Here's a snapshot of Carbon, Monroe and Schuylkill counties through the lens of the National Association of Counties' 2013 County Tracker:

Carbon County:Its economic output growth rate rose to 0.4 percent from 2012 to 2013; its jobs growth rate rose 1.7 percent, and its median home prices growth rate edged up by 2.2 percent.Carbon County's largest industries as of 2013 are telecommunications, at $295.8 million; local government, at $161.8 million; real estate, at $129.8 million; health care, at $103 million; and hospitals, at $81.9 million.The average county wage is $31,700.Monroe County:Its economic output growth rate slipped to -2.2 percent from 2012 to 2013; its jobs growth rate grew slightly, by 0.4 percent, and its median home prices growth rate rose by 8.3 percent.Monroe County's largest industries as of 2013 are real estate, at $1.1 billion; federal government, at $596.6 million; chemicals, at $558.9 million; local government, at $474 million; and health care, at $221.9 million.The average county wage is $41,100.Schuylkill County:Its economic output growth rate dipped to -0.3 percent from 2012 to 2013; its jobs growth rate also edged down, by -1.5 percent, and its median home prices growth rate rose by 5.9 percent.Schuylkill County's largest industries as of 2013 are local government, at $222.4 million; real estate, at $195.9 million; mining, at $188.1 million; and warehousing, at $179.7 million.The average county wage is $35,400.