Counties in Minnesota by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Hennepin County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 87 counties in 2017, at $1,329. Cook County had the lowest, at $591. The median was $766 and the figure for Minnesota was $1,080. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,329Hennepin County
Lowest591Cook County
Median76687 counties
Minnesota1,080History

Map of counties, 2017

Aitkin County: 671 USDAnoka County: 995 USDBecker County: 741 USDBeltrami County: 793 USDBenton County: 782 USDBig Stone County: 738 USDBlue Earth County: 817 USDBrown County: 790 USDCarlton County: 829 USDCarver County: 1,032 USDCass County: 603 USDChippewa County: 744 USDChisago County: 832 USDClay County: 761 USDClearwater County: 766 USDCook County: 591 USDCottonwood County: 720 USDCrow Wing County: 749 USDDakota County: 1,017 USDDodge County: 858 USDDouglas County: 788 USDFaribault County: 715 USDFillmore County: 639 USDFreeborn County: 773 USDGoodhue County: 887 USDGrant County: 731 USDHennepin County: 1,329 USDHouston County: 642 USDHubbard County: 705 USDIsanti County: 769 USDItasca County: 770 USDJackson County: 721 USDKanabec County: 722 USDKandiyohi County: 747 USDKittson County: 713 USDKoochiching County: 775 USDLac qui Parle County: 649 USDLake County: 789 USDLake of the Woods County: 651 USDLe Sueur County: 807 USDLincoln County: 674 USDLyon County: 814 USDMcLeod County: 866 USDMahnomen County: 666 USDMarshall County: 784 USDMartin County: 766 USDMeeker County: 723 USDMille Lacs County: 672 USDMorrison County: 692 USDMower County: 897 USDMurray County: 701 USDNicollet County: 829 USDNobles County: 799 USDNorman County: 707 USDOlmsted County: 1,150 USDOtter Tail County: 740 USDPennington County: 853 USDPine County: 599 USDPipestone County: 714 USDPolk County: 751 USDPope County: 805 USDRamsey County: 1,204 USDRed Lake County: 685 USDRedwood County: 710 USDRenville County: 762 USDRice County: 863 USDRock County: 741 USDRoseau County: 862 USDSt. Louis County: 855 USDScott County: 927 USDSherburne County: 843 USDSibley County: 744 USDStearns County: 883 USDSteele County: 862 USDStevens County: 862 USDSwift County: 750 USDTodd County: 755 USDTraverse County: 665 USDWabasha County: 698 USDWadena County: 718 USDWaseca County: 784 USDWashington County: 900 USDWatonwan County: 667 USDWilkin County: 766 USDWinona County: 788 USDWright County: 800 USDYellow Medicine County: 705 USD
  • Under 690
  • 690 to 730
  • 730 to 770
  • 770 to 800
  • 800 to 860
  • 860 and over
USD, 2017. 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, 2017

Hennepin County: 1,329 USDHennepin County1,329Ramsey County: 1,204 USDRamsey County1,204Olmsted County: 1,150 USDOlmsted County1,150Carver County: 1,032 USDCarver County1,032Dakota County: 1,017 USDDakota County1,017Anoka County: 995 USDAnoka County995Scott County: 927 USDScott County927Washington County: 900 USDWashington County900Mower County: 897 USDMower County897Goodhue County: 887 USDGoodhue County887Stearns County: 883 USDStearns County883McLeod County: 866 USDMcLeod County866Rice County: 863 USDRice County863Roseau County: 862 USDRoseau County862Steele County: 862 USDSteele County862Stevens County: 862 USDStevens County862Dodge County: 858 USDDodge County858St. Louis County: 855 USDSt. Louis County855Pennington County: 853 USDPennington County853Sherburne County: 843 USDSherburne County843Chisago County: 832 USDChisago County832Carlton County: 829 USDCarlton County829Nicollet County: 829 USDNicollet County829Blue Earth County: 817 USDBlue Earth County817Lyon County: 814 USDLyon County814Le Sueur County: 807 USDLe Sueur County807Pope County: 805 USDPope County805Wright County: 800 USDWright County800Nobles County: 799 USDNobles County799Beltrami County: 793 USDBeltrami County793Brown County: 790 USDBrown County790Lake County: 789 USDLake County789Douglas County: 788 USDDouglas County788Winona County: 788 USDWinona County788Marshall County: 784 USDMarshall County784Waseca County: 784 USDWaseca County784Benton County: 782 USDBenton County782Koochiching County: 775 USDKoochiching County775Freeborn County: 773 USDFreeborn County773Itasca County: 770 USDItasca County770Hennepin County: 1,329 USDHennepin County1,329Ramsey County: 1,204 USDRamsey County1,204Olmsted County: 1,150 USDOlmsted County1,150Carver County: 1,032 USDCarver County1,032Dakota County: 1,017 USDDakota County1,017Anoka County: 995 USDAnoka County995Scott County: 927 USDScott County927Washington County: 900 USDWashington County900Mower County: 897 USDMower County897Goodhue County: 887 USDGoodhue County887Stearns County: 883 USDStearns County883McLeod County: 866 USDMcLeod County866Rice County: 863 USDRice County863Roseau County: 862 USDRoseau County862Steele County: 862 USDSteele County862Stevens County: 862 USDStevens County862Dodge County: 858 USDDodge County858St. Louis County: 855 USDSt. Louis County855Pennington County: 853 USDPennington County853Sherburne County: 843 USDSherburne County843Chisago County: 832 USDChisago County832Carlton County: 829 USDCarlton County829Nicollet County: 829 USDNicollet County829Blue Earth County: 817 USDBlue Earth County817Lyon County: 814 USDLyon County814Le Sueur County: 807 USDLe Sueur County807Pope County: 805 USDPope County805Wright County: 800 USDWright County800Nobles County: 799 USDNobles County799Beltrami County: 793 USDBeltrami County793Brown County: 790 USDBrown County790Lake County: 789 USDLake County789Douglas County: 788 USDDouglas County788Winona County: 788 USDWinona County788Marshall County: 784 USDMarshall County784Waseca County: 784 USDWaseca County784Benton County: 782 USDBenton County782Koochiching County: 775 USDKoochiching County775Freeborn County: 773 USDFreeborn County773Itasca County: 770 USDItasca County770
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

