Counties in Wisconsin by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Dane County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 72 counties in 2021, at $1,277. Florence County had the lowest, at $587. The median was $872 and the figure for Wisconsin was $1,084. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,277Dane County
Median87272 counties
Wisconsin1,084History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 783 USDAshland County: 860 USDBarron County: 832 USDBayfield County: 779 USDBrown County: 1,091 USDBuffalo County: 851 USDBurnett County: 745 USDCalumet County: 881 USDChippewa County: 889 USDClark County: 828 USDColumbia County: 893 USDCrawford County: 768 USDDane County: 1,277 USDDodge County: 1,008 USDDoor County: 784 USDDouglas County: 910 USDDunn County: 920 USDEau Claire County: 1,019 USDFlorence County: 587 USDFond du Lac County: 1,016 USDForest County: 776 USDGrant County: 817 USDGreen County: 906 USDGreen Lake County: 844 USDIowa County: 984 USDIron County: 678 USDJackson County: 878 USDJefferson County: 926 USDJuneau County: 867 USDKenosha County: 986 USDKewaunee County: 833 USDLa Crosse County: 998 USDLafayette County: 817 USDLanglade County: 770 USDLincoln County: 893 USDManitowoc County: 930 USDMarathon County: 1,009 USDMarinette County: 904 USDMarquette County: 771 USDMenominee County: 756 USDMilwaukee County: 1,190 USDMonroe County: 915 USDOconto County: 798 USDOneida County: 922 USDOutagamie County: 1,063 USDOzaukee County: 1,035 USDPepin County: 875 USDPierce County: 817 USDPolk County: 807 USDPortage County: 984 USDPrice County: 841 USDRacine County: 1,052 USDRichland County: 785 USDRock County: 1,014 USDRusk County: 765 USDSt. Croix County: 962 USDSauk County: 859 USDSawyer County: 833 USDShawano County: 749 USDSheboygan County: 1,067 USDTaylor County: 847 USDTrempealeau County: 886 USDVernon County: 799 USDVilas County: 764 USDWalworth County: 869 USDWashburn County: 784 USDWashington County: 1,003 USDWaukesha County: 1,228 USDWaupaca County: 824 USDWaushara County: 755 USDWinnebago County: 1,109 USDWood County: 958 USD
  • Under 780
  • 780 to 830
  • 830 to 870
  • 870 to 920
  • 920 to 1,000
  • 1,000 and over
USD, 2021. 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, 2021

Dane County: 1,277 USDDane County1,277Waukesha County: 1,228 USDWaukesha County1,228Milwaukee County: 1,190 USDMilwaukee County1,190Winnebago County: 1,109 USDWinnebago County1,109Brown County: 1,091 USDBrown County1,091Sheboygan County: 1,067 USDSheboygan County1,067Outagamie County: 1,063 USDOutagamie County1,063Racine County: 1,052 USDRacine County1,052Ozaukee County: 1,035 USDOzaukee County1,035Eau Claire County: 1,019 USDEau Claire County1,019Fond du Lac County: 1,016 USDFond du Lac County1,016Rock County: 1,014 USDRock County1,014Marathon County: 1,009 USDMarathon County1,009Dodge County: 1,008 USDDodge County1,008Washington County: 1,003 USDWashington County1,003La Crosse County: 998 USDLa Crosse County998Kenosha County: 986 USDKenosha County986Iowa County: 984 USDIowa County984Portage County: 984 USDPortage County984St. Croix County: 962 USDSt. Croix County962Wood County: 958 USDWood County958Manitowoc County: 930 USDManitowoc County930Jefferson County: 926 USDJefferson County926Oneida County: 922 USDOneida County922Dunn County: 920 USDDunn County920Monroe County: 915 USDMonroe County915Douglas County: 910 USDDouglas County910Green County: 906 USDGreen County906Marinette County: 904 USDMarinette County904Columbia County: 893 USDColumbia County893Lincoln County: 893 USDLincoln County893Chippewa County: 889 USDChippewa County889Trempealeau County: 886 USDTrempealeau County886Calumet County: 881 USDCalumet County881Jackson County: 878 USDJackson County878Pepin County: 875 USDPepin County875Walworth County: 869 USDWalworth County869Juneau County: 867 USDJuneau County867Ashland County: 860 USDAshland County860Sauk County: 859 USDSauk County859Dane County: 1,277 USDDane County1,277Waukesha County: 1,228 USDWaukesha County1,228Milwaukee County: 1,190 USDMilwaukee County1,190Winnebago County: 1,109 USDWinnebago County1,109Brown County: 1,091 USDBrown County1,091Sheboygan County: 1,067 USDSheboygan County1,067Outagamie County: 1,063 USDOutagamie County1,063Racine County: 1,052 USDRacine County1,052Ozaukee County: 1,035 USDOzaukee County1,035Eau Claire County: 1,019 USDEau Claire County1,019Fond du Lac County: 1,016 USDFond du Lac County1,016Rock County: 1,014 USDRock County1,014Marathon County: 1,009 USDMarathon County1,009Dodge County: 1,008 USDDodge County1,008Washington County: 1,003 USDWashington County1,003La Crosse County: 998 USDLa Crosse County998Kenosha County: 986 USDKenosha County986Iowa County: 984 USDIowa County984Portage County: 984 USDPortage County984St. Croix County: 962 USDSt. Croix County962Wood County: 958 USDWood County958Manitowoc County: 930 USDManitowoc County930Jefferson County: 926 USDJefferson County926Oneida County: 922 USDOneida County922Dunn County: 920 USDDunn County920Monroe County: 915 USDMonroe County915Douglas County: 910 USDDouglas County910Green County: 906 USDGreen County906Marinette County: 904 USDMarinette County904Columbia County: 893 USDColumbia County893Lincoln County: 893 USDLincoln County893Chippewa County: 889 USDChippewa County889Trempealeau County: 886 USDTrempealeau County886Calumet County: 881 USDCalumet County881Jackson County: 878 USDJackson County878Pepin County: 875 USDPepin County875Walworth County: 869 USDWalworth County869Juneau County: 867 USDJuneau County867Ashland County: 860 USDAshland County860Sauk County: 859 USDSauk County859
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

