Data / Rankings / Business establishments (QCEW) / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by business establishments (QCEW)

Polk County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 99 counties in 2024, at 20,581. Adams County had the lowest, at 148. The median was 541 and the figure for Iowa was 111,801. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest20,581Polk County
Lowest148Adams County
Median54199 counties
Iowa111,801History

Map of counties, 2024

Adair County: 332 countAdams County: 148 countAllamakee County: 472 countAppanoose County: 410 countAudubon County: 239 countBenton County: 720 countBlack Hawk County: 3,947 countBoone County: 749 countBremer County: 749 countBuchanan County: 638 countBuena Vista County: 610 countButler County: 424 countCalhoun County: 325 countCarroll County: 968 countCass County: 541 countCedar County: 588 countCerro Gordo County: 1,681 countCherokee County: 452 countChickasaw County: 430 countClarke County: 248 countClay County: 742 countClayton County: 614 countClinton County: 1,498 countCrawford County: 514 countDallas County: 3,600 countDavis County: 256 countDecatur County: 224 countDelaware County: 606 countDes Moines County: 1,405 countDickinson County: 958 countDubuque County: 3,728 countEmmet County: 330 countFayette County: 680 countFloyd County: 478 countFranklin County: 364 countFremont County: 285 countGreene County: 310 countGrundy County: 389 countGuthrie County: 395 countHamilton County: 487 countHancock County: 379 countHardin County: 650 countHarrison County: 472 countHenry County: 638 countHoward County: 341 countHumboldt County: 367 countIda County: 302 countIowa County: 708 countJackson County: 674 countJasper County: 984 countJefferson County: 795 countJohnson County: 5,140 countJones County: 667 countKeokuk County: 316 countKossuth County: 644 countLee County: 1,061 countLinn County: 7,760 countLouisa County: 281 countLucas County: 252 countLyon County: 553 countMadison County: 566 countMahaska County: 625 countMarion County: 1,062 countMarshall County: 1,026 countMills County: 458 countMitchell County: 372 countMonona County: 299 countMonroe County: 254 countMontgomery County: 378 countMuscatine County: 1,233 countO'Brien County: 626 countOsceola County: 272 countPage County: 482 countPalo Alto County: 336 countPlymouth County: 878 countPocahontas County: 265 countPolk County: 20,581 countPottawattamie County: 2,746 countPoweshiek County: 699 countRinggold County: 182 countSac County: 392 countScott County: 6,239 countShelby County: 444 countSioux County: 1,576 countStory County: 3,066 countTama County: 440 countTaylor County: 192 countUnion County: 459 countVan Buren County: 224 countWapello County: 887 countWarren County: 1,410 countWashington County: 858 countWayne County: 185 countWebster County: 1,198 countWinnebago County: 393 countWinneshiek County: 767 countWoodbury County: 3,308 countWorth County: 233 countWright County: 468 count
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 500
  • 500 to 700
  • 700 to 1,200
  • 1,200 and over
count, 2024. 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, 2024

Polk County: 20,581 countPolk County20,581Linn County: 7,760 countLinn County7,760Scott County: 6,239 countScott County6,239Johnson County: 5,140 countJohnson County5,140Black Hawk County: 3,947 countBlack Hawk County3,947Dubuque County: 3,728 countDubuque County3,728Dallas County: 3,600 countDallas County3,600Woodbury County: 3,308 countWoodbury County3,308Story County: 3,066 countStory County3,066Pottawattamie County: 2,746 countPottawattamie County2,746Cerro Gordo County: 1,681 countCerro Gordo County1,681Sioux County: 1,576 countSioux County1,576Clinton County: 1,498 countClinton County1,498Warren County: 1,410 countWarren County1,410Des Moines County: 1,405 countDes Moines County1,405Muscatine County: 1,233 countMuscatine County1,233Webster County: 1,198 countWebster County1,198Marion County: 1,062 countMarion County1,062Lee County: 1,061 countLee County1,061Marshall County: 1,026 countMarshall County1,026Jasper County: 984 countJasper County984Carroll County: 968 countCarroll County968Dickinson County: 958 countDickinson County958Wapello County: 887 countWapello County887Plymouth County: 878 countPlymouth County878Washington County: 858 countWashington County858Jefferson County: 795 countJefferson County795Winneshiek County: 767 countWinneshiek County767Boone County: 749 countBoone County749Bremer County: 749 countBremer County749Clay County: 742 countClay County742Benton County: 720 countBenton County720Iowa County: 708 countIowa County708Poweshiek County: 699 countPoweshiek County699Fayette County: 680 countFayette County680Jackson County: 674 countJackson County674Jones County: 667 countJones County667Hardin County: 650 countHardin County650Kossuth County: 644 countKossuth County644Buchanan County: 638 countBuchanan County638Polk County: 20,581 countPolk County20,581Linn County: 7,760 countLinn County7,760Scott County: 6,239 countScott County6,239Johnson County: 5,140 countJohnson County5,140Black Hawk County: 3,947 countBlack Hawk County3,947Dubuque County: 3,728 countDubuque County3,728Dallas County: 3,600 countDallas County3,600Woodbury County: 3,308 countWoodbury County3,308Story County: 3,066 countStory County3,066Pottawattamie County: 2,746 countPottawattamie County2,746Cerro Gordo County: 1,681 countCerro Gordo County1,681Sioux County: 1,576 countSioux County1,576Clinton County: 1,498 countClinton County1,498Warren County: 1,410 countWarren County1,410Des Moines County: 1,405 countDes Moines County1,405Muscatine County: 1,233 countMuscatine County1,233Webster County: 1,198 countWebster County1,198Marion County: 1,062 countMarion County1,062Lee County: 1,061 countLee County1,061Marshall County: 1,026 countMarshall County1,026Jasper County: 984 countJasper County984Carroll County: 968 countCarroll County968Dickinson County: 958 countDickinson County958Wapello County: 887 countWapello County887Plymouth County: 878 countPlymouth County878Washington County: 858 countWashington County858Jefferson County: 795 countJefferson County795Winneshiek County: 767 countWinneshiek County767Boone County: 749 countBoone County749Bremer County: 749 countBremer County749Clay County: 742 countClay County742Benton County: 720 countBenton County720Iowa County: 708 countIowa County708Poweshiek County: 699 countPoweshiek County699Fayette County: 680 countFayette County680Jackson County: 674 countJackson County674Jones County: 667 countJones County667Hardin County: 650 countHardin County650Kossuth County: 644 countKossuth County644Buchanan County: 638 countBuchanan County638
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

