Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Williams County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 53 counties in 2015, at $1,493. Sheridan County had the lowest, at $497. The median was $770 and the figure for North Dakota was $975. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,493Williams County
Median77053 counties
North Dakota975History

Map of counties, 2015

Adams County: 748 USDBarnes County: 728 USDBenson County: 709 USDBillings County: 763 USDBottineau County: 813 USDBowman County: 861 USDBurke County: 1,024 USDBurleigh County: 946 USDCass County: 917 USDCavalier County: 795 USDDickey County: 666 USDDivide County: 1,091 USDDunn County: 1,346 USDEddy County: 637 USDEmmons County: 648 USDFoster County: 805 USDGolden Valley County: 726 USDGrand Forks County: 828 USDGrant County: 642 USDGriggs County: 669 USDHettinger County: 767 USDKidder County: 704 USDLaMoure County: 736 USDLogan County: 580 USDMcHenry County: 801 USDMcIntosh County: 629 USDMcKenzie County: 1,472 USDMcLean County: 985 USDMercer County: 1,291 USDMorton County: 857 USDMountrail County: 1,342 USDNelson County: 626 USDOliver County: 1,475 USDPembina County: 848 USDPierce County: 745 USDRamsey County: 735 USDRansom County: 684 USDRenville County: 855 USDRichland County: 764 USDRolette County: 717 USDSargent County: 817 USDSheridan County: 497 USDSioux County: 768 USDSlope County: 1,090 USDStark County: 1,207 USDSteele County: 853 USDStutsman County: 788 USDTowner County: 651 USDTraill County: 770 USDWalsh County: 718 USDWard County: 929 USDWells County: 636 USDWilliams County: 1,493 USD
  • Under 660
  • 660 to 730
  • 730 to 770
  • 770 to 850
  • 850 to 1,000
  • 1,000 and over
USD, 2015. 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, 2015

Williams County: 1,493 USDWilliams County1,493Oliver County: 1,475 USDOliver County1,475McKenzie County: 1,472 USDMcKenzie County1,472Dunn County: 1,346 USDDunn County1,346Mountrail County: 1,342 USDMountrail County1,342Mercer County: 1,291 USDMercer County1,291Stark County: 1,207 USDStark County1,207Divide County: 1,091 USDDivide County1,091Slope County: 1,090 USDSlope County1,090Burke County: 1,024 USDBurke County1,024McLean County: 985 USDMcLean County985Burleigh County: 946 USDBurleigh County946Ward County: 929 USDWard County929Cass County: 917 USDCass County917Bowman County: 861 USDBowman County861Morton County: 857 USDMorton County857Renville County: 855 USDRenville County855Steele County: 853 USDSteele County853Pembina County: 848 USDPembina County848Grand Forks County: 828 USDGrand Forks County828Sargent County: 817 USDSargent County817Bottineau County: 813 USDBottineau County813Foster County: 805 USDFoster County805McHenry County: 801 USDMcHenry County801Cavalier County: 795 USDCavalier County795Stutsman County: 788 USDStutsman County788Traill County: 770 USDTraill County770Sioux County: 768 USDSioux County768Hettinger County: 767 USDHettinger County767Richland County: 764 USDRichland County764Billings County: 763 USDBillings County763Adams County: 748 USDAdams County748Pierce County: 745 USDPierce County745LaMoure County: 736 USDLaMoure County736Ramsey County: 735 USDRamsey County735Barnes County: 728 USDBarnes County728Golden Valley County: 726 USDGolden Valley County726Walsh County: 718 USDWalsh County718Rolette County: 717 USDRolette County717Benson County: 709 USDBenson County709Kidder County: 704 USDKidder County704Ransom County: 684 USDRansom County684Griggs County: 669 USDGriggs County669Dickey County: 666 USDDickey County666Towner County: 651 USDTowner County651Emmons County: 648 USDEmmons County648Grant County: 642 USDGrant County642Eddy County: 637 USDEddy County637Wells County: 636 USDWells County636McIntosh County: 629 USDMcIntosh County629Nelson County: 626 USDNelson County626Logan County: 580 USDLogan County580Sheridan County: 497 USDSheridan County497Williams County: 1,493 USDWilliams County1,493Oliver County: 1,475 USDOliver County1,475McKenzie County: 1,472 USDMcKenzie County1,472Dunn County: 1,346 USDDunn County1,346Mountrail County: 1,342 USDMountrail County1,342Mercer County: 1,291 USDMercer County1,291Stark County: 1,207 USDStark County1,207Divide County: 1,091 USDDivide County1,091Slope County: 1,090 USDSlope County1,090Burke County: 1,024 USDBurke County1,024McLean County: 985 USDMcLean County985Burleigh County: 946 USDBurleigh County946Ward County: 929 USDWard County929Cass County: 917 USDCass County917Bowman County: 861 USDBowman County861Morton County: 857 USDMorton County857Renville County: 855 USDRenville County855Steele County: 853 USDSteele County853Pembina County: 848 USDPembina County848Grand Forks County: 828 USDGrand Forks County828Sargent County: 817 USDSargent County817Bottineau County: 813 USDBottineau County813Foster County: 805 USDFoster County805McHenry County: 801 USDMcHenry County801Cavalier County: 795 USDCavalier County795Stutsman County: 788 USDStutsman County788Traill County: 770 USDTraill County770Sioux County: 768 USDSioux County768Hettinger County: 767 USDHettinger County767Richland County: 764 USDRichland County764Billings County: 763 USDBillings County763Adams County: 748 USDAdams County748Pierce County: 745 USDPierce County745LaMoure County: 736 USDLaMoure County736Ramsey County: 735 USDRamsey County735Barnes County: 728 USDBarnes County728Golden Valley County: 726 USDGolden Valley County726Walsh County: 718 USDWalsh County718Rolette County: 717 USDRolette County717Benson County: 709 USDBenson County709Kidder County: 704 USDKidder County704Ransom County: 684 USDRansom County684Griggs County: 669 USDGriggs County669Dickey County: 666 USDDickey County666Towner County: 651 USDTowner County651Emmons County: 648 USDEmmons County648Grant County: 642 USDGrant County642Eddy County: 637 USDEddy County637Wells County: 636 USDWells County636McIntosh County: 629 USDMcIntosh County629Nelson County: 626 USDNelson County626Logan County: 580 USDLogan County580Sheridan County: 497 USDSheridan County497
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

