Counties in North Dakota by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Williams County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 53 counties in 2018, at $1,527. Sheridan County had the lowest, at $515. The median was $836 and the figure for North Dakota was $1,007. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,527Williams County
Median83653 counties
North Dakota1,007History

Map of counties, 2018

Adams County: 826 USDBarnes County: 762 USDBenson County: 752 USDBillings County: 836 USDBottineau County: 840 USDBowman County: 820 USDBurke County: 1,046 USDBurleigh County: 995 USDCass County: 976 USDCavalier County: 833 USDDickey County: 709 USDDivide County: 1,020 USDDunn County: 1,407 USDEddy County: 633 USDEmmons County: 700 USDFoster County: 854 USDGolden Valley County: 691 USDGrand Forks County: 888 USDGrant County: 670 USDGriggs County: 718 USDHettinger County: 850 USDKidder County: 698 USDLaMoure County: 740 USDLogan County: 584 USDMcHenry County: 858 USDMcIntosh County: 688 USDMcKenzie County: 1,462 USDMcLean County: 1,111 USDMercer County: 1,351 USDMorton County: 880 USDMountrail County: 1,288 USDNelson County: 668 USDOliver County: 1,452 USDPembina County: 886 USDPierce County: 817 USDRamsey County: 766 USDRansom County: 716 USDRenville County: 766 USDRichland County: 804 USDRolette County: 768 USDSargent County: 861 USDSheridan County: 515 USDSioux County: 836 USDSlope County: 1,205 USDStark County: 1,192 USDSteele County: 959 USDStutsman County: 839 USDTowner County: 758 USDTraill County: 845 USDWalsh County: 776 USDWard County: 959 USDWells County: 687 USDWilliams County: 1,527 USD
  • Under 700
  • 700 to 770
  • 770 to 840
  • 840 to 870
  • 870 to 1,100
  • 1,100 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.