RankCounties2024
count		Change on 2023
1Polk County20,581+1.5%
2Linn County7,760+0.4%
3Scott County6,239+1.9%
4Johnson County5,140+0.4%
5Black Hawk County3,947+0.8%
6Dubuque County3,728+0.6%
7Dallas County3,600+5.3%
8Woodbury County3,308-0.3%
9Story County3,066+1.4%
10Pottawattamie County2,746+2.1%
11Cerro Gordo County1,681+0.2%
12Sioux County1,576-0.2%
13Clinton County1,498+1.4%
14Warren County1,410+2.4%
15Des Moines County1,405+0.5%
16Muscatine County1,2330%
17Webster County1,198+0.6%
18Marion County1,062-0.2%
19Lee County1,061+0.3%
20Marshall County1,026-2.8%
21Jasper County984-0.8%
22Carroll County968-0.5%
23Dickinson County958+0.7%
24Wapello County887+0.8%
25Plymouth County878+0.2%
26Washington County858+2%
27Jefferson County795-2%
28Winneshiek County767+0.5%
29Boone County7490%
29Bremer County749+2.9%
31Clay County742-0.9%
32Benton County720+1.8%
33Iowa County708+1.4%
34Poweshiek County699-1.3%
35Fayette County6800%
36Jackson County674-3.6%
37Jones County667+0.8%
38Hardin County650-0.8%
39Kossuth County644+1.6%
40Buchanan County638-0.3%
40Henry County638+0.3%
42O'Brien County626-0.3%
43Mahaska County625-1.4%
44Clayton County614-0.8%
45Buena Vista County610-1.5%
46Delaware County606-1.5%
47Cedar County588-0.5%
48Madison County566+0.2%
49Lyon County553+1.5%
50Cass County541-3.2%
51Crawford County514-1.2%
52Hamilton County487-0.2%
53Page County482-1%
54Floyd County478-1.2%
55Allamakee County472+1.7%
55Harrison County472+0.9%
57Wright County468-1.1%
58Union County459+1.8%
59Mills County458+3.2%
60Cherokee County452-0.4%
61Shelby County444-2.2%
62Tama County440-2.2%
63Chickasaw County430-1.8%
64Butler County424-2.3%
65Appanoose County410+2.8%
66Guthrie County395+1%
67Winnebago County393-1.8%
68Sac County392+0.5%
69Grundy County389-0.5%
70Hancock County379-0.5%
71Montgomery County378-4.1%
72Mitchell County372-0.8%
73Humboldt County367-0.3%
74Franklin County364-3.2%
75Howard County341+4%
76Palo Alto County3360%
77Adair County332-0.3%
78Emmet County330+1.5%
79Calhoun County325-0.3%
80Keokuk County316-3.4%
81Greene County310-2.2%
82Ida County302+0.3%
83Monona County299-4.2%
84Fremont County285-1%
85Louisa County281-0.7%
86Osceola County272-0.4%
87Pocahontas County265-1.9%
88Davis County256-0.4%
89Monroe County2540%
90Lucas County252-0.4%
91Clarke County248-2%
92Audubon County239+0.4%
93Worth County233+2.6%
94Decatur County2240%
94Van Buren County224+1.8%
96Taylor County192-1.5%
97Wayne County1850%
98Ringgold County182-2.2%
99Adams County148-12.9%

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/2024/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 Iowa by business establishments (QCEW), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/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 Iowa by business establishments (QCEW), 2024. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/iowa-counties?period=2024. 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 Iowa by business establishments (QCEW), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/iowa-counties?period=2024.

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 Iowa by business establishments (QCEW), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/iowa-counties?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_iowa_by_2024,
  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 Iowa by business establishments (QCEW), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/iowa-counties?period=2024. 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/2024/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 Iowa by business establishments (QCEW), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/iowa-counties?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/iowa-counties?period=2024.
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/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Iowa by business establishments (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

Polk County, with 20,581 in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Adams County, with 148 in 2024.

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 Iowa: more rankings