Counties in Arkansas by business establishments (QCEW)

Pulaski County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 75 counties in 2017, at 14,323. Calhoun County had the lowest, at 103. The median was 510 and the figure for Arkansas was 89,291. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest14,323Pulaski County
Median51075 counties
Arkansas89,291History

Map of counties, 2017

Arkansas County: 777 countAshley County: 570 countBaxter County: 1,228 countBenton County: 6,411 countBoone County: 971 countBradley County: 373 countCalhoun County: 103 countCarroll County: 808 countChicot County: 528 countClark County: 638 countClay County: 387 countCleburne County: 667 countCleveland County: 131 countColumbia County: 716 countConway County: 538 countCraighead County: 2,852 countCrawford County: 1,255 countCrittenden County: 1,253 countCross County: 488 countDallas County: 252 countDesha County: 566 countDrew County: 547 countFaulkner County: 2,820 countFranklin County: 371 countFulton County: 201 countGarland County: 3,120 countGrant County: 353 countGreene County: 902 countHempstead County: 514 countHot Spring County: 643 countHoward County: 365 countIndependence County: 908 countIzard County: 268 countJackson County: 452 countJefferson County: 2,125 countJohnson County: 497 countLafayette County: 178 countLawrence County: 424 countLee County: 294 countLincoln County: 299 countLittle River County: 259 countLogan County: 510 countLonoke County: 1,293 countMadison County: 267 countMarion County: 288 countMiller County: 898 countMississippi County: 1,153 countMonroe County: 310 countMontgomery County: 175 countNevada County: 205 countNewton County: 131 countOuachita County: 665 countPerry County: 149 countPhillips County: 784 countPike County: 264 countPoinsett County: 526 countPolk County: 508 countPope County: 1,844 countPrairie County: 269 countPulaski County: 14,323 countRandolph County: 402 countSt. Francis County: 744 countSaline County: 2,028 countScott County: 185 countSearcy County: 174 countSebastian County: 3,693 countSevier County: 315 countSharp County: 406 countStone County: 278 countUnion County: 1,306 countVan Buren County: 357 countWashington County: 5,943 countWhite County: 1,812 countWoodruff County: 213 countYell County: 425 count
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 500
  • 500 to 700
  • 700 to 1,300
  • 1,300 and over
count, 2017. 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, 2017

Pulaski County: 14,323 countPulaski County14,323Benton County: 6,411 countBenton County6,411Washington County: 5,943 countWashington County5,943Sebastian County: 3,693 countSebastian County3,693Garland County: 3,120 countGarland County3,120Craighead County: 2,852 countCraighead County2,852Faulkner County: 2,820 countFaulkner County2,820Jefferson County: 2,125 countJefferson County2,125Saline County: 2,028 countSaline County2,028Pope County: 1,844 countPope County1,844White County: 1,812 countWhite County1,812Union County: 1,306 countUnion County1,306Lonoke County: 1,293 countLonoke County1,293Crawford County: 1,255 countCrawford County1,255Crittenden County: 1,253 countCrittenden County1,253Baxter County: 1,228 countBaxter County1,228Mississippi County: 1,153 countMississippi County1,153Boone County: 971 countBoone County971Independence County: 908 countIndependence County908Greene County: 902 countGreene County902Miller County: 898 countMiller County898Carroll County: 808 countCarroll County808Phillips County: 784 countPhillips County784Arkansas County: 777 countArkansas County777St. Francis County: 744 countSt. Francis County744Columbia County: 716 countColumbia County716Cleburne County: 667 countCleburne County667Ouachita County: 665 countOuachita County665Hot Spring County: 643 countHot Spring County643Clark County: 638 countClark County638Ashley County: 570 countAshley County570Desha County: 566 countDesha County566Drew County: 547 countDrew County547Conway County: 538 countConway County538Chicot County: 528 countChicot County528Poinsett County: 526 countPoinsett County526Hempstead County: 514 countHempstead County514Logan County: 510 countLogan County510Polk County: 508 countPolk County508Johnson County: 497 countJohnson County497Pulaski County: 14,323 countPulaski County14,323Benton County: 6,411 countBenton County6,411Washington County: 5,943 countWashington County5,943Sebastian County: 3,693 countSebastian County3,693Garland County: 3,120 countGarland County3,120Craighead County: 2,852 countCraighead County2,852Faulkner County: 2,820 countFaulkner County2,820Jefferson County: 2,125 countJefferson County2,125Saline County: 2,028 countSaline County2,028Pope County: 1,844 countPope County1,844White County: 1,812 countWhite County1,812Union County: 1,306 countUnion County1,306Lonoke County: 1,293 countLonoke County1,293Crawford County: 1,255 countCrawford County1,255Crittenden County: 1,253 countCrittenden County1,253Baxter County: 1,228 countBaxter County1,228Mississippi County: 1,153 countMississippi County1,153Boone County: 971 countBoone County971Independence County: 908 countIndependence County908Greene County: 902 countGreene County902Miller County: 898 countMiller County898Carroll County: 808 countCarroll County808Phillips County: 784 countPhillips County784Arkansas County: 777 countArkansas County777St. Francis County: 744 countSt. Francis County744Columbia County: 716 countColumbia County716Cleburne County: 667 countCleburne County667Ouachita County: 665 countOuachita County665Hot Spring County: 643 countHot Spring County643Clark County: 638 countClark County638Ashley County: 570 countAshley County570Desha County: 566 countDesha County566Drew County: 547 countDrew County547Conway County: 538 countConway County538Chicot County: 528 countChicot County528Poinsett County: 526 countPoinsett County526Hempstead County: 514 countHempstead County514Logan County: 510 countLogan County510Polk County: 508 countPolk County508Johnson County: 497 countJohnson County497
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

