Delaware County workers earned an average of $1,836 per week in the first quarter of 2026, a 10.6 percent increase that led all of Ohio's large counties.

The gain ranked fifth among large counties nationwide, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report released Sept. 4. The national average weekly wage was $1,654, reported 1808 Delaware, which first covered the local figures.

That means Delaware County's average wage ran $182 higher than the national figure and $419 above Ohio's statewide average of $1,417.

The county also added jobs while much of the state shed them. Delaware County had roughly 99,500 covered jobs in March 2026, up 0.3 percent from a year earlier. Ohio's statewide employment slipped 0.2 percent over the same period.

Neighboring Franklin County, the Columbus metro's economic engine, posted a 4.7 percent wage increase to $1,596 per week. Ohio as a whole saw wages rising 4.0 percent, ranking 17th among states for wage growth, according to BLS data.

The broader Columbus region showed similar momentum. The metro area added 11,977 jobs from March 2025 to March 2026, a 1.10 percent growth rate that was more than 18 times the national rate of 0.06 percent, according to an analysis released Sept. 8, by the Columbus Partnership and One Columbus. Total quarterly wages across the metro grew 6.9 percent to more than $22 billion, 10TV reported.

"Leading the Midwest in job creation tells us companies and talent have confidence in the Columbus Region and the future they can build here," Corrine Burger, interim CEO of the Columbus Partnership, said Tuesday.

Delaware County officials have signaled they expect continued growth. Commissioner Jeff Benton said in June, when the board voted to spend $17.7 million on 141 acres near the U.S. Route 42/Sawmill Parkway corridor, that the purchase was central to the county's strategy for diversifying its economic base and attracting new employers.

The BLS wage figures describe jobs located in the county, not the earnings of residents who commute elsewhere. The calculation includes bonuses and reflects the mix of full-time and part-time positions. The data remain preliminary.

The BLS plans to release second-quarter 2026 county wage data on Dec. 2.