Counties in Michigan by business establishments (QCEW)

Oakland County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 83 counties in 2015, at 38,397. Keweenaw County had the lowest, at 73. The median was 789 and the figure for Michigan was 238,969. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest38,397Oakland County
Median78983 counties
Michigan238,969History

Map of counties, 2015

Alcona County: 196 countAlger County: 229 countAllegan County: 2,171 countAlpena County: 749 countAntrim County: 521 countArenac County: 319 countBaraga County: 225 countBarry County: 839 countBay County: 2,148 countBenzie County: 438 countBerrien County: 3,543 countBranch County: 761 countCalhoun County: 2,332 countCass County: 731 countCharlevoix County: 789 countCheboygan County: 772 countChippewa County: 830 countClare County: 517 countClinton County: 1,173 countCrawford County: 288 countDelta County: 1,030 countDickinson County: 869 countEaton County: 1,807 countEmmet County: 1,362 countGenesee County: 6,924 countGladwin County: 397 countGogebic County: 413 countGrand Traverse County: 3,216 countGratiot County: 731 countHillsdale County: 787 countHoughton County: 891 countHuron County: 960 countIngham County: 6,004 countIonia County: 925 countIosco County: 565 countIron County: 375 countIsabella County: 1,332 countJackson County: 2,658 countKalamazoo County: 5,040 countKalkaska County: 321 countKent County: 14,009 countKeweenaw County: 73 countLake County: 151 countLapeer County: 1,472 countLeelanau County: 660 countLenawee County: 1,778 countLivingston County: 4,382 countLuce County: 187 countMackinac County: 470 countMacomb County: 17,315 countManistee County: 529 countMarquette County: 1,612 countMason County: 720 countMecosta County: 673 countMenominee County: 474 countMidland County: 2,431 countMissaukee County: 325 countMonroe County: 2,190 countMontcalm County: 981 countMontmorency County: 211 countMuskegon County: 2,883 countNewaygo County: 780 countOakland County: 38,397 countOceana County: 572 countOgemaw County: 516 countOntonagon County: 185 countOsceola County: 442 countOscoda County: 194 countOtsego County: 700 countOttawa County: 5,538 countPresque Isle County: 353 countRoscommon County: 529 countSaginaw County: 3,995 countSt. Clair County: 2,846 countSt. Joseph County: 3,136 countSanilac County: 850 countSchoolcraft County: 228 countShiawassee County: 1,101 countTuscola County: 835 countVan Buren County: 1,331 countWashtenaw County: 8,090 countWayne County: 30,327 countWexford County: 773 count
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 600
  • 600 to 800
  • 800 to 1,300
  • 1,300 to 3,000
  • 3,000 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