All counties, 2018

Williams County: 1,527 USDWilliams County1,527McKenzie County: 1,462 USDMcKenzie County1,462Oliver County: 1,452 USDOliver County1,452Dunn County: 1,407 USDDunn County1,407Mercer County: 1,351 USDMercer County1,351Mountrail County: 1,288 USDMountrail County1,288Slope County: 1,205 USDSlope County1,205Stark County: 1,192 USDStark County1,192McLean County: 1,111 USDMcLean County1,111Burke County: 1,046 USDBurke County1,046Divide County: 1,020 USDDivide County1,020Burleigh County: 995 USDBurleigh County995Cass County: 976 USDCass County976Steele County: 959 USDSteele County959Ward County: 959 USDWard County959Grand Forks County: 888 USDGrand Forks County888Pembina County: 886 USDPembina County886Morton County: 880 USDMorton County880Sargent County: 861 USDSargent County861McHenry County: 858 USDMcHenry County858Foster County: 854 USDFoster County854Hettinger County: 850 USDHettinger County850Traill County: 845 USDTraill County845Bottineau County: 840 USDBottineau County840Stutsman County: 839 USDStutsman County839Billings County: 836 USDBillings County836Sioux County: 836 USDSioux County836Cavalier County: 833 USDCavalier County833Adams County: 826 USDAdams County826Bowman County: 820 USDBowman County820Pierce County: 817 USDPierce County817Richland County: 804 USDRichland County804Walsh County: 776 USDWalsh County776Rolette County: 768 USDRolette County768Ramsey County: 766 USDRamsey County766Renville County: 766 USDRenville County766Barnes County: 762 USDBarnes County762Towner County: 758 USDTowner County758Benson County: 752 USDBenson County752LaMoure County: 740 USDLaMoure County740Griggs County: 718 USDGriggs County718Ransom County: 716 USDRansom County716Dickey County: 709 USDDickey County709Emmons County: 700 USDEmmons County700Kidder County: 698 USDKidder County698Golden Valley County: 691 USDGolden Valley County691McIntosh County: 688 USDMcIntosh County688Wells County: 687 USDWells County687Grant County: 670 USDGrant County670Nelson County: 668 USDNelson County668Eddy County: 633 USDEddy County633Logan County: 584 USDLogan County584Sheridan County: 515 USDSheridan County515Williams County: 1,527 USDWilliams County1,527McKenzie County: 1,462 USDMcKenzie County1,462Oliver County: 1,452 USDOliver County1,452Dunn County: 1,407 USDDunn County1,407Mercer County: 1,351 USDMercer County1,351Mountrail County: 1,288 USDMountrail County1,288Slope County: 1,205 USDSlope County1,205Stark County: 1,192 USDStark County1,192McLean County: 1,111 USDMcLean County1,111Burke County: 1,046 USDBurke County1,046Divide County: 1,020 USDDivide County1,020Burleigh County: 995 USDBurleigh County995Cass County: 976 USDCass County976Steele County: 959 USDSteele County959Ward County: 959 USDWard County959Grand Forks County: 888 USDGrand Forks County888Pembina County: 886 USDPembina County886Morton County: 880 USDMorton County880Sargent County: 861 USDSargent County861McHenry County: 858 USDMcHenry County858Foster County: 854 USDFoster County854Hettinger County: 850 USDHettinger County850Traill County: 845 USDTraill County845Bottineau County: 840 USDBottineau County840Stutsman County: 839 USDStutsman County839Billings County: 836 USDBillings County836Sioux County: 836 USDSioux County836Cavalier County: 833 USDCavalier County833Adams County: 826 USDAdams County826Bowman County: 820 USDBowman County820Pierce County: 817 USDPierce County817Richland County: 804 USDRichland County804Walsh County: 776 USDWalsh County776Rolette County: 768 USDRolette County768Ramsey County: 766 USDRamsey County766Renville County: 766 USDRenville County766Barnes County: 762 USDBarnes County762Towner County: 758 USDTowner County758Benson County: 752 USDBenson County752LaMoure County: 740 USDLaMoure County740Griggs County: 718 USDGriggs County718Ransom County: 716 USDRansom County716Dickey County: 709 USDDickey County709Emmons County: 700 USDEmmons County700Kidder County: 698 USDKidder County698Golden Valley County: 691 USDGolden Valley County691McIntosh County: 688 USDMcIntosh County688Wells County: 687 USDWells County687Grant County: 670 USDGrant County670Nelson County: 668 USDNelson County668Eddy County: 633 USDEddy County633Logan County: 584 USDLogan County584Sheridan County: 515 USDSheridan County515
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
1Williams County1,527+6.9%
2McKenzie County1,462+7.1%
3Oliver County1,452+2.7%
4Dunn County1,407+7%
5Mercer County1,351-0.3%
6Mountrail County1,288+2.2%
7Slope County1,205+12.5%
8Stark County1,192+5%
9McLean County1,111+3.2%
10Burke County1,046+2.6%
11Divide County1,020+4.5%
12Burleigh County995+3.1%
13Cass County976+3.2%
14Steele County959+2.3%
14Ward County959+4.5%
16Grand Forks County888+2.9%
17Pembina County886+1.3%
18Morton County880-1.2%
19Sargent County861+5.1%
20McHenry County858+3.5%
21Foster County854+1.3%
22Hettinger County850+4.2%
23Traill County845+3%
24Bottineau County840+3.6%
25Stutsman County839+3.6%
26Billings County836+15.3%
26Sioux County836+3.3%
28Cavalier County833+3.7%
29Adams County826+8.1%
30Bowman County820+4.3%
31Pierce County817+6.8%
32Richland County804+1.9%
33Walsh County776+3.9%
34Rolette County768+3.2%
35Ramsey County766+0.7%
35Renville County766-3.4%
37Barnes County762+3.1%
38Towner County758+5.4%
39Benson County752+0.3%
40LaMoure County740-0.3%
41Griggs County718+5.6%
42Ransom County716+1.8%
43Dickey County709+1.9%
44Emmons County700+5.3%
45Kidder County698-0.1%
46Golden Valley County691-2%
47McIntosh County688+2.4%
48Wells County687+4.2%
49Grant County670+1.1%
50Nelson County668+1.7%
51Eddy County633-2%
52Logan County5840%
53Sheridan County515-2.1%

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/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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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/north-dakota-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 North Dakota 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/north-dakota-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 North Dakota 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/north-dakota-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_dakota_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 North Dakota 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/north-dakota-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 North Dakota 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/north-dakota-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/north-dakota-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 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 $1,527 in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Sheridan County, with $515 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 North Dakota: more rankings