Employment in Alabama’s largest counties showed mixed results between March 2024 and March 2025, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of the seven largest counties in the state, three experienced employment growth during this period.
Baldwin County led with a 2.1 percent increase in employment over the year. Jefferson County had the highest total employment among large counties, reporting 365,200 jobs as of March 2025. The seven largest counties together made up 55.7 percent of all covered employment in Alabama. Nationally, the largest counties account for a higher share—73.4 percent—of total covered employment across the United States.
All six large Alabama counties with available wage data saw increases in average weekly wages compared to the previous year. Jefferson County recorded the largest gain at 5.4 percent, while other large counties posted wage growth ranging from 3.4 percent to 0.7 percent.
Despite these gains, average weekly wages in each of Alabama’s large counties remained below the national average of $1,589 for the first quarter of 2025. Madison County had the highest average weekly wage among large Alabama counties at $1,514; Baldwin County reported the lowest at $996.
For smaller Alabama counties—those with fewer than 75,000 employees—employment and wage levels are also tracked but not their year-over-year changes. Among these, Washington County reported an average weekly wage of $1,886, while Geneva County had the lowest at $825.
Across all 67 Alabama counties, average weekly wages varied: fifteen counties paid less than $925 per week on average; twenty-one paid between $925 and $999; twelve ranged from $1,000 to $1,074; six ranged from $1,075 to $1,149; and thirteen reported averages of $1,150 or more per week.
“Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that Baldwin County had the largest over-the-year increase in employment, with a gain of 2.1 percent.”
Additional details on county-level employment and wages nationwide can be found through releases and resources provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program (https://www.bls.gov/cew/).
The next release covering second quarter data is scheduled for December 3, 2025.
