Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Williams County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 53 counties in 2017, at $1,429. Sheridan County had the lowest, at $526. The median was $803 and the figure for North Dakota was $968. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,429Williams County
Median80353 counties
North Dakota968History

Map of counties, 2017

Adams County: 764 USDBarnes County: 739 USDBenson County: 750 USDBillings County: 725 USDBottineau County: 811 USDBowman County: 786 USDBurke County: 1,019 USDBurleigh County: 965 USDCass County: 946 USDCavalier County: 803 USDDickey County: 696 USDDivide County: 976 USDDunn County: 1,315 USDEddy County: 646 USDEmmons County: 665 USDFoster County: 843 USDGolden Valley County: 705 USDGrand Forks County: 863 USDGrant County: 663 USDGriggs County: 680 USDHettinger County: 816 USDKidder County: 699 USDLaMoure County: 742 USDLogan County: 584 USDMcHenry County: 829 USDMcIntosh County: 672 USDMcKenzie County: 1,365 USDMcLean County: 1,077 USDMercer County: 1,355 USDMorton County: 891 USDMountrail County: 1,260 USDNelson County: 657 USDOliver County: 1,414 USDPembina County: 875 USDPierce County: 765 USDRamsey County: 761 USDRansom County: 703 USDRenville County: 793 USDRichland County: 789 USDRolette County: 744 USDSargent County: 819 USDSheridan County: 526 USDSioux County: 809 USDSlope County: 1,071 USDStark County: 1,135 USDSteele County: 937 USDStutsman County: 810 USDTowner County: 719 USDTraill County: 820 USDWalsh County: 747 USDWard County: 918 USDWells County: 659 USDWilliams County: 1,429 USD
  • Under 690
  • 690 to 750
  • 750 to 800
  • 800 to 860
  • 860 to 1,000
  • 1,000 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.

