Counties in Minnesota by business establishments (QCEW)

Hennepin County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 87 counties in 2014, at 39,584. Mahnomen County had the lowest, at 114. The median was 615 and the figure for Minnesota was 164,799. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest39,584Hennepin County
Median61587 counties
Minnesota164,799History

Map of counties, 2014

Aitkin County: 438 countAnoka County: 6,926 countBecker County: 1,035 countBeltrami County: 1,193 countBenton County: 935 countBig Stone County: 207 countBlue Earth County: 1,947 countBrown County: 807 countCarlton County: 746 countCarver County: 2,274 countCass County: 829 countChippewa County: 429 countChisago County: 1,123 countClay County: 1,312 countClearwater County: 217 countCook County: 299 countCottonwood County: 394 countCrow Wing County: 2,084 countDakota County: 9,622 countDodge County: 444 countDouglas County: 1,341 countFaribault County: 452 countFillmore County: 643 countFreeborn County: 809 countGoodhue County: 1,332 countGrant County: 250 countHennepin County: 39,584 countHouston County: 428 countHubbard County: 591 countIsanti County: 764 countItasca County: 1,184 countJackson County: 354 countKanabec County: 295 countKandiyohi County: 1,348 countKittson County: 186 countKoochiching County: 417 countLac qui Parle County: 222 countLake County: 313 countLake of the Woods County: 174 countLe Sueur County: 703 countLincoln County: 224 countLyon County: 829 countMcLeod County: 984 countMahnomen County: 114 countMarshall County: 309 countMartin County: 677 countMeeker County: 588 countMille Lacs County: 693 countMorrison County: 946 countMower County: 860 countMurray County: 334 countNicollet County: 677 countNobles County: 624 countNorman County: 241 countOlmsted County: 3,371 countOtter Tail County: 1,750 countPennington County: 423 countPine County: 615 countPipestone County: 345 countPolk County: 965 countPope County: 343 countRamsey County: 13,272 countRed Lake County: 126 countRedwood County: 548 countRenville County: 575 countRice County: 1,491 countRock County: 303 countRoseau County: 437 countSt. Louis County: 5,247 countScott County: 3,007 countSherburne County: 1,859 countSibley County: 383 countStearns County: 4,255 countSteele County: 935 countStevens County: 356 countSwift County: 327 countTodd County: 559 countTraverse County: 144 countWabasha County: 607 countWadena County: 428 countWaseca County: 502 countWashington County: 5,305 countWatonwan County: 312 countWilkin County: 211 countWinona County: 1,166 countWright County: 3,018 countYellow Medicine County: 344 count
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 600
  • 600 to 900
  • 900 to 1,700
  • 1,700 and over
count, 2014. 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, 2014

Hennepin County: 39,584 countHennepin County39,584Ramsey County: 13,272 countRamsey County13,272Dakota County: 9,622 countDakota County9,622Anoka County: 6,926 countAnoka County6,926Washington County: 5,305 countWashington County5,305St. Louis County: 5,247 countSt. Louis County5,247Stearns County: 4,255 countStearns County4,255Olmsted County: 3,371 countOlmsted County3,371Wright County: 3,018 countWright County3,018Scott County: 3,007 countScott County3,007Carver County: 2,274 countCarver County2,274Crow Wing County: 2,084 countCrow Wing County2,084Blue Earth County: 1,947 countBlue Earth County1,947Sherburne County: 1,859 countSherburne County1,859Otter Tail County: 1,750 countOtter Tail County1,750Rice County: 1,491 countRice County1,491Kandiyohi County: 1,348 countKandiyohi County1,348Douglas County: 1,341 countDouglas County1,341Goodhue County: 1,332 countGoodhue County1,332Clay County: 1,312 countClay County1,312Beltrami County: 1,193 countBeltrami County1,193Itasca County: 1,184 countItasca County1,184Winona County: 1,166 countWinona County1,166Chisago County: 1,123 countChisago County1,123Becker County: 1,035 countBecker County1,035McLeod County: 984 countMcLeod County984Polk County: 965 countPolk County965Morrison County: 946 countMorrison County946Benton County: 935 countBenton County935Steele County: 935 countSteele County935Mower County: 860 countMower County860Cass County: 829 countCass County829Lyon County: 829 countLyon County829Freeborn County: 809 countFreeborn County809Brown County: 807 countBrown County807Isanti County: 764 countIsanti County764Carlton County: 746 countCarlton County746Le Sueur County: 703 countLe Sueur County703Mille Lacs County: 693 countMille Lacs County693Martin County: 677 countMartin County677Hennepin County: 39,584 countHennepin County39,584Ramsey County: 13,272 countRamsey County13,272Dakota County: 9,622 countDakota County9,622Anoka County: 6,926 countAnoka County6,926Washington County: 5,305 countWashington County5,305St. Louis County: 5,247 countSt. Louis County5,247Stearns County: 4,255 countStearns County4,255Olmsted County: 3,371 countOlmsted County3,371Wright County: 3,018 countWright County3,018Scott County: 3,007 countScott County3,007Carver County: 2,274 countCarver County2,274Crow Wing County: 2,084 countCrow Wing County2,084Blue Earth County: 1,947 countBlue Earth County1,947Sherburne County: 1,859 countSherburne County1,859Otter Tail County: 1,750 countOtter Tail County1,750Rice County: 1,491 countRice County1,491Kandiyohi County: 1,348 countKandiyohi County1,348Douglas County: 1,341 countDouglas County1,341Goodhue County: 1,332 countGoodhue County1,332Clay County: 1,312 countClay County1,312Beltrami County: 1,193 countBeltrami County1,193Itasca County: 1,184 countItasca County1,184Winona County: 1,166 countWinona County1,166Chisago County: 1,123 countChisago County1,123Becker County: 1,035 countBecker County1,035McLeod County: 984 countMcLeod County984Polk County: 965 countPolk County965Morrison County: 946 countMorrison County946Benton County: 935 countBenton County935Steele County: 935 countSteele County935Mower County: 860 countMower County860Cass County: 829 countCass County829Lyon County: 829 countLyon County829Freeborn County: 809 countFreeborn County809Brown County: 807 countBrown County807Isanti County: 764 countIsanti County764Carlton County: 746 countCarlton County746Le Sueur County: 703 countLe Sueur County703Mille Lacs County: 693 countMille Lacs County693Martin County: 677 countMartin County677
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

