New York County, which includes the New York City borough of Manhattan, reported the highest average weekly wage of all large U.S. counties in the second quarter of 2009 at $1,520, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Santa Clara County CA posted the second-highest at $1,449.

Horry County SC reported the lowest average weekly wage at $520.

Weld County CO posted the largest year-over-year percentage decline in average weekly wages of 9.0%. Olmsted County MN posted the largest growth in average weekly wages of 10.8%.

The U.S. national average weekly wage in the second quarter of 2009 was $840. It fell 0.1% on a year-over-year basis in the second quarter of 2009.

In terms of number of people employed, Los Angeles CA ranked as the largest U.S. county with 3.9 million in the second quarter of 2009.

Elkhart County IN, 100 miles east of Chicago, registered the largest percentage decline in employment, down 21.9%, of all large U.S. counties. Yakima County WA posted the largest increase at 1.5%.