RankCounties2017
USD
Change on 2016
1Hennepin County1,329+3.3%
2Ramsey County1,204+3.4%
3Olmsted County1,150+4%
4Carver County1,032+5%
5Dakota County1,017+2.6%
6Anoka County995+2.7%
7Scott County927+2.1%
8Washington County900+3.8%
9Mower County897-4%
10Goodhue County887+3.6%
11Stearns County883+3.8%
12McLeod County866+3.7%
13Rice County863+3.1%
14Roseau County862+8.2%
14Steele County862+8.7%
14Stevens County862+5.9%
17Dodge County858+4.1%
18St. Louis County855+3.4%
19Pennington County853+6.6%
20Sherburne County843+3.6%
21Chisago County832+3.4%
22Carlton County829+4%
22Nicollet County829+5.1%
24Blue Earth County817+3.9%
25Lyon County814+4.5%
26Le Sueur County807+5.1%
27Pope County805+0.1%
28Wright County800+3.4%
29Nobles County799+1.9%
30Beltrami County793+4.8%
31Brown County790+4.2%
32Lake County789+4.5%
33Douglas County788+1.3%
33Winona County788+3.4%
35Marshall County784+0.6%
35Waseca County784+5.5%
37Benton County782+2.8%
38Koochiching County775+3.6%
39Freeborn County773+1.4%
40Itasca County770+0.8%
41Isanti County769+3.9%
42Clearwater County766+0.8%
42Martin County766+3.4%
42Wilkin County766-8.3%
45Renville County7620%
46Clay County761+4%
47Todd County755+7.1%
48Polk County751+2.6%
49Swift County750+6.5%
50Crow Wing County749+2.2%
51Kandiyohi County747+3%
52Chippewa County744+2.6%
52Sibley County744+1.1%
54Becker County741+4.2%
54Rock County741+9.5%
56Otter Tail County740+3.2%
57Big Stone County738+1.8%
58Grant County731+4.6%
59Meeker County723+4.5%
60Kanabec County722+3.1%
61Jackson County721+5.1%
62Cottonwood County720+3.2%
63Wadena County718-1.4%
64Faribault County715-0.1%
65Pipestone County714+5.2%
66Kittson County713+1.1%
67Redwood County710+4.9%
68Norman County707+4%
69Hubbard County705+3.8%
69Yellow Medicine County705+3.4%
71Murray County701+4%
72Wabasha County698+2.6%
73Morrison County692+4.1%
74Red Lake County685+2.9%
75Lincoln County674+3.4%
76Mille Lacs County672+3.1%
77Aitkin County671+2.1%
78Watonwan County667+0.5%
79Mahnomen County666+2.3%
80Traverse County665+1.4%
81Lake of the Woods County651+4.5%
82Lac qui Parle County649+1.9%
83Houston County642+2.9%
84Fillmore County639+1.9%
85Cass County603+2.4%
86Pine County599+2.2%
87Cook County591-0.3%

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/2017/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), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/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), 2017. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2017. 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), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2017.

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), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_by_2017,
  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), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2017. 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/2017/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), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2017.
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/2017/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 $1,329 in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Cook County, with $591 in 2017.

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