RankCounties2015
USD
Change on 2014
1Williams County1,493-6.3%
2Oliver County1,475+6.3%
3McKenzie County1,472-1.7%
4Dunn County1,346-4.5%
5Mountrail County1,342-2.4%
6Mercer County1,291+7%
7Stark County1,207-7.2%
8Divide County1,091+5.2%
9Slope County1,090-22.3%
10Burke County1,024-4.4%
11McLean County985+2.3%
12Burleigh County946+3.4%
13Ward County929+1%
14Cass County917+3.7%
15Bowman County861+0.9%
16Morton County857+1.9%
17Renville County855-11.9%
18Steele County853+4%
19Pembina County848+5%
20Grand Forks County828+5.3%
21Sargent County817+3.8%
22Bottineau County813-1.8%
23Foster County805+2.2%
24McHenry County801+3.6%
25Cavalier County795+3.4%
26Stutsman County788+4.5%
27Traill County770+3.2%
28Sioux County768+2.4%
29Hettinger County767+5.4%
30Richland County764+3.4%
31Billings County763-8.4%
32Adams County748+4.9%
33Pierce County745+5.8%
34LaMoure County736+2.6%
35Ramsey County735+3.2%
36Barnes County728+3.9%
37Golden Valley County726-6.9%
38Walsh County718+3.8%
39Rolette County717+5.6%
40Benson County709-1.7%
41Kidder County704+1.7%
42Ransom County684+4.3%
43Griggs County669+2.8%
44Dickey County666+1.5%
45Towner County651+3%
46Emmons County648+2.2%
47Grant County642+1.4%
48Eddy County637+6.9%
49Wells County636+5.1%
50McIntosh County629+5.7%
51Nelson County626+1.6%
52Logan County580+1.4%
53Sheridan County497+1.8%

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/2015/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 North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/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 North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2015. 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 North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2015.

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 North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_dakota_2015,
  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 North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2015. 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/2015/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 North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-counties?period=2015.
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/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in North Dakota 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)?

Williams County, with $1,493 in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Sheridan County, with $497 in 2015.

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 North Dakota: more rankings