Benton County has highest Arkansas weekly average wage in latest BLS report

Recent federal wage data from the third quarter of 2023 shows Benton County’s average weekly wage at $1,310, the highest among Arkansas’ 75 counties. Pulaski County is second with $1,146, and Washington County is third at $1,075. The U.S. average was $1,334.

The data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the Arkansas weekly wage average in the third quarter was $1,036, unchanged from the same period in 2022. The Fort Smith metro weekly average wage was $913, with Crawford County at $882 and Sebastian County at $976.

Benton County’s average wage was up 2.9% compared with the same period in 2022 and ranked 10th among all U.S. counties in terms of percentage gain. Pulaski County’s average wage was down 0.8% compared with the same period in 2022 and ranked 235th. The Washington County average wage was up 1.1% and ranked 69th.

The BLS data also showed that Benton County had an estimated 8,100 employing units (businesses), Pulaski County had 14,300, and Washington County had 6,900. Arkansas had an estimated 103,100 employing units.

Following are the average weekly wages in the third quarter in states neighboring Arkansas.
• Texas
Q3 2023: $1,332
Q3 2022: $1,336

• Tennessee
Q3 2023: $1,198
Q3 2022: $1,199

• Missouri
Q3 2023: $1,149
Q3 2022: $1,152

• Louisiana
Q3 2023: $1,100
Q3 2022: $1,107

• Oklahoma:
Q3 2023: $1,047
Q3 2022: $1,052

• Mississippi
Q3 2023: $933
Q3 2022: $927

Among the 360 largest U.S. counties, 169 had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. In the third quarter of 2023, average weekly wages for the nation increased to $1,334, a 0.1% increase over the year. Clayton County, Ga., had the largest third quarter over-the-year wage gain at 7.7%. Elkhart County, Ind., had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in average weekly wages, with a 6% decline.

Following are the top five weekly wage sectors in the U.S. during the third quarter, according to the recent BLS data.
• Information: $2,948
• Financial Activities: $1,939
• Professional and Business Services: $1,760
• Manufacturing: $1,498
• Construction: $1,444