All counties, 2017

Williams County: 1,429 USDWilliams County1,429Oliver County: 1,414 USDOliver County1,414McKenzie County: 1,365 USDMcKenzie County1,365Mercer County: 1,355 USDMercer County1,355Dunn County: 1,315 USDDunn County1,315Mountrail County: 1,260 USDMountrail County1,260Stark County: 1,135 USDStark County1,135McLean County: 1,077 USDMcLean County1,077Slope County: 1,071 USDSlope County1,071Burke County: 1,019 USDBurke County1,019Divide County: 976 USDDivide County976Burleigh County: 965 USDBurleigh County965Cass County: 946 USDCass County946Steele County: 937 USDSteele County937Ward County: 918 USDWard County918Morton County: 891 USDMorton County891Pembina County: 875 USDPembina County875Grand Forks County: 863 USDGrand Forks County863Foster County: 843 USDFoster County843McHenry County: 829 USDMcHenry County829Traill County: 820 USDTraill County820Sargent County: 819 USDSargent County819Hettinger County: 816 USDHettinger County816Bottineau County: 811 USDBottineau County811Stutsman County: 810 USDStutsman County810Sioux County: 809 USDSioux County809Cavalier County: 803 USDCavalier County803Renville County: 793 USDRenville County793Richland County: 789 USDRichland County789Bowman County: 786 USDBowman County786Pierce County: 765 USDPierce County765Adams County: 764 USDAdams County764Ramsey County: 761 USDRamsey County761Benson County: 750 USDBenson County750Walsh County: 747 USDWalsh County747Rolette County: 744 USDRolette County744LaMoure County: 742 USDLaMoure County742Barnes County: 739 USDBarnes County739Billings County: 725 USDBillings County725Towner County: 719 USDTowner County719Golden Valley County: 705 USDGolden Valley County705Ransom County: 703 USDRansom County703Kidder County: 699 USDKidder County699Dickey County: 696 USDDickey County696Griggs County: 680 USDGriggs County680McIntosh County: 672 USDMcIntosh County672Emmons County: 665 USDEmmons County665Grant County: 663 USDGrant County663Wells County: 659 USDWells County659Nelson County: 657 USDNelson County657Eddy County: 646 USDEddy County646Logan County: 584 USDLogan County584Sheridan County: 526 USDSheridan County526Williams County: 1,429 USDWilliams County1,429Oliver County: 1,414 USDOliver County1,414McKenzie County: 1,365 USDMcKenzie County1,365Mercer County: 1,355 USDMercer County1,355Dunn County: 1,315 USDDunn County1,315Mountrail County: 1,260 USDMountrail County1,260Stark County: 1,135 USDStark County1,135McLean County: 1,077 USDMcLean County1,077Slope County: 1,071 USDSlope County1,071Burke County: 1,019 USDBurke County1,019Divide County: 976 USDDivide County976Burleigh County: 965 USDBurleigh County965Cass County: 946 USDCass County946Steele County: 937 USDSteele County937Ward County: 918 USDWard County918Morton County: 891 USDMorton County891Pembina County: 875 USDPembina County875Grand Forks County: 863 USDGrand Forks County863Foster County: 843 USDFoster County843McHenry County: 829 USDMcHenry County829Traill County: 820 USDTraill County820Sargent County: 819 USDSargent County819Hettinger County: 816 USDHettinger County816Bottineau County: 811 USDBottineau County811Stutsman County: 810 USDStutsman County810Sioux County: 809 USDSioux County809Cavalier County: 803 USDCavalier County803Renville County: 793 USDRenville County793Richland County: 789 USDRichland County789Bowman County: 786 USDBowman County786Pierce County: 765 USDPierce County765Adams County: 764 USDAdams County764Ramsey County: 761 USDRamsey County761Benson County: 750 USDBenson County750Walsh County: 747 USDWalsh County747Rolette County: 744 USDRolette County744LaMoure County: 742 USDLaMoure County742Barnes County: 739 USDBarnes County739Billings County: 725 USDBillings County725Towner County: 719 USDTowner County719Golden Valley County: 705 USDGolden Valley County705Ransom County: 703 USDRansom County703Kidder County: 699 USDKidder County699Dickey County: 696 USDDickey County696Griggs County: 680 USDGriggs County680McIntosh County: 672 USDMcIntosh County672Emmons County: 665 USDEmmons County665Grant County: 663 USDGrant County663Wells County: 659 USDWells County659Nelson County: 657 USDNelson County657Eddy County: 646 USDEddy County646Logan County: 584 USDLogan County584Sheridan County: 526 USDSheridan County526
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
1Williams County1,429+6.2%
2Oliver County1,414+2.5%
3McKenzie County1,365+2.7%
4Mercer County1,355+2.1%
5Dunn County1,315+5.5%
6Mountrail County1,260+4%
7Stark County1,135+5.4%
8McLean County1,077+5.2%
9Slope County1,071+2.1%
10Burke County1,019+7.9%
11Divide County976+4.6%
12Burleigh County965+2.9%
13Cass County946+2.6%
14Steele County937+7.1%
15Ward County918+2.7%
16Morton County891+3%
17Pembina County875+4.4%
18Grand Forks County863+1.6%
19Foster County843+3.2%
20McHenry County829+2.2%
21Traill County820+3%
22Sargent County819+2.1%
23Hettinger County816+3.9%
24Bottineau County811+2.4%
25Stutsman County810+2%
26Sioux County809+0.9%
27Cavalier County803+3.2%
28Renville County793+1.7%
29Richland County789+1.8%
30Bowman County786-2.5%
31Pierce County765+2.8%
32Adams County764+4.5%
33Ramsey County761-7.5%
34Benson County750+5.9%
35Walsh County747+2.9%
36Rolette County744+3.6%
37LaMoure County742+2.5%
38Barnes County739+0.7%
39Billings County725+3.1%
40Towner County719+11.1%
41Golden Valley County705+0.4%
42Ransom County703+2.9%
43Kidder County699+2%
44Dickey County696+3.3%
45Griggs County680+2.9%
46McIntosh County672+2.8%
47Emmons County665+1.1%
48Grant County663+2%
49Wells County659+3.9%
50Nelson County657+3.5%
51Eddy County646+2.2%
52Logan County584-1.4%
53Sheridan County526+2.7%

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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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/north-dakota-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 North Dakota 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/north-dakota-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 North Dakota 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/north-dakota-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_dakota_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 North Dakota 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/north-dakota-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 North Dakota 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/north-dakota-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-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  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"average_weekly_wage","level":"province","within":"North Dakota","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=average_weekly_wage&level=province&within=North%20Dakota&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

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

Williams County, with $1,429 in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Sheridan County, with $526 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 North Dakota: more rankings