Data / Rankings / Average weekly wage (QCEW) / Counties in Pennsylvania

Counties in Pennsylvania by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Chester County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 67 counties in 2017, at $1,319. Perry County had the lowest, at $628. The median was $800 and the figure for Pennsylvania was $1,038. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,319Chester County
Lowest628Perry County
Median80067 counties
Pennsylvania1,038History

Map of counties, 2017

Adams County: 779 USDAllegheny County: 1,133 USDArmstrong County: 765 USDBeaver County: 844 USDBedford County: 692 USDBerks County: 941 USDBlair County: 771 USDBradford County: 879 USDBucks County: 974 USDButler County: 964 USDCambria County: 727 USDCameron County: 749 USDCarbon County: 685 USDCentre County: 940 USDChester County: 1,319 USDClarion County: 676 USDClearfield County: 741 USDClinton County: 806 USDColumbia County: 759 USDCrawford County: 754 USDCumberland County: 945 USDDauphin County: 1,030 USDDelaware County: 1,120 USDElk County: 809 USDErie County: 791 USDFayette County: 732 USDForest County: 878 USDFranklin County: 813 USDFulton County: 904 USDGreene County: 1,036 USDHuntingdon County: 731 USDIndiana County: 856 USDJefferson County: 734 USDJuniata County: 679 USDLackawanna County: 793 USDLancaster County: 870 USDLawrence County: 770 USDLebanon County: 800 USDLehigh County: 1,029 USDLuzerne County: 814 USDLycoming County: 821 USDMcKean County: 790 USDMercer County: 786 USDMifflin County: 743 USDMonroe County: 804 USDMontgomery County: 1,296 USDMontour County: 1,300 USDNorthampton County: 897 USDNorthumberland County: 770 USDPerry County: 628 USDPhiladelphia County: 1,237 USDPike County: 636 USDPotter County: 800 USDSchuylkill County: 788 USDSnyder County: 717 USDSomerset County: 735 USDSullivan County: 660 USDSusquehanna County: 766 USDTioga County: 769 USDUnion County: 825 USDVenango County: 734 USDWarren County: 767 USDWashington County: 1,083 USDWayne County: 743 USDWestmoreland County: 846 USDWyoming County: 922 USDYork County: 915 USD
  • Under 730
  • 730 to 770
  • 770 to 800
  • 800 to 860
  • 860 to 960
  • 960 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.

