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Orleans fastest, Rock Island's pay hike biggest

January 13, 2009

Orleans Parish in Louisiana, the location of New Orleans, posted the fastest job growth of any large county in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The number of jobs in Orleans Parish rose 5.6% year-over-year.

As far as pay, Rock Island County IL posted the largest year-over-year increase in average weekly wages — up 10.5% in the second quarter — thanks to the manufacturing sector, the BLS reported. Its average weekly wage was $861.

The county with the largest decline in employment — down 8.8% in the second quarter — was Lee County FL, which includes the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area.

The county with the largest decline in average weekly wages — down 43.7% year-over-year — was Clayton County GA.

New York NY County reported the highest average weekly wage in the second quarter of 2008 at $1,569. It was followed by Santa Clara County CA at $1,529.