Counties in Michigan by business establishments (QCEW)

Oakland County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 83 counties in 2016, at 39,147. Keweenaw County had the lowest, at 72. The median was 788 and the figure for Michigan was 241,084. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest39,147Oakland County
Median78883 counties
Michigan241,084History

Map of counties, 2016

Alcona County: 187 countAlger County: 225 countAllegan County: 2,159 countAlpena County: 788 countAntrim County: 518 countArenac County: 312 countBaraga County: 214 countBarry County: 854 countBay County: 2,118 countBenzie County: 437 countBerrien County: 3,466 countBranch County: 776 countCalhoun County: 2,276 countCass County: 737 countCharlevoix County: 778 countCheboygan County: 771 countChippewa County: 820 countClare County: 525 countClinton County: 1,186 countCrawford County: 281 countDelta County: 1,022 countDickinson County: 857 countEaton County: 1,847 countEmmet County: 1,382 countGenesee County: 6,864 countGladwin County: 392 countGogebic County: 402 countGrand Traverse County: 3,239 countGratiot County: 724 countHillsdale County: 786 countHoughton County: 868 countHuron County: 961 countIngham County: 6,023 countIonia County: 927 countIosco County: 566 countIron County: 369 countIsabella County: 1,326 countJackson County: 2,686 countKalamazoo County: 5,004 countKalkaska County: 320 countKent County: 14,230 countKeweenaw County: 72 countLake County: 151 countLapeer County: 1,502 countLeelanau County: 672 countLenawee County: 1,740 countLivingston County: 4,717 countLuce County: 186 countMackinac County: 455 countMacomb County: 17,575 countManistee County: 532 countMarquette County: 1,596 countMason County: 710 countMecosta County: 664 countMenominee County: 468 countMidland County: 2,742 countMissaukee County: 345 countMonroe County: 2,160 countMontcalm County: 990 countMontmorency County: 209 countMuskegon County: 2,855 countNewaygo County: 778 countOakland County: 39,147 countOceana County: 552 countOgemaw County: 510 countOntonagon County: 177 countOsceola County: 431 countOscoda County: 190 countOtsego County: 713 countOttawa County: 5,610 countPresque Isle County: 351 countRoscommon County: 521 countSaginaw County: 3,948 countSt. Clair County: 2,842 countSt. Joseph County: 3,959 countSanilac County: 849 countSchoolcraft County: 234 countShiawassee County: 1,098 countTuscola County: 830 countVan Buren County: 1,333 countWashtenaw County: 8,089 countWayne County: 30,513 countWexford County: 785 count
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 600
  • 600 to 800
  • 800 to 1,300
  • 1,300 to 3,000
  • 3,000 and over
count, 2016. 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, 2016

Oakland County: 39,147 countOakland County39,147Wayne County: 30,513 countWayne County30,513Macomb County: 17,575 countMacomb County17,575Kent County: 14,230 countKent County14,230Washtenaw County: 8,089 countWashtenaw County8,089Genesee County: 6,864 countGenesee County6,864Ingham County: 6,023 countIngham County6,023Ottawa County: 5,610 countOttawa County5,610Kalamazoo County: 5,004 countKalamazoo County5,004Livingston County: 4,717 countLivingston County4,717St. Joseph County: 3,959 countSt. Joseph County3,959Saginaw County: 3,948 countSaginaw County3,948Berrien County: 3,466 countBerrien County3,466Grand Traverse County: 3,239 countGrand Traverse County3,239Muskegon County: 2,855 countMuskegon County2,855St. Clair County: 2,842 countSt. Clair County2,842Midland County: 2,742 countMidland County2,742Jackson County: 2,686 countJackson County2,686Calhoun County: 2,276 countCalhoun County2,276Monroe County: 2,160 countMonroe County2,160Allegan County: 2,159 countAllegan County2,159Bay County: 2,118 countBay County2,118Eaton County: 1,847 countEaton County1,847Lenawee County: 1,740 countLenawee County1,740Marquette County: 1,596 countMarquette County1,596Lapeer County: 1,502 countLapeer County1,502Emmet County: 1,382 countEmmet County1,382Van Buren County: 1,333 countVan Buren County1,333Isabella County: 1,326 countIsabella County1,326Clinton County: 1,186 countClinton County1,186Shiawassee County: 1,098 countShiawassee County1,098Delta County: 1,022 countDelta County1,022Montcalm County: 990 countMontcalm County990Huron County: 961 countHuron County961Ionia County: 927 countIonia County927Houghton County: 868 countHoughton County868Dickinson County: 857 countDickinson County857Barry County: 854 countBarry County854Sanilac County: 849 countSanilac County849Tuscola County: 830 countTuscola County830Oakland County: 39,147 countOakland County39,147Wayne County: 30,513 countWayne County30,513Macomb County: 17,575 countMacomb County17,575Kent County: 14,230 countKent County14,230Washtenaw County: 8,089 countWashtenaw County8,089Genesee County: 6,864 countGenesee County6,864Ingham County: 6,023 countIngham County6,023Ottawa County: 5,610 countOttawa County5,610Kalamazoo County: 5,004 countKalamazoo County5,004Livingston County: 4,717 countLivingston County4,717St. Joseph County: 3,959 countSt. Joseph County3,959Saginaw County: 3,948 countSaginaw County3,948Berrien County: 3,466 countBerrien County3,466Grand Traverse County: 3,239 countGrand Traverse County3,239Muskegon County: 2,855 countMuskegon County2,855St. Clair County: 2,842 countSt. Clair County2,842Midland County: 2,742 countMidland County2,742Jackson County: 2,686 countJackson County2,686Calhoun County: 2,276 countCalhoun County2,276Monroe County: 2,160 countMonroe County2,160Allegan County: 2,159 countAllegan County2,159Bay County: 2,118 countBay County2,118Eaton County: 1,847 countEaton County1,847Lenawee County: 1,740 countLenawee County1,740Marquette County: 1,596 countMarquette County1,596Lapeer County: 1,502 countLapeer County1,502Emmet County: 1,382 countEmmet County1,382Van Buren County: 1,333 countVan Buren County1,333Isabella County: 1,326 countIsabella County1,326Clinton County: 1,186 countClinton County1,186Shiawassee County: 1,098 countShiawassee County1,098Delta County: 1,022 countDelta County1,022Montcalm County: 990 countMontcalm County990Huron County: 961 countHuron County961Ionia County: 927 countIonia County927Houghton County: 868 countHoughton County868Dickinson County: 857 countDickinson County857Barry County: 854 countBarry County854Sanilac County: 849 countSanilac County849Tuscola County: 830 countTuscola County830
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