RankCounties2014
count
Change on 2013
1Hennepin County39,584+1.3%
2Ramsey County13,272-1%
3Dakota County9,622+0.1%
4Anoka County6,9260%
5Washington County5,305+0.2%
6St. Louis County5,247-2%
7Stearns County4,255-0.7%
8Olmsted County3,371-0.2%
9Wright County3,018+0.9%
10Scott County3,007+0.2%
11Carver County2,274+1.3%
12Crow Wing County2,084+0.5%
13Blue Earth County1,947-0.6%
14Sherburne County1,859+0.8%
15Otter Tail County1,750-2.8%
16Rice County1,491-0.3%
17Kandiyohi County1,348-0.7%
18Douglas County1,341-2.3%
19Goodhue County1,332-0.7%
20Clay County1,312-1.3%
21Beltrami County1,193-1.4%
22Itasca County1,184-1.8%
23Winona County1,166-0.9%
24Chisago County1,123-1.5%
25Becker County1,035-5.7%
26McLeod County984-0.4%
27Polk County965-0.1%
28Morrison County946-0.2%
29Benton County935-2%
29Steele County935-0.6%
31Mower County860-0.7%
32Cass County829-1.9%
32Lyon County829-0.6%
34Freeborn County809-1%
35Brown County807-1.3%
36Isanti County764+1.1%
37Carlton County746-0.5%
38Le Sueur County703+1%
39Mille Lacs County693-1.1%
40Martin County677-3.3%
40Nicollet County677-1.6%
42Fillmore County643-0.9%
43Nobles County624-1%
44Pine County615-2.2%
45Wabasha County6070%
46Hubbard County591-2.6%
47Meeker County5880%
48Renville County575-2.2%
49Todd County559-1.8%
50Redwood County548-0.4%
51Waseca County502-2%
52Faribault County452-2.2%
53Dodge County444+1.6%
54Aitkin County438-2.7%
55Roseau County4370%
56Chippewa County429-2.5%
57Houston County428-3.4%
57Wadena County428+1.4%
59Pennington County423-2.8%
60Koochiching County417-5.9%
61Cottonwood County394-1%
62Sibley County383-0.5%
63Stevens County356-4%
64Jackson County354+0.6%
65Pipestone County345-1.4%
66Yellow Medicine County344-2%
67Pope County343-1.2%
68Murray County334+1.5%
69Swift County327-2.7%
70Lake County313-2.8%
71Watonwan County312-1%
72Marshall County309-1.3%
73Rock County3030%
74Cook County299-4.2%
75Kanabec County295-1.7%
76Grant County250-0.8%
77Norman County2410%
78Lincoln County224-2.6%
79Lac qui Parle County222+0.5%
80Clearwater County217-1.8%
81Wilkin County211-0.9%
82Big Stone County207-2.4%
83Kittson County186-2.6%
84Lake of the Woods County174+0.6%
85Traverse County144-0.7%
86Red Lake County126-3.8%
87Mahnomen County114-5.8%

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/2014/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 Minnesota by business establishments (QCEW), 2014) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/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 Minnesota by business establishments (QCEW), 2014. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/minnesota-counties?period=2014. 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 Minnesota by business establishments (QCEW), 2014. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/minnesota-counties?period=2014.

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 Minnesota by business establishments (QCEW), 2014 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/minnesota-counties?period=2014 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_by_2014,
  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 Minnesota by business establishments (QCEW), 2014}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/minnesota-counties?period=2014. 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/2014/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 Minnesota by business establishments (QCEW), 2014
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/minnesota-counties?period=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/minnesota-counties?period=2014.
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/2014/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 Minnesota by business establishments (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"establishments_qcew","level":"province","within":"Minnesota","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=establishments_qcew&level=province&within=Minnesota&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)?

Hennepin County, with 39,584 in 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Mahnomen County, with 114 in 2014.

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 Minnesota: more rankings