New data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that average weekly wages in Warren County increased by nearly 10% in the third quarter of 2024, compared to the same period the prior year.
That was the fifth largest wage increase in the nation, among the 369 largest U.S. counties. Warren County workers on average earned about $1,395 each week in Q3 of last year, which was up from $1,280 in Q3 of 2023.
“Our economy is growing and our employees are going along with that ride, and that’s proven with these wages,” said Warren County Commissioner David Young.
Young said the data is a measure of real wage growth, and that it’s balanced because the economy and wages are both growing.
But what is surprising to Young is Warren County’s rank in the context of the top four counties that saw the highest wage growth.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The top wage growth occurred in Benton County, Arkansas, which is home to Walmart’s headquarters. Walmart recently increased base pay and new compensation and bonus packages.
The second largest increase was in San Mateo County, California, which is home to Facebook, now Meta. Third on the list, Santa Clara County, California, is home to Google.
Midland County, Texas (#4) is the hub of the Permian Basin’s booming oil industry.
“It’s kind of nice that Warren County is right behind those four,” said Young, who attributes the county’s ranking foremost to its people.
“They are highly motivated, a highly educated workforce, have a strong worth ethic,” he said.
Geography also is key. There are two interstates — Interstate 75 and Interstate 71 — that travel through the county, which is within six hours of 70-80% of the U.S. population. Utility rates are comparatively low and the entire region sits on the Great Miami Aquifer, one of the nation’s largest.
The county has a high quality of life, good schools and a relatively low crime rate, leaders say. But Young said the last element that makes Warren County attractive for employers to locate and grow is the local government.
“We try to encourage the free market here and to encourage people to invest their capital here,” he said.
Tourism is the biggest industry in Warren County, which proclaims itself “Ohio’s Largest Playground.” The county’s robust tourism economy hit a new high with a record $1.7 billion in economic impact in 2023 — a 17% spike over 2021, according to the most recent study released by Tourism Economics and TourismOhio.
Warren County is home to attractions including Kings Island, the Cincinnati Open professional tennis tournament, Great Wolf Lodge, Miami Valley Gaming, Caesar Creek State Park and the Warren County Sports Park at Union Village.
The study showed that Warren County tourism supported 13,567 jobs in 2023, which is 9.2% of the county’s private workforce.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The top 10 private sector employers are: Procter & Gamble (3,189), Luxottica (1,742), Atrium Medical Center (1,600), Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield (1,500), Amazon (1,348), Kings Island (1,250), Cintas (1,228), Macy’s Credit & Customer Service (1,200), ADVICS Manufacturing (1,000) and Cincinnati Premium Outlets (1,000), the county’s comprehensive financial report stated.
Fourteen Ohio counties make the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ list of the 369 largest U.S. counties. Just three of those Ohio counties had higher weekly wages than Warren County: Hamilton ($1,460); Greene ($1,420); and Cuyahoga ($1,415).
In the fall, Hamilton County saw the 44th largest year-over-year increase in wages, while Greene County saw the 94th largest increase.
Warren County saw the sixth largest year-over-year increase in wages in the second quarter of 2024, and the eighth largest in Q1.
Before that, it was mostly in the middle of the pack when it came to wage growth. In Q4 of 2022, the county’s wage growth was 345th out of 356 counties.
A few business expansions are either underway or will be soon, including ones that will add 400 jobs at Atricure, 125 jobs at Cintas and 75 at Modula.
“Honestly, I think winning is contagious,” said Young.
A major victory for Warren County was keeping the Cincinnati Open, formerly Western & Southern Open, when tournament owners considered a move to Charlotte, North Carolina.
A $260 million renovation of the tournament home at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason is set for completion well ahead of this year’s event from Aug. 5-18. The tournament is five days longer than the 2024 tournament, which drew a record crowd of 205,068.
Ohio has 88 counties.
In early 2024, six counties in the state reported average weekly wages of less than $850, while 16 registered wages from $850 to $949, says the most recent analysis by the Midwest Information Office of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Thirty counties had wages from $950 to $1,049; 17 had wages between $1,050 and $1,149; and 19 had average weekly wages of $1,150 or higher, the analysis shows.
