Counties in West Virginia by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Marshall County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 55 counties in 2018, at $1,423. Clay County had the lowest, at $577. The median was $804 and the figure for West Virginia was $887. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,423Marshall County
Lowest577Clay County
Median80455 counties
West Virginia887History

Map of counties, 2018

Barbour County: 781 USDBerkeley County: 818 USDBoone County: 946 USDBraxton County: 662 USDBrooke County: 804 USDCabell County: 830 USDCalhoun County: 821 USDClay County: 577 USDDoddridge County: 1,094 USDFayette County: 739 USDGilmer County: 749 USDGrant County: 775 USDGreenbrier County: 711 USDHampshire County: 630 USDHancock County: 803 USDHardy County: 658 USDHarrison County: 978 USDJackson County: 1,314 USDJefferson County: 874 USDKanawha County: 922 USDLewis County: 956 USDLincoln County: 659 USDLogan County: 825 USDMcDowell County: 873 USDMarion County: 835 USDMarshall County: 1,423 USDMason County: 859 USDMercer County: 718 USDMineral County: 812 USDMingo County: 886 USDMonongalia County: 994 USDMonroe County: 768 USDMorgan County: 654 USDNicholas County: 708 USDOhio County: 829 USDPendleton County: 599 USDPleasants County: 976 USDPocahontas County: 606 USDPreston County: 765 USDPutnam County: 1,030 USDRaleigh County: 794 USDRandolph County: 687 USDRitchie County: 813 USDRoane County: 726 USDSummers County: 623 USDTaylor County: 845 USDTucker County: 677 USDTyler County: 887 USDUpshur County: 753 USDWayne County: 846 USDWebster County: 681 USDWetzel County: 665 USDWirt County: 612 USDWood County: 804 USDWyoming County: 861 USD
  • Under 660
  • 660 to 740
  • 740 to 800
  • 800 to 840
  • 840 to 920
  • 920 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

