 762 USDWright County: 774 USDYellow Medicine County: 682 USD
  • Under 670
  • 670 to 700
  • 700 to 740
  • 740 to 780
  • 780 to 830
  • 830 and over
USD, 2016. 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, 2016

Hennepin County: 1,286 USDHennepin County1,286Ramsey County: 1,164 USDRamsey County1,164Olmsted County: 1,106 USDOlmsted County1,106Dakota County: 991 USDDakota County991Carver County: 983 USDCarver County983Anoka County: 969 USDAnoka County969Mower County: 934 USDMower County934Scott County: 908 USDScott County908Washington County: 867 USDWashington County867Goodhue County: 856 USDGoodhue County856Stearns County: 851 USDStearns County851Rice County: 837 USDRice County837McLeod County: 835 USDMcLeod County835Wilkin County: 835 USDWilkin County835St. Louis County: 827 USDSt. Louis County827Dodge County: 824 USDDodge County824Sherburne County: 814 USDSherburne County814Stevens County: 814 USDStevens County814Chisago County: 805 USDChisago County805Pope County: 804 USDPope County804Pennington County: 800 USDPennington County800Carlton County: 797 USDCarlton County797Roseau County: 797 USDRoseau County797Steele County: 793 USDSteele County793Nicollet County: 789 USDNicollet County789Blue Earth County: 786 USDBlue Earth County786Nobles County: 784 USDNobles County784Lyon County: 779 USDLyon County779Marshall County: 779 USDMarshall County779Douglas County: 778 USDDouglas County778Wright County: 774 USDWright County774Le Sueur County: 768 USDLe Sueur County768Itasca County: 764 USDItasca County764Freeborn County: 762 USDFreeborn County762Renville County: 762 USDRenville County762Winona County: 762 USDWinona County762Benton County: 761 USDBenton County761Clearwater County: 760 USDClearwater County760Brown County: 758 USDBrown County758Beltrami County: 757 USDBeltrami County757Hennepin County: 1,286 USDHennepin County1,286Ramsey County: 1,164 USDRamsey County1,164Olmsted County: 1,106 USDOlmsted County1,106Dakota County: 991 USDDakota County991Carver County: 983 USDCarver County983Anoka County: 969 USDAnoka County969Mower County: 934 USDMower County934Scott County: 908 USDScott County908Washington County: 867 USDWashington County867Goodhue County: 856 USDGoodhue County856Stearns County: 851 USDStearns County851Rice County: 837 USDRice County837McLeod County: 835 USDMcLeod County835Wilkin County: 835 USDWilkin County835St. Louis County: 827 USDSt. Louis County827Dodge County: 824 USDDodge County824Sherburne County: 814 USDSherburne County814Stevens County: 814 USDStevens County814Chisago County: 805 USDChisago County805Pope County: 804 USDPope County804Pennington County: 800 USDPennington County800Carlton County: 797 USDCarlton County797Roseau County: 797 USDRoseau County797Steele County: 793 USDSteele County793Nicollet County: 789 USDNicollet County789Blue Earth County: 786 USDBlue Earth County786Nobles County: 784 USDNobles County784Lyon County: 779 USDLyon County779Marshall County: 779 USDMarshall County779Douglas County: 778 USDDouglas County778Wright County: 774 USDWright County774Le Sueur County: 768 USDLe Sueur County768Itasca County: 764 USDItasca County764Freeborn County: 762 USDFreeborn County762Renville County: 762 USDRenville County762Winona County: 762 USDWinona County762Benton County: 761 USDBenton County761Clearwater County: 760 USDClearwater County760Brown County: 758 USDBrown County758Beltrami County: 757 USDBeltrami County757
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

RankCounties2016
USD
Change on 2015
1Hennepin County1,286+1.2%
2Ramsey County1,164+1.4%
3Olmsted County1,106+2.4%
4Dakota County991+0.3%
5Carver County983-2.1%
6Anoka County969+0.7%
7Mower County934+3.9%
8Scott County908-0.1%
9Washington County867+2.6%
10Goodhue County856-2.2%
11Stearns County851+2.9%
12Rice County837+1.7%
13McLeod County835+3.1%
13Wilkin County835+16.3%
15St. Louis County827-0.1%
16Dodge County824+3.9%
17Sherburne County814+2.8%
17Stevens County814+1.2%
19Chisago County805+2.5%
20Pope County804+0.2%
21Pennington County800+2.6%
22Carlton County797+3.9%
22Roseau County797+2.6%
24Steele County793+3.3%
25Nicollet County789+2.6%
26Blue Earth County786+2.2%
27Nobles County784+3.7%
28Lyon County779-1%
28Marshall County779+2.8%
30Douglas County778+2.5%
31Wright County774+1.7%
32Le Sueur County768+4.3%
33Itasca County764-0.9%
34Freeborn County762+1.7%
34Renville County762+3.4%
34Winona County762+1.7%
37Benton County761+2.4%
38Clearwater County760-1.3%
39Brown County758+1.6%
40Beltrami County757+4.1%
41Lake County755-7.7%
42Koochiching County748-0.8%
43Waseca County743-2.4%
44Martin County741+1.8%
45Isanti County740+1.1%
46Sibley County736+1.5%
47Crow Wing County733+3.4%
48Clay County732+0.7%
48Polk County732+3.2%
50Wadena County728+3.9%
51Big Stone County725+3.3%
51Chippewa County725+5.4%
51Kandiyohi County725+2.8%
54Otter Tail County717+2.4%
55Faribault County716-7.1%
56Becker County711+2.6%
57Kittson County705+0.4%
57Todd County705+5.5%
59Swift County704+3.7%
60Kanabec County700+1.9%
61Grant County699+1.2%
62Cottonwood County698+2.6%
63Meeker County692+3.4%
64Jackson County6860%
65Yellow Medicine County682+0.6%
66Norman County680+1%
66Wabasha County680+0.9%
68Hubbard County679+0.3%
68Pipestone County679+5.1%
70Redwood County677+3.4%
70Rock County677+0.9%
72Murray County674+4.3%
73Red Lake County666+6.4%
74Morrison County665+2.5%
75Watonwan County664+6.6%
76Aitkin County657+3.3%
77Traverse County656+2.2%
78Lincoln County652+2.7%
78Mille Lacs County652+3.3%
80Mahnomen County651+2.5%
81Lac qui Parle County637-3.6%
82Fillmore County627+2%
83Houston County624+3.3%
84Lake of the Woods County623+5.4%
85Cook County593+3.9%
86Cass County589+5.6%
87Pine County586+2.4%

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/2016/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 Minnesota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/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 Minnesota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2016. 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 Minnesota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2016.

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 Minnesota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_by_2016,
  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 Minnesota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2016. 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/2016/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 Minnesota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2016.
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/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Minnesota 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)?

Hennepin County, with $1,286 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Pine County, with $586 in 2016.

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 Minnesota: more rankings