Oakland County: 38,397 countOakland County38,397Wayne County: 30,327 countWayne County30,327Macomb County: 17,315 countMacomb County17,315Kent County: 14,009 countKent County14,009Washtenaw County: 8,090 countWashtenaw County8,090Genesee County: 6,924 countGenesee County6,924Ingham County: 6,004 countIngham County6,004Ottawa County: 5,538 countOttawa County5,538Kalamazoo County: 5,040 countKalamazoo County5,040Livingston County: 4,382 countLivingston County4,382Saginaw County: 3,995 countSaginaw County3,995Berrien County: 3,543 countBerrien County3,543Grand Traverse County: 3,216 countGrand Traverse County3,216St. Joseph County: 3,136 countSt. Joseph County3,136Muskegon County: 2,883 countMuskegon County2,883St. Clair County: 2,846 countSt. Clair County2,846Jackson County: 2,658 countJackson County2,658Midland County: 2,431 countMidland County2,431Calhoun County: 2,332 countCalhoun County2,332Monroe County: 2,190 countMonroe County2,190Allegan County: 2,171 countAllegan County2,171Bay County: 2,148 countBay County2,148Eaton County: 1,807 countEaton County1,807Lenawee County: 1,778 countLenawee County1,778Marquette County: 1,612 countMarquette County1,612Lapeer County: 1,472 countLapeer County1,472Emmet County: 1,362 countEmmet County1,362Isabella County: 1,332 countIsabella County1,332Van Buren County: 1,331 countVan Buren County1,331Clinton County: 1,173 countClinton County1,173Shiawassee County: 1,101 countShiawassee County1,101Delta County: 1,030 countDelta County1,030Montcalm County: 981 countMontcalm County981Huron County: 960 countHuron County960Ionia County: 925 countIonia County925Houghton County: 891 countHoughton County891Dickinson County: 869 countDickinson County869Sanilac County: 850 countSanilac County850Barry County: 839 countBarry County839Tuscola County: 835 countTuscola County835Oakland County: 38,397 countOakland County38,397Wayne County: 30,327 countWayne County30,327Macomb County: 17,315 countMacomb County17,315Kent County: 14,009 countKent County14,009Washtenaw County: 8,090 countWashtenaw County8,090Genesee County: 6,924 countGenesee County6,924Ingham County: 6,004 countIngham County6,004Ottawa County: 5,538 countOttawa County5,538Kalamazoo County: 5,040 countKalamazoo County5,040Livingston County: 4,382 countLivingston County4,382Saginaw County: 3,995 countSaginaw County3,995Berrien County: 3,543 countBerrien County3,543Grand Traverse County: 3,216 countGrand Traverse County3,216St. Joseph County: 3,136 countSt. Joseph County3,136Muskegon County: 2,883 countMuskegon County2,883St. Clair County: 2,846 countSt. Clair County2,846Jackson County: 2,658 countJackson County2,658Midland County: 2,431 countMidland County2,431Calhoun County: 2,332 countCalhoun County2,332Monroe County: 2,190 countMonroe County2,190Allegan County: 2,171 countAllegan County2,171Bay County: 2,148 countBay County2,148Eaton County: 1,807 countEaton County1,807Lenawee County: 1,778 countLenawee County1,778Marquette County: 1,612 countMarquette County1,612Lapeer County: 1,472 countLapeer County1,472Emmet County: 1,362 countEmmet County1,362Isabella County: 1,332 countIsabella County1,332Van Buren County: 1,331 countVan Buren County1,331Clinton County: 1,173 countClinton County1,173Shiawassee County: 1,101 countShiawassee County1,101Delta County: 1,030 countDelta County1,030Montcalm County: 981 countMontcalm County981Huron County: 960 countHuron County960Ionia County: 925 countIonia County925Houghton County: 891 countHoughton County891Dickinson County: 869 countDickinson County869Sanilac County: 850 countSanilac County850Barry County: 839 countBarry County839Tuscola County: 835 countTuscola County835
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
1Oakland County38,397+0.6%
2Wayne County30,327-0.6%
3Macomb County17,315+0.6%
4Kent County14,009+0.5%
5Washtenaw County8,090-0.1%
6Genesee County6,924-1.6%
7Ingham County6,004-1.6%
8Ottawa County5,538+0.1%
9Kalamazoo County5,040-1.5%
10Livingston County4,382+4.3%
11Saginaw County3,995-1.6%
12Berrien County3,543-1.6%
13Grand Traverse County3,216+0.8%
14St. Joseph County3,136+37.2%
15Muskegon County2,883-3.1%
16St. Clair County2,846-2.6%
17Jackson County2,658-2.5%
18Midland County2,431+10.8%
19Calhoun County2,332-2.9%
20Monroe County2,190-2.6%
21Allegan County2,171+0.7%
22Bay County2,148-2.3%
23Eaton County1,807+1.3%
24Lenawee County1,778-1.2%
25Marquette County1,612-0.6%
26Lapeer County1,472+0.3%
27Emmet County1,362-1.6%
28Isabella County1,332-0.6%
29Van Buren County1,331-2.8%
30Clinton County1,173+1.6%
31Shiawassee County1,101+0.3%
32Delta County1,030-2.8%
33Montcalm County981-1.1%
34Huron County960-2%
35Ionia County925+0.7%
36Houghton County891-0.3%
37Dickinson County869-1.8%
38Sanilac County850-2.7%
39Barry County839+0.1%
40Tuscola County835-3.4%
41Chippewa County830+0.4%
42Charlevoix County789-2.6%
43Hillsdale County787-1.9%
44Newaygo County780-0.6%
45Wexford County773-1.9%
46Cheboygan County772-3.4%
47Branch County761+0.1%
48Alpena County749-0.4%
49Cass County731-0.8%
49Gratiot County731-0.5%
51Mason County720-0.3%
52Otsego County700+0.9%
53Mecosta County673-1.5%
54Leelanau County660-0.5%
55Oceana County572-1.7%
56Iosco County565-0.7%
57Manistee County529-2.6%
57Roscommon County529-1.1%
59Antrim County521-1.3%
60Clare County517-1.7%
61Ogemaw County516-3.2%
62Menominee County474-1.3%
63Mackinac County470-2.9%
64Osceola County442+0.2%
65Benzie County438-2.4%
66Gogebic County413-4%
67Gladwin County397-1.7%
68Iron County375+0.5%
69Presque Isle County353-2.5%
70Missaukee County325+5.2%
71Kalkaska County321-3.3%
72Arenac County319-1.5%
73Crawford County288-2%
74Alger County229-3%
75Schoolcraft County228+0.4%
76Baraga County225-4.7%
77Montmorency County211-3.2%
78Alcona County196-4.9%
79Oscoda County194-2.5%
80Luce County187+2.2%
81Ontonagon County185-2.1%
82Lake County151-5%
83Keweenaw County73-2.7%

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 Michigan 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 Michigan 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/michigan-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 Michigan 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/michigan-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 Michigan 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/michigan-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_michigan_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 Michigan 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/michigan-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 Michigan 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/michigan-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/michigan-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  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

Oakland County, with 38,397 in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Keweenaw County, with 73 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 Michigan: more rankings