RankCounties2016
count
Change on 2015
1Oakland County39,147+2%
2Wayne County30,513+0.6%
3Macomb County17,575+1.5%
4Kent County14,230+1.6%
5Washtenaw County8,089-0%
6Genesee County6,864-0.9%
7Ingham County6,023+0.3%
8Ottawa County5,610+1.3%
9Kalamazoo County5,004-0.7%
10Livingston County4,717+7.6%
11St. Joseph County3,959+26.2%
12Saginaw County3,948-1.2%
13Berrien County3,466-2.2%
14Grand Traverse County3,239+0.7%
15Muskegon County2,855-1%
16St. Clair County2,842-0.1%
17Midland County2,742+12.8%
18Jackson County2,686+1.1%
19Calhoun County2,276-2.4%
20Monroe County2,160-1.4%
21Allegan County2,159-0.6%
22Bay County2,118-1.4%
23Eaton County1,847+2.2%
24Lenawee County1,740-2.1%
25Marquette County1,596-1%
26Lapeer County1,502+2%
27Emmet County1,382+1.5%
28Van Buren County1,333+0.2%
29Isabella County1,326-0.5%
30Clinton County1,186+1.1%
31Shiawassee County1,098-0.3%
32Delta County1,022-0.8%
33Montcalm County990+0.9%
34Huron County961+0.1%
35Ionia County927+0.2%
36Houghton County868-2.6%
37Dickinson County857-1.4%
38Barry County854+1.8%
39Sanilac County849-0.1%
40Tuscola County830-0.6%
41Chippewa County820-1.2%
42Alpena County788+5.2%
43Hillsdale County786-0.1%
44Wexford County785+1.6%
45Charlevoix County778-1.4%
45Newaygo County778-0.3%
47Branch County776+2%
48Cheboygan County771-0.1%
49Cass County737+0.8%
50Gratiot County724-1%
51Otsego County713+1.9%
52Mason County710-1.4%
53Leelanau County672+1.8%
54Mecosta County664-1.3%
55Iosco County566+0.2%
56Oceana County552-3.5%
57Manistee County532+0.6%
58Clare County525+1.5%
59Roscommon County521-1.5%
60Antrim County518-0.6%
61Ogemaw County510-1.2%
62Menominee County468-1.3%
63Mackinac County455-3.2%
64Benzie County437-0.2%
65Osceola County431-2.5%
66Gogebic County402-2.7%
67Gladwin County392-1.3%
68Iron County369-1.6%
69Presque Isle County351-0.6%
70Missaukee County345+6.2%
71Kalkaska County320-0.3%
72Arenac County312-2.2%
73Crawford County281-2.4%
74Schoolcraft County234+2.6%
75Alger County225-1.7%
76Baraga County214-4.9%
77Montmorency County209-0.9%
78Oscoda County190-2.1%
79Alcona County187-4.6%
80Luce County186-0.5%
81Ontonagon County177-4.3%
82Lake County1510%
83Keweenaw County72-1.4%

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/2016/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), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/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), 2016. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/michigan-counties?period=2016. 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), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/michigan-counties?period=2016.

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), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/michigan-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_michigan_by_2016,
  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), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/michigan-counties?period=2016. 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/2016/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), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/michigan-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/michigan-counties?period=2016.
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/2016/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 39,147 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Keweenaw County, with 72 in 2016.

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