Counties in Pennsylvania by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Chester County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 67 counties in 2018, at $1,366. Perry County had the lowest, at $634. The median was $815 and the figure for Pennsylvania was $1,070. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,366Chester County
Lowest634Perry County
Median81567 counties
Pennsylvania1,070History

Map of counties, 2018

Adams County: 802 USDAllegheny County: 1,169 USDArmstrong County: 785 USDBeaver County: 921 USDBedford County: 710 USDBerks County: 968 USDBlair County: 801 USDBradford County: 908 USDBucks County: 998 USDButler County: 987 USDCambria County: 758 USDCameron County: 764 USDCarbon County: 707 USDCentre County: 970 USDChester County: 1,366 USDClarion County: 703 USDClearfield County: 774 USDClinton County: 813 USDColumbia County: 779 USDCrawford County: 785 USDCumberland County: 982 USDDauphin County: 1,054 USDDelaware County: 1,151 USDElk County: 843 USDErie County: 812 USDFayette County: 769 USDForest County: 867 USDFranklin County: 838 USDFulton County: 918 USDGreene County: 1,065 USDHuntingdon County: 764 USDIndiana County: 886 USDJefferson County: 757 USDJuniata County: 687 USDLackawanna County: 815 USDLancaster County: 891 USDLawrence County: 792 USDLebanon County: 819 USDLehigh County: 1,037 USDLuzerne County: 845 USDLycoming County: 851 USDMcKean County: 807 USDMercer County: 815 USDMifflin County: 764 USDMonroe County: 822 USDMontgomery County: 1,336 USDMontour County: 1,315 USDNorthampton County: 916 USDNorthumberland County: 769 USDPerry County: 634 USDPhiladelphia County: 1,266 USDPike County: 649 USDPotter County: 813 USDSchuylkill County: 821 USDSnyder County: 704 USDSomerset County: 773 USDSullivan County: 719 USDSusquehanna County: 796 USDTioga County: 809 USDUnion County: 852 USDVenango County: 761 USDWarren County: 801 USDWashington County: 1,092 USDWayne County: 768 USDWestmoreland County: 876 USDWyoming County: 954 USDYork County: 939 USD
  • Under 760
  • 760 to 790
  • 790 to 820
  • 820 to 890
  • 890 to 990
  • 990 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.

