Counties in Minnesota by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Hennepin County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 87 counties in 2020, at $1,533. Cook County had the lowest, at $703. The median was $874 and the figure for Minnesota was $1,234. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,533Hennepin County
Lowest703Cook County
Median87487 counties
Minnesota1,234History

Map of counties, 2020

Aitkin County: 767 USDAnoka County: 1,115 USDBecker County: 810 USDBeltrami County: 900 USDBenton County: 910 USDBig Stone County: 832 USDBlue Earth County: 951 USDBrown County: 911 USDCarlton County: 947 USDCarver County: 1,131 USDCass County: 724 USDChippewa County: 821 USDChisago County: 942 USDClay County: 888 USDClearwater County: 858 USDCook County: 703 USDCottonwood County: 839 USDCrow Wing County: 874 USDDakota County: 1,197 USDDodge County: 969 USDDouglas County: 912 USDFaribault County: 835 USDFillmore County: 723 USDFreeborn County: 866 USDGoodhue County: 999 USDGrant County: 825 USDHennepin County: 1,533 USDHouston County: 727 USDHubbard County: 833 USDIsanti County: 844 USDItasca County: 857 USDJackson County: 817 USDKanabec County: 871 USDKandiyohi County: 857 USDKittson County: 774 USDKoochiching County: 907 USDLac qui Parle County: 768 USDLake County: 906 USDLake of the Woods County: 776 USDLe Sueur County: 912 USDLincoln County: 716 USDLyon County: 955 USDMcLeod County: 932 USDMahnomen County: 827 USDMarshall County: 954 USDMartin County: 905 USDMeeker County: 838 USDMille Lacs County: 779 USDMorrison County: 786 USDMower County: 1,005 USDMurray County: 809 USDNicollet County: 908 USDNobles County: 948 USDNorman County: 810 USDOlmsted County: 1,316 USDOtter Tail County: 848 USDPennington County: 926 USDPine County: 721 USDPipestone County: 808 USDPolk County: 878 USDPope County: 904 USDRamsey County: 1,329 USDRed Lake County: 762 USDRedwood County: 843 USDRenville County: 884 USDRice County: 988 USDRock County: 830 USDRoseau County: 1,013 USDSt. Louis County: 987 USDScott County: 1,072 USDSherburne County: 955 USDSibley County: 861 USDStearns County: 1,012 USDSteele County: 954 USDStevens County: 1,002 USDSwift County: 824 USDTodd County: 868 USDTraverse County: 732 USDWabasha County: 800 USDWadena County: 822 USDWaseca County: 888 USDWashington County: 1,010 USDWatonwan County: 795 USDWilkin County: 909 USDWinona County: 897 USDWright County: 933 USDYellow Medicine County: 750 USD
  • Under 790
  • 790 to 830
  • 830 to 870
  • 870 to 910
  • 910 to 980
  • 980 and over
USD, 2020. 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, 2020

Hennepin County: 1,533 USDHennepin County1,533Ramsey County: 1,329 USDRamsey County1,329Olmsted County: 1,316 USDOlmsted County1,316Dakota County: 1,197 USDDakota County1,197Carver County: 1,131 USDCarver County1,131Anoka County: 1,115 USDAnoka County1,115Scott County: 1,072 USDScott County1,072Roseau County: 1,013 USDRoseau County1,013Stearns County: 1,012 USDStearns County1,012Washington County: 1,010 USDWashington County1,010Mower County: 1,005 USDMower County1,005Stevens County: 1,002 USDStevens County1,002Goodhue County: 999 USDGoodhue County999Rice County: 988 USDRice County988St. Louis County: 987 USDSt. Louis County987Dodge County: 969 USDDodge County969Lyon County: 955 USDLyon County955Sherburne County: 955 USDSherburne County955Marshall County: 954 USDMarshall County954Steele County: 954 USDSteele County954Blue Earth County: 951 USDBlue Earth County951Nobles County: 948 USDNobles County948Carlton County: 947 USDCarlton County947Chisago County: 942 USDChisago County942Wright County: 933 USDWright County933McLeod County: 932 USDMcLeod County932Pennington County: 926 USDPennington County926Douglas County: 912 USDDouglas County912Le Sueur County: 912 USDLe Sueur County912Brown County: 911 USDBrown County911Benton County: 910 USDBenton County910Wilkin County: 909 USDWilkin County909Nicollet County: 908 USDNicollet County908Koochiching County: 907 USDKoochiching County907Lake County: 906 USDLake County906Martin County: 905 USDMartin County905Pope County: 904 USDPope County904Beltrami County: 900 USDBeltrami County900Winona County: 897 USDWinona County897Clay County: 888 USDClay County888Hennepin County: 1,533 USDHennepin County1,533Ramsey County: 1,329 USDRamsey County1,329Olmsted County: 1,316 USDOlmsted County1,316Dakota County: 1,197 USDDakota County1,197Carver County: 1,131 USDCarver County1,131Anoka County: 1,115 USDAnoka County1,115Scott County: 1,072 USDScott County1,072Roseau County: 1,013 USDRoseau County1,013Stearns County: 1,012 USDStearns County1,012Washington County: 1,010 USDWashington County1,010Mower County: 1,005 USDMower County1,005Stevens County: 1,002 USDStevens County1,002Goodhue County: 999 USDGoodhue County999Rice County: 988 USDRice County988St. Louis County: 987 USDSt. Louis County987Dodge County: 969 USDDodge County969Lyon County: 955 USDLyon County955Sherburne County: 955 USDSherburne County955Marshall County: 954 USDMarshall County954Steele County: 954 USDSteele County954Blue Earth County: 951 USDBlue Earth County951Nobles County: 948 USDNobles County948Carlton County: 947 USDCarlton County947Chisago County: 942 USDChisago County942Wright County: 933 USDWright County933McLeod County: 932 USDMcLeod County932Pennington County: 926 USDPennington County926Douglas County: 912 USDDouglas County912Le Sueur County: 912 USDLe Sueur County912Brown County: 911 USDBrown County911Benton County: 910 USDBenton County910Wilkin County: 909 USDWilkin County909Nicollet County: 908 USDNicollet County908Koochiching County: 907 USDKoochiching County907Lake County: 906 USDLake County906Martin County: 905 USDMartin County905Pope County: 904 USDPope County904Beltrami County: 900 USDBeltrami County900Winona County: 897 USDWinona County897Clay County: 888 USDClay County888
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

