Counties in Wisconsin by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Waukesha County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 72 counties in 2016, at $1,021. Florence County had the lowest, at $511. The median was $714 and the figure for Wisconsin was $885. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,021Waukesha County
Median71472 counties
Wisconsin885History

Map of counties, 2016

Adams County: 674 USDAshland County: 690 USDBarron County: 695 USDBayfield County: 521 USDBrown County: 906 USDBuffalo County: 681 USDBurnett County: 611 USDCalumet County: 715 USDChippewa County: 731 USDClark County: 683 USDColumbia County: 744 USDCrawford County: 647 USDDane County: 1,018 USDDodge County: 809 USDDoor County: 636 USDDouglas County: 743 USDDunn County: 748 USDEau Claire County: 810 USDFlorence County: 511 USDFond du Lac County: 823 USDForest County: 666 USDGrant County: 687 USDGreen County: 725 USDGreen Lake County: 698 USDIowa County: 744 USDIron County: 568 USDJackson County: 749 USDJefferson County: 749 USDJuneau County: 732 USDKenosha County: 784 USDKewaunee County: 705 USDLa Crosse County: 808 USDLafayette County: 646 USDLanglade County: 642 USDLincoln County: 805 USDManitowoc County: 802 USDMarathon County: 830 USDMarinette County: 763 USDMarquette County: 636 USDMenominee County: 599 USDMilwaukee County: 989 USDMonroe County: 746 USDOconto County: 617 USDOneida County: 736 USDOutagamie County: 872 USDOzaukee County: 852 USDPepin County: 687 USDPierce County: 668 USDPolk County: 691 USDPortage County: 797 USDPrice County: 708 USDRacine County: 879 USDRichland County: 657 USDRock County: 825 USDRusk County: 656 USDSt. Croix County: 743 USDSauk County: 707 USDSawyer County: 637 USDShawano County: 609 USDSheboygan County: 884 USDTaylor County: 696 USDTrempealeau County: 737 USDVernon County: 633 USDVilas County: 591 USDWalworth County: 712 USDWashburn County: 624 USDWashington County: 825 USDWaukesha County: 1,021 USDWaupaca County: 701 USDWaushara County: 607 USDWinnebago County: 956 USDWood County: 838 USD
  • Under 640
  • 640 to 690
  • 690 to 710
  • 710 to 750
  • 750 to 830
  • 830 and over
USD, 2016. 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, 2016

Waukesha County: 1,021 USDWaukesha County1,021Dane County: 1,018 USDDane County1,018Milwaukee County: 989 USDMilwaukee County989Winnebago County: 956 USDWinnebago County956Brown County: 906 USDBrown County906Sheboygan County: 884 USDSheboygan County884Racine County: 879 USDRacine County879Outagamie County: 872 USDOutagamie County872Ozaukee County: 852 USDOzaukee County852Wood County: 838 USDWood County838Marathon County: 830 USDMarathon County830Rock County: 825 USDRock County825Washington County: 825 USDWashington County825Fond du Lac County: 823 USDFond du Lac County823Eau Claire County: 810 USDEau Claire County810Dodge County: 809 USDDodge County809La Crosse County: 808 USDLa Crosse County808Lincoln County: 805 USDLincoln County805Manitowoc County: 802 USDManitowoc County802Portage County: 797 USDPortage County797Kenosha County: 784 USDKenosha County784Marinette County: 763 USDMarinette County763Jackson County: 749 USDJackson County749Jefferson County: 749 USDJefferson County749Dunn County: 748 USDDunn County748Monroe County: 746 USDMonroe County746Columbia County: 744 USDColumbia County744Iowa County: 744 USDIowa County744Douglas County: 743 USDDouglas County743St. Croix County: 743 USDSt. Croix County743Trempealeau County: 737 USDTrempealeau County737Oneida County: 736 USDOneida County736Juneau County: 732 USDJuneau County732Chippewa County: 731 USDChippewa County731Green County: 725 USDGreen County725Calumet County: 715 USDCalumet County715Walworth County: 712 USDWalworth County712Price County: 708 USDPrice County708Sauk County: 707 USDSauk County707Kewaunee County: 705 USDKewaunee County705Waukesha County: 1,021 USDWaukesha County1,021Dane County: 1,018 USDDane County1,018Milwaukee County: 989 USDMilwaukee County989Winnebago County: 956 USDWinnebago County956Brown County: 906 USDBrown County906Sheboygan County: 884 USDSheboygan County884Racine County: 879 USDRacine County879Outagamie County: 872 USDOutagamie County872Ozaukee County: 852 USDOzaukee County852Wood County: 838 USDWood County838Marathon County: 830 USDMarathon County830Rock County: 825 USDRock County825Washington County: 825 USDWashington County825Fond du Lac County: 823 USDFond du Lac County823Eau Claire County: 810 USDEau Claire County810Dodge County: 809 USDDodge County809La Crosse County: 808 USDLa Crosse County808Lincoln County: 805 USDLincoln County805Manitowoc County: 802 USDManitowoc County802Portage County: 797 USDPortage County797Kenosha County: 784 USDKenosha County784Marinette County: 763 USDMarinette County763Jackson County: 749 USDJackson County749Jefferson County: 749 USDJefferson County749Dunn County: 748 USDDunn County748Monroe County: 746 USDMonroe County746Columbia County: 744 USDColumbia County744Iowa County: 744 USDIowa County744Douglas County: 743 USDDouglas County743St. Croix County: 743 USDSt. Croix County743Trempealeau County: 737 USDTrempealeau County737Oneida County: 736 USDOneida County736Juneau County: 732 USDJuneau County732Chippewa County: 731 USDChippewa County731Green County: 725 USDGreen County725Calumet County: 715 USDCalumet County715Walworth County: 712 USDWalworth County712Price County: 708 USDPrice County708Sauk County: 707 USDSauk County707Kewaunee County: 705 USDKewaunee County705
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

