Counties in Alabama by business establishments (QCEW)

Jefferson County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 67 counties in 2015, at 17,731. Coosa County had the lowest, at 117. The median was 696 and the figure for Alabama was 119,251. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest17,731Jefferson County
Lowest117Coosa County
Median69667 counties
Alabama119,251History

Map of counties, 2015

Autauga County: 845 countBaldwin County: 5,596 countBarbour County: 561 countBibb County: 338 countBlount County: 735 countBullock County: 145 countButler County: 476 countCalhoun County: 2,472 countChambers County: 590 countCherokee County: 412 countChilton County: 757 countChoctaw County: 284 countClarke County: 659 countClay County: 210 countCleburne County: 205 countCoffee County: 1,050 countColbert County: 1,292 countConecuh County: 253 countCoosa County: 117 countCovington County: 898 countCrenshaw County: 255 countCullman County: 1,785 countDale County: 869 countDallas County: 847 countDeKalb County: 1,137 countElmore County: 1,309 countEscambia County: 822 countEtowah County: 2,058 countFayette County: 333 countFranklin County: 564 countGeneva County: 486 countGreene County: 150 countHale County: 273 countHenry County: 331 countHouston County: 2,885 countJackson County: 961 countJefferson County: 17,731 countLamar County: 276 countLauderdale County: 2,033 countLawrence County: 430 countLee County: 2,940 countLimestone County: 1,365 countLowndes County: 157 countMacon County: 236 countMadison County: 9,150 countMarengo County: 505 countMarion County: 617 countMarshall County: 2,021 countMobile County: 9,675 countMonroe County: 437 countMontgomery County: 6,325 countMorgan County: 2,716 countPerry County: 152 countPickens County: 327 countPike County: 696 countRandolph County: 370 countRussell County: 870 countSt. Clair County: 1,419 countShelby County: 5,468 countSumter County: 234 countTalladega County: 1,325 countTallapoosa County: 796 countTuscaloosa County: 4,363 countWalker County: 1,365 countWashington County: 245 countWilcox County: 231 countWinston County: 468 count
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 700
  • 700 to 1,100
  • 1,100 to 2,100
  • 2,100 and over
count, 2015. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2015