RankCounties2020
USD
Change on 2019
1Hennepin County1,533+8.9%
2Ramsey County1,329+6.4%
3Olmsted County1,316+5.9%
4Dakota County1,197+7.3%
5Carver County1,131+5.6%
6Anoka County1,115+5.6%
7Scott County1,072+8.3%
8Roseau County1,013+9.3%
9Stearns County1,012+9.2%
10Washington County1,010+6.9%
11Mower County1,005+5.5%
12Stevens County1,002+7.4%
13Goodhue County999+6.5%
14Rice County988+8.5%
15St. Louis County987+5.9%
16Dodge County969+5%
17Lyon County955+11.4%
17Sherburne County955+6.5%
19Marshall County954+11.7%
19Steele County954+5.8%
21Blue Earth County951+8.8%
22Nobles County948+10.2%
23Carlton County947+8.1%
24Chisago County942+7.2%
25Wright County933+9%
26McLeod County932+5.1%
27Pennington County926+5.6%
28Douglas County912+8.6%
28Le Sueur County912+5.4%
30Brown County911+9%
31Benton County910+7.3%
32Wilkin County909+9.4%
33Nicollet County908+4.5%
34Koochiching County907+3.4%
35Lake County906+7%
36Martin County905+7.5%
37Pope County904+6.5%
38Beltrami County900+7.4%
39Winona County897+7.6%
40Clay County888+9.9%
40Waseca County888+7.5%
42Renville County884+9.4%
43Polk County878+8.5%
44Crow Wing County874+8.8%
45Kanabec County871+9.4%
46Todd County868+6.5%
47Freeborn County866+6.7%
48Sibley County861+7.9%
49Clearwater County858+7.2%
50Itasca County857+4.6%
50Kandiyohi County857+7.7%
52Otter Tail County848+8.3%
53Isanti County844+6.7%
54Redwood County843+9.1%
55Cottonwood County839+11.6%
56Meeker County838+7.7%
57Faribault County835+5%
58Hubbard County833+9.3%
59Big Stone County832+11.1%
60Rock County830+3.5%
61Mahnomen County827+14.4%
62Grant County825+10.1%
63Swift County824+7.4%
64Wadena County822+8.3%
65Chippewa County821+6.1%
66Jackson County817+4.9%
67Becker County810+3.8%
67Norman County810+7.4%
69Murray County809+8.4%
70Pipestone County808+7.4%
71Wabasha County800+8.3%
72Watonwan County795+11%
73Morrison County786+6.1%
74Mille Lacs County779+9.4%
75Lake of the Woods County776+10.1%
76Kittson County774+7.5%
77Lac qui Parle County768+8.3%
78Aitkin County767+8.5%
79Red Lake County762+10.4%
80Yellow Medicine County750+4.3%
81Traverse County732+5.9%
82Houston County727+5.5%
83Cass County724+14.2%
84Fillmore County723+7.6%
85Pine County721+11.1%
86Lincoln County716+4.2%
87Cook County703+11.1%

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/2020/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), 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/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), 2020. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2020. 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), 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2020.

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), 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_by_2020,
  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), 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2020. 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/2020/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), 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/minnesota-counties?period=2020.
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/2020/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 $1,533 in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Cook County, with $703 in 2020.

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