RankCounties2017
count
Change on 2016
1Pulaski County14,3230%
2Benton County6,411+4.9%
3Washington County5,943+1.1%
4Sebastian County3,693+0.1%
5Garland County3,120+0.3%
6Craighead County2,852+1.9%
7Faulkner County2,820-0.1%
8Jefferson County2,125-0%
9Saline County2,028+2.7%
10Pope County1,844+1.1%
11White County1,812-0.7%
12Union County1,306-0.5%
13Lonoke County1,293-1.7%
14Crawford County1,255+0.8%
15Crittenden County1,253-2.4%
16Baxter County1,228+1.2%
17Mississippi County1,153-3.4%
18Boone County971-1.7%
19Independence County908-2%
20Greene County902+1.3%
21Miller County898+0.7%
22Carroll County808+1.6%
23Phillips County784-1.9%
24Arkansas County777-0.6%
25St. Francis County744-2%
26Columbia County716-1.9%
27Cleburne County667-0.9%
28Ouachita County665+0.9%
29Hot Spring County643+2.4%
30Clark County638+2.1%
31Ashley County570+0.7%
32Desha County566+2.2%
33Drew County547+1.9%
34Conway County538-3.9%
35Chicot County528+1.5%
36Poinsett County526-1.7%
37Hempstead County514-0.4%
38Logan County510-0.6%
39Polk County508+1.4%
40Johnson County497-3.1%
41Cross County488+1%
42Jackson County452-1.5%
43Yell County425+0.5%
44Lawrence County424-1.4%
45Sharp County406+1.8%
46Randolph County402-1%
47Clay County387-2.5%
48Bradley County373+2.5%
49Franklin County371-0.3%
50Howard County365+0.8%
51Van Buren County357-1.9%
52Grant County353+1.4%
53Sevier County315-3.4%
54Monroe County310-0.6%
55Lincoln County299+3.1%
56Lee County294-3%
57Marion County288+1.4%
58Stone County278-1.4%
59Prairie County269+0.4%
60Izard County268-0.7%
61Madison County267+2.3%
62Pike County264+1.1%
63Little River County259+4%
64Dallas County252-1.6%
65Woodruff County213-1.8%
66Nevada County205+1%
67Fulton County201+1%
68Scott County185-1.6%
69Lafayette County178-1.7%
70Montgomery County175-0.6%
71Searcy County174-3.3%
72Perry County149-0.7%
73Cleveland County131+4.8%
73Newton County131-0.8%
75Calhoun County103-1%

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/2017/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 Arkansas by business establishments (QCEW), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/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 Arkansas by business establishments (QCEW), 2017. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/arkansas-counties?period=2017. 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 Arkansas by business establishments (QCEW), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/arkansas-counties?period=2017.

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 Arkansas by business establishments (QCEW), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/arkansas-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_arkansas_by_2017,
  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 Arkansas by business establishments (QCEW), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/arkansas-counties?period=2017. 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/2017/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 Arkansas by business establishments (QCEW), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/arkansas-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/arkansas-counties?period=2017.
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/2017/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 Arkansas by business establishments (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"establishments_qcew","level":"province","within":"Arkansas","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=establishments_qcew&level=province&within=Arkansas&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)?

Pulaski County, with 14,323 in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Calhoun County, with 103 in 2017.

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 Arkansas: more rankings