Jefferson County: 17,731 countJefferson County17,731Mobile County: 9,675 countMobile County9,675Madison County: 9,150 countMadison County9,150Montgomery County: 6,325 countMontgomery County6,325Baldwin County: 5,596 countBaldwin County5,596Shelby County: 5,468 countShelby County5,468Tuscaloosa County: 4,363 countTuscaloosa County4,363Lee County: 2,940 countLee County2,940Houston County: 2,885 countHouston County2,885Morgan County: 2,716 countMorgan County2,716Calhoun County: 2,472 countCalhoun County2,472Etowah County: 2,058 countEtowah County2,058Lauderdale County: 2,033 countLauderdale County2,033Marshall County: 2,021 countMarshall County2,021Cullman County: 1,785 countCullman County1,785St. Clair County: 1,419 countSt. Clair County1,419Limestone County: 1,365 countLimestone County1,365Walker County: 1,365 countWalker County1,365Talladega County: 1,325 countTalladega County1,325Elmore County: 1,309 countElmore County1,309Colbert County: 1,292 countColbert County1,292DeKalb County: 1,137 countDeKalb County1,137Coffee County: 1,050 countCoffee County1,050Jackson County: 961 countJackson County961Covington County: 898 countCovington County898Russell County: 870 countRussell County870Dale County: 869 countDale County869Dallas County: 847 countDallas County847Autauga County: 845 countAutauga County845Escambia County: 822 countEscambia County822Tallapoosa County: 796 countTallapoosa County796Chilton County: 757 countChilton County757Blount County: 735 countBlount County735Pike County: 696 countPike County696Clarke County: 659 countClarke County659Marion County: 617 countMarion County617Chambers County: 590 countChambers County590Franklin County: 564 countFranklin County564Barbour County: 561 countBarbour County561Marengo County: 505 countMarengo County505Jefferson County: 17,731 countJefferson County17,731Mobile County: 9,675 countMobile County9,675Madison County: 9,150 countMadison County9,150Montgomery County: 6,325 countMontgomery County6,325Baldwin County: 5,596 countBaldwin County5,596Shelby County: 5,468 countShelby County5,468Tuscaloosa County: 4,363 countTuscaloosa County4,363Lee County: 2,940 countLee County2,940Houston County: 2,885 countHouston County2,885Morgan County: 2,716 countMorgan County2,716Calhoun County: 2,472 countCalhoun County2,472Etowah County: 2,058 countEtowah County2,058Lauderdale County: 2,033 countLauderdale County2,033Marshall County: 2,021 countMarshall County2,021Cullman County: 1,785 countCullman County1,785St. Clair County: 1,419 countSt. Clair County1,419Limestone County: 1,365 countLimestone County1,365Walker County: 1,365 countWalker County1,365Talladega County: 1,325 countTalladega County1,325Elmore County: 1,309 countElmore County1,309Colbert County: 1,292 countColbert County1,292DeKalb County: 1,137 countDeKalb County1,137Coffee County: 1,050 countCoffee County1,050Jackson County: 961 countJackson County961Covington County: 898 countCovington County898Russell County: 870 countRussell County870Dale County: 869 countDale County869Dallas County: 847 countDallas County847Autauga County: 845 countAutauga County845Escambia County: 822 countEscambia County822Tallapoosa County: 796 countTallapoosa County796Chilton County: 757 countChilton County757Blount County: 735 countBlount County735Pike County: 696 countPike County696Clarke County: 659 countClarke County659Marion County: 617 countMarion County617Chambers County: 590 countChambers County590Franklin County: 564 countFranklin County564Barbour County: 561 countBarbour County561Marengo County: 505 countMarengo County505
count. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
count
Change on 2014
1Jefferson County17,731+0.1%
2Mobile County9,675+1.4%
3Madison County9,150+1.5%
4Montgomery County6,325+0.2%
5Baldwin County5,596+3.6%
6Shelby County5,468+8.4%
7Tuscaloosa County4,363+1.7%
8Lee County2,940+4.1%
9Houston County2,885+0.4%
10Morgan County2,716+0.9%
11Calhoun County2,472+0.5%
12Etowah County2,058-0.7%
13Lauderdale County2,033+0.4%
14Marshall County2,021+0.6%
15Cullman County1,785+0.7%
16St. Clair County1,419+3.4%
17Limestone County1,365+0.5%
17Walker County1,365+1%
19Talladega County1,325-0.7%
20Elmore County1,309+2.2%
21Colbert County1,292-0.3%
22DeKalb County1,1370%
23Coffee County1,050+1.9%
24Jackson County961-0.9%
25Covington County898-0.4%
26Russell County870+0.3%
27Dale County869+0.2%
28Dallas County847-1.9%
29Autauga County845+2.8%
30Escambia County822+0.9%
31Tallapoosa County796+0.9%
32Chilton County757+2.9%
33Blount County735+2.8%
34Pike County696+1.5%
35Clarke County659-2.5%
36Marion County617+0.8%
37Chambers County590+2.3%
38Franklin County5640%
39Barbour County561-1.2%
40Marengo County505-1.4%
41Geneva County486+0.4%
42Butler County476+1.7%
43Winston County468-0.6%
44Monroe County437+2.6%
45Lawrence County430-1.6%
46Cherokee County412+0.5%
47Randolph County370+2.2%
48Bibb County338-1.5%
49Fayette County333+1.5%
50Henry County331+2.8%
51Pickens County327-2.1%
52Choctaw County2840%
53Lamar County276+0.7%
54Hale County273-2.2%
55Crenshaw County255+2%
56Conecuh County253+1.2%
57Washington County245+1.2%
58Macon County236-0.8%
59Sumter County234-4.9%
60Wilcox County2310%
61Clay County210-0.9%
62Cleburne County2050%
63Lowndes County157+4%
64Perry County152+0.7%
65Greene County150-0.7%
66Bullock County145-0.7%
67Coosa County117-0.8%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of establishments with jobs covered by unemployment insurance during the year, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. An establishment is a single place of business, such as a factory, store or office; a company with several locations has several.

Counts places of business, not firms: for firms use employer_firms. Changes in how large employers report their locations can move the count without any change in activity.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Alabama by business establishments (QCEW), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Alabama by business establishments (QCEW), 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/alabama-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Alabama by business establishments (QCEW), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/alabama-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Alabama by business establishments (QCEW), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/alabama-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_alabama_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Alabama by business establishments (QCEW), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/alabama-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Alabama by business establishments (QCEW), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/alabama-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/alabama-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Alabama by business establishments (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"establishments_qcew","level":"province","within":"Alabama","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=establishments_qcew&level=province&within=Alabama&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

Jefferson County, with 17,731 in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Coosa County, with 117 in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Business establishments (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Alabama: more rankings