RankCounties2016
USD
Change on 2015
1Waukesha County1,021+1.7%
2Dane County1,018+1.7%
3Milwaukee County989+1.4%
4Winnebago County956+1.9%
5Brown County906+0.8%
6Sheboygan County884+2.8%
7Racine County879-0.2%
8Outagamie County872+2.3%
9Ozaukee County852+0.1%
10Wood County838+4.9%
11Marathon County830+0.4%
12Rock County825+2.4%
12Washington County825-0.6%
14Fond du Lac County823+2.4%
15Eau Claire County810+1.1%
16Dodge County809-0.1%
17La Crosse County808+2.5%
18Lincoln County805+6.9%
19Manitowoc County802+0.6%
20Portage County797+1.9%
21Kenosha County784-2.1%
22Marinette County763+0.4%
23Jackson County749-0.1%
23Jefferson County749+1.9%
25Dunn County748+0.4%
26Monroe County746+0.7%
27Columbia County744+2.5%
27Iowa County744+0.8%
29Douglas County743-4.1%
29St. Croix County743+2.5%
31Trempealeau County737-0.9%
32Oneida County736-0.1%
33Juneau County732+0.4%
34Chippewa County731-0.4%
35Green County725+3.1%
36Calumet County715+2.4%
37Walworth County712+1.4%
38Price County708+0.6%
39Sauk County707+1.4%
40Kewaunee County705-1%
41Waupaca County701+0.6%
42Green Lake County698-5%
43Taylor County696+1%
44Barron County695+0.1%
45Polk County691+1.9%
46Ashland County690+2.1%
47Grant County687+1.5%
47Pepin County687+2.5%
49Clark County683+1.3%
50Buffalo County681+1.3%
51Adams County674+0.6%
52Pierce County668+1.2%
53Forest County666+2%
54Richland County657+1.5%
55Rusk County656+4.8%
56Crawford County647+2.7%
57Lafayette County646+1.9%
58Langlade County642+1.6%
59Sawyer County637+2.7%
60Door County636+2.3%
60Marquette County636+2.3%
62Vernon County633+1.8%
63Washburn County6240%
64Oconto County617+3%
65Burnett County611+4.6%
66Shawano County609+1.7%
67Waushara County607-0.7%
68Menominee County599-3.4%
69Vilas County591+0.2%
70Iron County568-0.2%
71Bayfield County521-1%
72Florence County511-1.7%

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/2016/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 Wisconsin by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/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 Wisconsin by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2016. 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 Wisconsin by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2016.

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 Wisconsin by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_wisconsin_by_2016,
  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 Wisconsin by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2016. 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/2016/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 Wisconsin by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2016.
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/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Wisconsin 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)?

Waukesha County, with $1,021 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Florence County, with $511 in 2016.

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 Wisconsin: more rankings