RankCounties2021
USD
Change on 2020
1Dane County1,277+5.1%
2Waukesha County1,228+3.9%
3Milwaukee County1,190+4.6%
4Winnebago County1,109+3.8%
5Brown County1,091+2.8%
6Sheboygan County1,067+3.4%
7Outagamie County1,063+5.7%
8Racine County1,052+3.4%
9Ozaukee County1,035+4.2%
10Eau Claire County1,019+4.3%
11Fond du Lac County1,016+5.1%
12Rock County1,014+3.6%
13Marathon County1,009+4%
14Dodge County1,008+6%
15Washington County1,003+6%
16La Crosse County998+4.7%
17Kenosha County986+6.5%
18Iowa County984+7.2%
18Portage County984+4.2%
20St. Croix County962+6.2%
21Wood County958+2%
22Manitowoc County930+5.4%
23Jefferson County926+4.4%
24Oneida County922+6%
25Dunn County920+5.6%
26Monroe County915+4.2%
27Douglas County910+5.3%
28Green County906+7.3%
29Marinette County904+6.1%
30Columbia County893+2.3%
30Lincoln County893+2.3%
32Chippewa County889+1.8%
33Trempealeau County886+3.4%
34Calumet County881+5.3%
35Jackson County878+1.7%
36Pepin County875+8.4%
37Walworth County869+4.3%
38Juneau County867+3.3%
39Ashland County860+3.4%
40Sauk County859+3.2%
41Buffalo County851+5.7%
42Taylor County847+2.5%
43Green Lake County844+5.2%
44Price County841+7.1%
45Kewaunee County833+2.5%
45Sawyer County833+8.2%
47Barron County832+4.9%
48Clark County828+4%
49Waupaca County824+5%
50Grant County817+4.2%
50Lafayette County817+3.5%
50Pierce County817+2%
53Polk County807+3.7%
54Vernon County799+2.6%
55Oconto County798+7.7%
56Richland County785+4.4%
57Door County784+4.3%
57Washburn County784+5%
59Adams County7830%
60Bayfield County779+16.6%
61Forest County776-1%
62Marquette County771+2%
63Langlade County770+3.9%
64Crawford County768+3.2%
65Rusk County765+4.9%
66Vilas County764+4.2%
67Menominee County756+5%
68Waushara County755+3.4%
69Shawano County749+4.6%
70Burnett County745+3.6%
71Iron County678+1.2%
72Florence County587+5%

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/2021/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), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/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), 2021. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2021. 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), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2021.

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), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_wisconsin_by_2021,
  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), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2021. 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/2021/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), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/wisconsin-counties?period=2021.
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/2021/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)?

Dane County, with $1,277 in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Florence County, with $587 in 2021.

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