Top 40 counties, 2018

Chester County: 1,366 USDChester County1,366Montgomery County: 1,336 USDMontgomery County1,336Montour County: 1,315 USDMontour County1,315Philadelphia County: 1,266 USDPhiladelphia County1,266Allegheny County: 1,169 USDAllegheny County1,169Delaware County: 1,151 USDDelaware County1,151Washington County: 1,092 USDWashington County1,092Greene County: 1,065 USDGreene County1,065Dauphin County: 1,054 USDDauphin County1,054Lehigh County: 1,037 USDLehigh County1,037Bucks County: 998 USDBucks County998Butler County: 987 USDButler County987Cumberland County: 982 USDCumberland County982Centre County: 970 USDCentre County970Berks County: 968 USDBerks County968Wyoming County: 954 USDWyoming County954York County: 939 USDYork County939Beaver County: 921 USDBeaver County921Fulton County: 918 USDFulton County918Northampton County: 916 USDNorthampton County916Bradford County: 908 USDBradford County908Lancaster County: 891 USDLancaster County891Indiana County: 886 USDIndiana County886Westmoreland County: 876 USDWestmoreland County876Forest County: 867 USDForest County867Union County: 852 USDUnion County852Lycoming County: 851 USDLycoming County851Luzerne County: 845 USDLuzerne County845Elk County: 843 USDElk County843Franklin County: 838 USDFranklin County838Monroe County: 822 USDMonroe County822Schuylkill County: 821 USDSchuylkill County821Lebanon County: 819 USDLebanon County819Lackawanna County: 815 USDLackawanna County815Mercer County: 815 USDMercer County815Clinton County: 813 USDClinton County813Potter County: 813 USDPotter County813Erie County: 812 USDErie County812Tioga County: 809 USDTioga County809McKean County: 807 USDMcKean County807Chester County: 1,366 USDChester County1,366Montgomery County: 1,336 USDMontgomery County1,336Montour County: 1,315 USDMontour County1,315Philadelphia County: 1,266 USDPhiladelphia County1,266Allegheny County: 1,169 USDAllegheny County1,169Delaware County: 1,151 USDDelaware County1,151Washington County: 1,092 USDWashington County1,092Greene County: 1,065 USDGreene County1,065Dauphin County: 1,054 USDDauphin County1,054Lehigh County: 1,037 USDLehigh County1,037Bucks County: 998 USDBucks County998Butler County: 987 USDButler County987Cumberland County: 982 USDCumberland County982Centre County: 970 USDCentre County970Berks County: 968 USDBerks County968Wyoming County: 954 USDWyoming County954York County: 939 USDYork County939Beaver County: 921 USDBeaver County921Fulton County: 918 USDFulton County918Northampton County: 916 USDNorthampton County916Bradford County: 908 USDBradford County908Lancaster County: 891 USDLancaster County891Indiana County: 886 USDIndiana County886Westmoreland County: 876 USDWestmoreland County876Forest County: 867 USDForest County867Union County: 852 USDUnion County852Lycoming County: 851 USDLycoming County851Luzerne County: 845 USDLuzerne County845Elk County: 843 USDElk County843Franklin County: 838 USDFranklin County838Monroe County: 822 USDMonroe County822Schuylkill County: 821 USDSchuylkill County821Lebanon County: 819 USDLebanon County819Lackawanna County: 815 USDLackawanna County815Mercer County: 815 USDMercer County815Clinton County: 813 USDClinton County813Potter County: 813 USDPotter County813Erie County: 812 USDErie County812Tioga County: 809 USDTioga County809McKean County: 807 USDMcKean County807
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
1Chester County1,366+3.6%
2Montgomery County1,336+3.1%
3Montour County1,315+1.2%
4Philadelphia County1,266+2.3%
5Allegheny County1,169+3.2%
6Delaware County1,151+2.8%
7Washington County1,092+0.8%
8Greene County1,065+2.8%
9Dauphin County1,054+2.3%
10Lehigh County1,037+0.8%
11Bucks County998+2.5%
12Butler County987+2.4%
13Cumberland County982+3.9%
14Centre County970+3.2%
15Berks County968+2.9%
16Wyoming County954+3.5%
17York County939+2.6%
18Beaver County921+9.1%
19Fulton County918+1.5%
20Northampton County916+2.1%
21Bradford County908+3.3%
22Lancaster County891+2.4%
23Indiana County886+3.5%
24Westmoreland County876+3.5%
25Forest County867-1.3%
26Union County852+3.3%
27Lycoming County851+3.7%
28Luzerne County845+3.8%
29Elk County843+4.2%
30Franklin County838+3.1%
31Monroe County822+2.2%
32Schuylkill County821+4.2%
33Lebanon County819+2.4%
34Lackawanna County815+2.8%
34Mercer County815+3.7%
36Clinton County813+0.9%
36Potter County813+1.6%
38Erie County812+2.7%
39Tioga County809+5.2%
40McKean County807+2.2%
41Adams County802+3%
42Blair County801+3.9%
42Warren County801+4.4%
44Susquehanna County796+3.9%
45Lawrence County792+2.9%
46Armstrong County785+2.6%
46Crawford County785+4.1%
48Columbia County779+2.6%
49Clearfield County774+4.5%
50Somerset County773+5.2%
51Fayette County769+5.1%
51Northumberland County769-0.1%
53Wayne County768+3.4%
54Cameron County764+2%
54Huntingdon County764+4.5%
54Mifflin County764+2.8%
57Venango County761+3.7%
58Cambria County758+4.3%
59Jefferson County757+3.1%
60Sullivan County719+8.9%
61Bedford County710+2.6%
62Carbon County707+3.2%
63Snyder County704-1.8%
64Clarion County703+4%
65Juniata County687+1.2%
66Pike County649+2%
67Perry County634+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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_pennsylvania_by_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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/pennsylvania-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 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 $1,366 in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Perry County, with $634 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 Pennsylvania: more rankings