Area Development
In its County Employment and Wages report from the fourth quarter of 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that employment declined in 325 of the country's 334 largest counties from December 2008 to December 2009. Trumbull, Ohio led the list with a loss of 8.6 percent over the year, compared to the national decrease of 4.1 percent. Manufacturing job losses accounted for nearly 54 percent of Trumbull's employment drop.

Arlington, Virginia made the highest employment gains, adding 0.5 percent to its job base. Wages also grew by an average 2.5 percent across the country. Douglas, Colorado had the highest yearly increase in average weekly wages, rising 26.1 percent. Professional and business services in Douglas saw average weekly wages grow 99.8 percent. The significant gain was due to business acquisitions that included bonuses, severance pay, and stock options.

St. Louis, Missouri saw the biggest drop in its average weekly wages, losing 33.9 percent over the year. The average weekly wage during the fourth quarter was $942. New York was the highest-paid large county, with an average weekly wage of $1.878. The lowest weekly wage was reported in Horry, South Carolina, where workers earned an average of $584.

Other counties with significant drops in employment percentages included Oakland, Michigan; Peoria, Illinois; Seminole, Florida; and Sedgwick, Kansas. Los Angeles; Maricopa, Arizona; Cook, Illinois; New York; and Harris, Texas lost the most jobs in terms of numbers. The latter five counties accounted for more than 11 percent of the total employment decline in the United States.