Marshall County: 1,423 USDMarshall County1,423Jackson County: 1,314 USDJackson County1,314Doddridge County: 1,094 USDDoddridge County1,094Putnam County: 1,030 USDPutnam County1,030Monongalia County: 994 USDMonongalia County994Harrison County: 978 USDHarrison County978Pleasants County: 976 USDPleasants County976Lewis County: 956 USDLewis County956Boone County: 946 USDBoone County946Kanawha County: 922 USDKanawha County922Tyler County: 887 USDTyler County887Mingo County: 886 USDMingo County886Jefferson County: 874 USDJefferson County874McDowell County: 873 USDMcDowell County873Wyoming County: 861 USDWyoming County861Mason County: 859 USDMason County859Wayne County: 846 USDWayne County846Taylor County: 845 USDTaylor County845Marion County: 835 USDMarion County835Cabell County: 830 USDCabell County830Ohio County: 829 USDOhio County829Logan County: 825 USDLogan County825Calhoun County: 821 USDCalhoun County821Berkeley County: 818 USDBerkeley County818Ritchie County: 813 USDRitchie County813Mineral County: 812 USDMineral County812Brooke County: 804 USDBrooke County804Wood County: 804 USDWood County804Hancock County: 803 USDHancock County803Raleigh County: 794 USDRaleigh County794Barbour County: 781 USDBarbour County781Grant County: 775 USDGrant County775Monroe County: 768 USDMonroe County768Preston County: 765 USDPreston County765Upshur County: 753 USDUpshur County753Gilmer County: 749 USDGilmer County749Fayette County: 739 USDFayette County739Roane County: 726 USDRoane County726Mercer County: 718 USDMercer County718Greenbrier County: 711 USDGreenbrier County711Nicholas County: 708 USDNicholas County708Randolph County: 687 USDRandolph County687Webster County: 681 USDWebster County681Tucker County: 677 USDTucker County677Wetzel County: 665 USDWetzel County665Braxton County: 662 USDBraxton County662Lincoln County: 659 USDLincoln County659Hardy County: 658 USDHardy County658Morgan County: 654 USDMorgan County654Hampshire County: 630 USDHampshire County630Summers County: 623 USDSummers County623Wirt County: 612 USDWirt County612Pocahontas County: 606 USDPocahontas County606Pendleton County: 599 USDPendleton County599Clay County: 577 USDClay County577Marshall County: 1,423 USDMarshall County1,423Jackson County: 1,314 USDJackson County1,314Doddridge County: 1,094 USDDoddridge County1,094Putnam County: 1,030 USDPutnam County1,030Monongalia County: 994 USDMonongalia County994Harrison County: 978 USDHarrison County978Pleasants County: 976 USDPleasants County976Lewis County: 956 USDLewis County956Boone County: 946 USDBoone County946Kanawha County: 922 USDKanawha County922Tyler County: 887 USDTyler County887Mingo County: 886 USDMingo County886Jefferson County: 874 USDJefferson County874McDowell County: 873 USDMcDowell County873Wyoming County: 861 USDWyoming County861Mason County: 859 USDMason County859Wayne County: 846 USDWayne County846Taylor County: 845 USDTaylor County845Marion County: 835 USDMarion County835Cabell County: 830 USDCabell County830Ohio County: 829 USDOhio County829Logan County: 825 USDLogan County825Calhoun County: 821 USDCalhoun County821Berkeley County: 818 USDBerkeley County818Ritchie County: 813 USDRitchie County813Mineral County: 812 USDMineral County812Brooke County: 804 USDBrooke County804Wood County: 804 USDWood County804Hancock County: 803 USDHancock County803Raleigh County: 794 USDRaleigh County794Barbour County: 781 USDBarbour County781Grant County: 775 USDGrant County775Monroe County: 768 USDMonroe County768Preston County: 765 USDPreston County765Upshur County: 753 USDUpshur County753Gilmer County: 749 USDGilmer County749Fayette County: 739 USDFayette County739Roane County: 726 USDRoane County726Mercer County: 718 USDMercer County718Greenbrier County: 711 USDGreenbrier County711Nicholas County: 708 USDNicholas County708Randolph County: 687 USDRandolph County687Webster County: 681 USDWebster County681Tucker County: 677 USDTucker County677Wetzel County: 665 USDWetzel County665Braxton County: 662 USDBraxton County662Lincoln County: 659 USDLincoln County659Hardy County: 658 USDHardy County658Morgan County: 654 USDMorgan County654Hampshire County: 630 USDHampshire County630Summers County: 623 USDSummers County623Wirt County: 612 USDWirt County612Pocahontas County: 606 USDPocahontas County606Pendleton County: 599 USDPendleton County599Clay County: 577 USDClay County577
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
1Marshall County1,423+26.7%
2Jackson County1,314+72.7%
3Doddridge County1,094+7.9%
4Putnam County1,030+9.6%
5Monongalia County994+1.9%
6Harrison County978+7.2%
7Pleasants County976+4.8%
8Lewis County956+18%
9Boone County946+13.8%
10Kanawha County922+3%
11Tyler County887-1.9%
12Mingo County886+4.9%
13Jefferson County874+6.5%
14McDowell County873+5.2%
15Wyoming County861+4.1%
16Mason County859+4%
17Wayne County846+3.5%
18Taylor County845+5.5%
19Marion County835+2.6%
20Cabell County830+4.5%
21Ohio County829+0.6%
22Logan County825+4%
23Calhoun County821+7.5%
24Berkeley County818+3.8%
25Ritchie County813+10.8%
26Mineral County812+5.3%
27Brooke County804+1.1%
27Wood County804+4%
29Hancock County803+7.4%
30Raleigh County794+4.5%
31Barbour County781+10%
32Grant County775-2.9%
33Monroe County768+2.7%
34Preston County765+3.9%
35Upshur County753+5.9%
36Gilmer County749+1.2%
37Fayette County739+6%
38Roane County726+5.8%
39Mercer County718+3.6%
40Greenbrier County711+3.3%
41Nicholas County708+4.4%
42Randolph County687+5.2%
43Webster County681+2.7%
44Tucker County677+1.7%
45Wetzel County665+6.9%
46Braxton County662+3.3%
47Lincoln County659-9.1%
48Hardy County658+4.6%
49Morgan County654+1.7%
50Hampshire County630+4%
51Summers County623+1.5%
52Wirt County612+7.4%
53Pocahontas County606+0.8%
54Pendleton County599+1.2%
55Clay County577-2.9%

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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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/west-virginia-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 West Virginia 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/west-virginia-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 West Virginia 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/west-virginia-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_west_virginia_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 West Virginia 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/west-virginia-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 West Virginia 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/west-virginia-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/west-virginia-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 West Virginia 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)?

Marshall County, with $1,423 in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Clay County, with $577 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 West Virginia: more rankings