Counties in Minnesota by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Hennepin County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 87 counties in 2018, at $1,367. Pine County had the lowest, at $623. The median was $792 and the figure for Minnesota was $1,116. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,367Hennepin County
Lowest623Pine County
Median79287 counties
Minnesota1,116History

Map of counties, 2018

Aitkin County: 697 USDAnoka County: 1,025 USDBecker County: 744 USDBeltrami County: 817 USDBenton County: 822 USDBig Stone County: 749 USDBlue Earth County: 846 USDBrown County: 801 USDCarlton County: 856 USDCarver County: 1,039 USDCass County: 636 USDChippewa County: 797 USDChisago County: 856 USDClay County: 787 USDClearwater County: 785 USDCook County: 629 USDCottonwood County: 736 USDCrow Wing County: 777 USDDakota County: 1,087 USDDodge County: 895 USDDouglas County: 835 USDFaribault County: 746 USDFillmore County: 649 USDFreeborn County: 795 USDGoodhue County: 922 USDGrant County: 751 USDHennepin County: 1,367 USDHouston County: 674 USDHubbard County: 736 USDIsanti County: 786 USDItasca County: 800 USDJackson County: 760 USDKanabec County: 765 USDKandiyohi County: 779 USDKittson County: 733 USDKoochiching County: 827 USDLac qui Parle County: 680 USDLake County: 836 USDLake of the Woods County: 675 USDLe Sueur County: 854 USDLincoln County: 671 USDLyon County: 812 USDMcLeod County: 879 USDMahnomen County: 686 USDMarshall County: 846 USDMartin County: 805 USDMeeker County: 752 USDMille Lacs County: 690 USDMorrison County: 717 USDMower County: 944 USDMurray County: 723 USDNicollet County: 853 USDNobles County: 825 USDNorman County: 734 USDOlmsted County: 1,220 USDOtter Tail County: 763 USDPennington County: 888 USDPine County: 623 USDPipestone County: 726 USDPolk County: 789 USDPope County: 849 USDRamsey County: 1,221 USDRed Lake County: 698 USDRedwood County: 746 USDRenville County: 796 USDRice County: 899 USDRock County: 770 USDRoseau County: 915 USDSt. Louis County: 899 USDScott County: 973 USDSherburne County: 872 USDSibley County: 789 USDStearns County: 911 USDSteele County: 892 USDStevens County: 904 USDSwift County: 787 USDTodd County: 783 USDTraverse County: 683 USDWabasha County: 726 USDWadena County: 739 USDWaseca County: 809 USDWashington County: 927 USDWatonwan County: 708 USDWilkin County: 792 USDWinona County: 818 USDWright County: 823 USDYellow Medicine County: 718 USD
  • Under 720
  • 720 to 750
  • 750 to 790
  • 790 to 830
  • 830 to 900
  • 900 and over
USD, 2018. 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, 2018

Hennepin County: 1,367 USDHennepin County1,367Ramsey County: 1,221 USDRamsey County1,221Olmsted County: 1,220 USDOlmsted County1,220Dakota County: 1,087 USDDakota County1,087Carver County: 1,039 USDCarver County1,039Anoka County: 1,025 USDAnoka County1,025Scott County: 973 USDScott County973Mower County: 944 USDMower County944Washington County: 927 USDWashington County927Goodhue County: 922 USDGoodhue County922Roseau County: 915 USDRoseau County915Stearns County: 911 USDStearns County911Stevens County: 904 USDStevens County904Rice County: 899 USDRice County899St. Louis County: 899 USDSt. Louis County899Dodge County: 895 USDDodge County895Steele County: 892 USDSteele County892Pennington County: 888 USDPennington County888McLeod County: 879 USDMcLeod County879Sherburne County: 872 USDSherburne County872Carlton County: 856 USDCarlton County856Chisago County: 856 USDChisago County856Le Sueur County: 854 USDLe Sueur County854Nicollet County: 853 USDNicollet County853Pope County: 849 USDPope County849Blue Earth County: 846 USDBlue Earth County846Marshall County: 846 USDMarshall County846Lake County: 836 USDLake County836Douglas County: 835 USDDouglas County835Koochiching County: 827 USDKoochiching County827Nobles County: 825 USDNobles County825Wright County: 823 USDWright County823Benton County: 822 USDBenton County822Winona County: 818 USDWinona County818Beltrami County: 817 USDBeltrami County817Lyon County: 812 USDLyon County812Waseca County: 809 USDWaseca County809Martin County: 805 USDMartin County805Brown County: 801 USDBrown County801Itasca County: 800 USDItasca County800Hennepin County: 1,367 USDHennepin County1,367Ramsey County: 1,221 USDRamsey County1,221Olmsted County: 1,220 USDOlmsted County1,220Dakota County: 1,087 USDDakota County1,087Carver County: 1,039 USDCarver County1,039Anoka County: 1,025 USDAnoka County1,025Scott County: 973 USDScott County973Mower County: 944 USDMower County944Washington County: 927 USDWashington County927Goodhue County: 922 USDGoodhue County922Roseau County: 915 USDRoseau County915Stearns County: 911 USDStearns County911Stevens County: 904 USDStevens County904Rice County: 899 USDRice County899St. Louis County: 899 USDSt. Louis County899Dodge County: 895 USDDodge County895Steele County: 892 USDSteele County892Pennington County: 888 USDPennington County888McLeod County: 879 USDMcLeod County879Sherburne County: 872 USDSherburne County872Carlton County: 856 USDCarlton County856Chisago County: 856 USDChisago County856Le Sueur County: 854 USDLe Sueur County854Nicollet County: 853 USDNicollet County853Pope County: 849 USDPope County849Blue Earth County: 846 USDBlue Earth County846Marshall County: 846 USDMarshall County846Lake County: 836 USDLake County836Douglas County: 835 USDDouglas County835Koochiching County: 827 USDKoochiching County827Nobles County: 825 USDNobles County825Wright County: 823 USDWright County823Benton County: 822 USDBenton County822Winona County: 818 USDWinona County818Beltrami County: 817 USDBeltrami County817Lyon County: 812 USDLyon County812Waseca County: 809 USDWaseca County809Martin County: 805 USDMartin County805Brown County: 801 USDBrown County801Itasca County: 800 USDItasca County800
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