Top 40 counties, 2017

Chester County: 1,319 USDChester County1,319Montour County: 1,300 USDMontour County1,300Montgomery County: 1,296 USDMontgomery County1,296Philadelphia County: 1,237 USDPhiladelphia County1,237Allegheny County: 1,133 USDAllegheny County1,133Delaware County: 1,120 USDDelaware County1,120Washington County: 1,083 USDWashington County1,083Greene County: 1,036 USDGreene County1,036Dauphin County: 1,030 USDDauphin County1,030Lehigh County: 1,029 USDLehigh County1,029Bucks County: 974 USDBucks County974Butler County: 964 USDButler County964Cumberland County: 945 USDCumberland County945Berks County: 941 USDBerks County941Centre County: 940 USDCentre County940Wyoming County: 922 USDWyoming County922York County: 915 USDYork County915Fulton County: 904 USDFulton County904Northampton County: 897 USDNorthampton County897Bradford County: 879 USDBradford County879Forest County: 878 USDForest County878Lancaster County: 870 USDLancaster County870Indiana County: 856 USDIndiana County856Westmoreland County: 846 USDWestmoreland County846Beaver County: 844 USDBeaver County844Union County: 825 USDUnion County825Lycoming County: 821 USDLycoming County821Luzerne County: 814 USDLuzerne County814Franklin County: 813 USDFranklin County813Elk County: 809 USDElk County809Clinton County: 806 USDClinton County806Monroe County: 804 USDMonroe County804Lebanon County: 800 USDLebanon County800Potter County: 800 USDPotter County800Lackawanna County: 793 USDLackawanna County793Erie County: 791 USDErie County791McKean County: 790 USDMcKean County790Schuylkill County: 788 USDSchuylkill County788Mercer County: 786 USDMercer County786Adams County: 779 USDAdams County779Chester County: 1,319 USDChester County1,319Montour County: 1,300 USDMontour County1,300Montgomery County: 1,296 USDMontgomery County1,296Philadelphia County: 1,237 USDPhiladelphia County1,237Allegheny County: 1,133 USDAllegheny County1,133Delaware County: 1,120 USDDelaware County1,120Washington County: 1,083 USDWashington County1,083Greene County: 1,036 USDGreene County1,036Dauphin County: 1,030 USDDauphin County1,030Lehigh County: 1,029 USDLehigh County1,029Bucks County: 974 USDBucks County974Butler County: 964 USDButler County964Cumberland County: 945 USDCumberland County945Berks County: 941 USDBerks County941Centre County: 940 USDCentre County940Wyoming County: 922 USDWyoming County922York County: 915 USDYork County915Fulton County: 904 USDFulton County904Northampton County: 897 USDNorthampton County897Bradford County: 879 USDBradford County879Forest County: 878 USDForest County878Lancaster County: 870 USDLancaster County870Indiana County: 856 USDIndiana County856Westmoreland County: 846 USDWestmoreland County846Beaver County: 844 USDBeaver County844Union County: 825 USDUnion County825Lycoming County: 821 USDLycoming County821Luzerne County: 814 USDLuzerne County814Franklin County: 813 USDFranklin County813Elk County: 809 USDElk County809Clinton County: 806 USDClinton County806Monroe County: 804 USDMonroe County804Lebanon County: 800 USDLebanon County800Potter County: 800 USDPotter County800Lackawanna County: 793 USDLackawanna County793Erie County: 791 USDErie County791McKean County: 790 USDMcKean County790Schuylkill County: 788 USDSchuylkill County788Mercer County: 786 USDMercer County786Adams County: 779 USDAdams County779
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
1Chester County1,319+2.6%
2Montour County1,300+2.2%
3Montgomery County1,296+1.8%
4Philadelphia County1,237+2.7%
5Allegheny County1,133+2.7%
6Delaware County1,120+2.7%
7Washington County1,083+6.1%
8Greene County1,036+3.9%
9Dauphin County1,030+3.1%
10Lehigh County1,029+2%
11Bucks County974+1.1%
12Butler County964+2.3%
13Cumberland County945+3.5%
14Berks County941+2.6%
15Centre County940+2.7%
16Wyoming County922+5.4%
17York County915+4%
18Fulton County904+8%
19Northampton County897+2.3%
20Bradford County879+6.7%
21Forest County878+3.1%
22Lancaster County870+2.8%
23Indiana County856+3.9%
24Westmoreland County846+4.6%
25Beaver County844+4.8%
26Union County825+1%
27Lycoming County821+4.2%
28Luzerne County814+2.4%
29Franklin County813+3.4%
30Elk County809+2.4%
31Clinton County806+3.1%
32Monroe County804+1.8%
33Lebanon County800+3.9%
33Potter County800+6.7%
35Lackawanna County793+2.3%
36Erie County791+0.6%
37McKean County790+3.7%
38Schuylkill County788+4.6%
39Mercer County786+3.8%
40Adams County779+3.6%
41Blair County771+3.2%
42Lawrence County770+3.6%
42Northumberland County770+3.2%
44Tioga County769+3.8%
45Warren County767+2.4%
46Susquehanna County766+9.7%
47Armstrong County765+3.4%
48Columbia County759+2.2%
49Crawford County754+4.9%
50Cameron County749+2.7%
51Mifflin County743+3.1%
51Wayne County743+2.1%
53Clearfield County741+3.6%
54Somerset County735+4.4%
55Jefferson County734+2.5%
55Venango County734+2.5%
57Fayette County732+2.8%
58Huntingdon County731+2.5%
59Cambria County727+2.4%
60Snyder County717+6.5%
61Bedford County692+3.1%
62Carbon County685+3%
63Juniata County679+2.9%
64Clarion County676+2.3%
65Sullivan County660+2.3%
66Pike County636+0.6%
67Perry County628+1.6%

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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_pennsylvania_by_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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/pennsylvania-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  -
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Rank Counties in Pennsylvania 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)?

Chester County, with $1,319 in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Perry County, with $628 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 Pennsylvania: more rankings