News release: “From June 2010 to June 2011, employment increased in 215 of the 322 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Ottawa, Mich., posted the largest increase, with a gain of 4.7 percent over the year, compared with national job growth of 0.9 percent. Within Ottawa, the largest employment increase occurred in manufacturing, which gained 2,514 jobs over the year (9.0 percent). San Joaquin, Calif., experienced the largest over-the-year decrease in employment among the largest counties in the U.S. with a loss of 4.0 percent. The U.S. average weekly wage increased over the year by 3.0 percent to $891 in the second quarter of 2011. Among the large counties in the U.S., Williamson, Texas, had the largest over-the-year increase in average weekly wages in the second quarter of 2011 with a gain of 18.0 percent. Within Williamson, a total wage increase of $195.2 million (39.2 percent) in the trade, transportation, and utilities industry had the largest impact on the county’s over-the-year increase in average weekly wages. Champaign, Ill., experienced the largest decline in average weekly wages with a loss of 3.6 percent over the year. County employment and wage data are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program.”