RankCounties2018
USD
Change on 2017
1Hennepin County1,367+2.9%
2Ramsey County1,221+1.4%
3Olmsted County1,220+6.1%
4Dakota County1,087+6.9%
5Carver County1,039+0.7%
6Anoka County1,025+3%
7Scott County973+5%
8Mower County944+5.2%
9Washington County927+3%
10Goodhue County922+3.9%
11Roseau County915+6.1%
12Stearns County911+3.2%
13Stevens County904+4.9%
14Rice County899+4.2%
14St. Louis County899+5.1%
16Dodge County895+4.3%
17Steele County892+3.5%
18Pennington County888+4.1%
19McLeod County879+1.5%
20Sherburne County872+3.4%
21Carlton County856+3.3%
21Chisago County856+2.9%
23Le Sueur County854+5.8%
24Nicollet County853+2.9%
25Pope County849+5.5%
26Blue Earth County846+3.5%
26Marshall County846+7.9%
28Lake County836+6%
29Douglas County835+6%
30Koochiching County827+6.7%
31Nobles County825+3.3%
32Wright County823+2.9%
33Benton County822+5.1%
34Winona County818+3.8%
35Beltrami County817+3%
36Lyon County812-0.2%
37Waseca County809+3.2%
38Martin County805+5.1%
39Brown County801+1.4%
40Itasca County800+3.9%
41Chippewa County797+7.1%
42Renville County796+4.5%
43Freeborn County795+2.8%
44Wilkin County792+3.4%
45Polk County789+5.1%
45Sibley County789+6%
47Clay County787+3.4%
47Swift County787+4.9%
49Isanti County786+2.2%
50Clearwater County785+2.5%
51Todd County783+3.7%
52Kandiyohi County779+4.3%
53Crow Wing County777+3.7%
54Rock County770+3.9%
55Kanabec County765+6%
56Otter Tail County763+3.1%
57Jackson County760+5.4%
58Meeker County752+4%
59Grant County751+2.7%
60Big Stone County749+1.5%
61Faribault County746+4.3%
61Redwood County746+5.1%
63Becker County744+0.4%
64Wadena County739+2.9%
65Cottonwood County736+2.2%
65Hubbard County736+4.4%
67Norman County734+3.8%
68Kittson County733+2.8%
69Pipestone County726+1.7%
69Wabasha County726+4%
71Murray County723+3.1%
72Yellow Medicine County718+1.8%
73Morrison County717+3.6%
74Watonwan County708+6.1%
75Red Lake County698+1.9%
76Aitkin County697+3.9%
77Mille Lacs County690+2.7%
78Mahnomen County686+3%
79Traverse County683+2.7%
80Lac qui Parle County680+4.8%
81Lake of the Woods County675+3.7%
82Houston County674+5%
83Lincoln County671-0.4%
84Fillmore County649+1.6%
85Cass County636+5.5%
86Cook County629+6.4%
87Pine County623+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/2018/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), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/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), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2018. 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), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2018.

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), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_by_2018,
  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), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2018. 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/2018/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), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2018.
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/2018/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 $1,367 in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Pine County, with $623 in 2018.

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