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

Counties in Minnesota by business establishments (QCEW)

Hennepin County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 87 counties in 2017, at 38,559. Mahnomen County had the lowest, at 115. The median was 614 and the figure for Minnesota was 167,815. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest38,559Hennepin County
Lowest115Mahnomen County
Median61487 counties
Minnesota167,815History

Map of counties, 2017

Aitkin County: 437 countAnoka County: 7,124 countBecker County: 1,001 countBeltrami County: 1,194 countBenton County: 942 countBig Stone County: 206 countBlue Earth County: 2,008 countBrown County: 812 countCarlton County: 722 countCarver County: 2,399 countCass County: 853 countChippewa County: 430 countChisago County: 1,116 countClay County: 1,347 countClearwater County: 222 countCook County: 298 countCottonwood County: 387 countCrow Wing County: 2,113 countDakota County: 9,891 countDodge County: 443 countDouglas County: 1,374 countFaribault County: 445 countFillmore County: 640 countFreeborn County: 796 countGoodhue County: 1,310 countGrant County: 259 countHennepin County: 38,559 countHouston County: 435 countHubbard County: 604 countIsanti County: 783 countItasca County: 1,195 countJackson County: 335 countKanabec County: 311 countKandiyohi County: 1,364 countKittson County: 186 countKoochiching County: 413 countLac qui Parle County: 227 countLake County: 316 countLake of the Woods County: 165 countLe Sueur County: 719 countLincoln County: 222 countLyon County: 811 countMcLeod County: 911 countMahnomen County: 115 countMarshall County: 303 countMartin County: 666 countMeeker County: 593 countMille Lacs County: 687 countMorrison County: 936 countMower County: 836 countMurray County: 323 countNicollet County: 732 countNobles County: 614 countNorman County: 237 countOlmsted County: 3,421 countOtter Tail County: 1,752 countPennington County: 413 countPine County: 631 countPipestone County: 355 countPolk County: 964 countPope County: 340 countRamsey County: 13,267 countRed Lake County: 124 countRedwood County: 548 countRenville County: 579 countRice County: 1,548 countRock County: 297 countRoseau County: 455 countSt. Louis County: 5,265 countScott County: 3,108 countSherburne County: 1,934 countSibley County: 392 countStearns County: 4,308 countSteele County: 963 countStevens County: 338 countSwift County: 332 countTodd County: 556 countTraverse County: 143 countWabasha County: 567 countWadena County: 407 countWaseca County: 506 countWashington County: 5,501 countWatonwan County: 316 countWilkin County: 206 countWinona County: 1,156 countWright County: 3,127 countYellow Medicine County: 350 count
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 600
  • 600 to 900
  • 900 to 1,700
  • 1,700 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

Hennepin County: 38,559 countHennepin County38,559Ramsey County: 13,267 countRamsey County13,267Dakota County: 9,891 countDakota County9,891Anoka County: 7,124 countAnoka County7,124Washington County: 5,501 countWashington County5,501St. Louis County: 5,265 countSt. Louis County5,265Stearns County: 4,308 countStearns County4,308Olmsted County: 3,421 countOlmsted County3,421Wright County: 3,127 countWright County3,127Scott County: 3,108 countScott County3,108Carver County: 2,399 countCarver County2,399Crow Wing County: 2,113 countCrow Wing County2,113Blue Earth County: 2,008 countBlue Earth County2,008Sherburne County: 1,934 countSherburne County1,934Otter Tail County: 1,752 countOtter Tail County1,752Rice County: 1,548 countRice County1,548Douglas County: 1,374 countDouglas County1,374Kandiyohi County: 1,364 countKandiyohi County1,364Clay County: 1,347 countClay County1,347Goodhue County: 1,310 countGoodhue County1,310Itasca County: 1,195 countItasca County1,195Beltrami County: 1,194 countBeltrami County1,194Winona County: 1,156 countWinona County1,156Chisago County: 1,116 countChisago County1,116Becker County: 1,001 countBecker County1,001Polk County: 964 countPolk County964Steele County: 963 countSteele County963Benton County: 942 countBenton County942Morrison County: 936 countMorrison County936McLeod County: 911 countMcLeod County911Cass County: 853 countCass County853Mower County: 836 countMower County836Brown County: 812 countBrown County812Lyon County: 811 countLyon County811Freeborn County: 796 countFreeborn County796Isanti County: 783 countIsanti County783Nicollet County: 732 countNicollet County732Carlton County: 722 countCarlton County722Le Sueur County: 719 countLe Sueur County719Mille Lacs County: 687 countMille Lacs County687Hennepin County: 38,559 countHennepin County38,559Ramsey County: 13,267 countRamsey County13,267Dakota County: 9,891 countDakota County9,891Anoka County: 7,124 countAnoka County7,124Washington County: 5,501 countWashington County5,501St. Louis County: 5,265 countSt. Louis County5,265Stearns County: 4,308 countStearns County4,308Olmsted County: 3,421 countOlmsted County3,421Wright County: 3,127 countWright County3,127Scott County: 3,108 countScott County3,108Carver County: 2,399 countCarver County2,399Crow Wing County: 2,113 countCrow Wing County2,113Blue Earth County: 2,008 countBlue Earth County2,008Sherburne County: 1,934 countSherburne County1,934Otter Tail County: 1,752 countOtter Tail County1,752Rice County: 1,548 countRice County1,548Douglas County: 1,374 countDouglas County1,374Kandiyohi County: 1,364 countKandiyohi County1,364Clay County: 1,347 countClay County1,347Goodhue County: 1,310 countGoodhue County1,310Itasca County: 1,195 countItasca County1,195Beltrami County: 1,194 countBeltrami County1,194Winona County: 1,156 countWinona County1,156Chisago County: 1,116 countChisago County1,116Becker County: 1,001 countBecker County1,001Polk County: 964 countPolk County964Steele County: 963 countSteele County963Benton County: 942 countBenton County942Morrison County: 936 countMorrison County936McLeod County: 911 countMcLeod County911Cass County: 853 countCass County853Mower County: 836 countMower County836Brown County: 812 countBrown County812Lyon County: 811 countLyon County811Freeborn County: 796 countFreeborn County796Isanti County: 783 countIsanti County783Nicollet County: 732 countNicollet County732Carlton County: 722 countCarlton County722Le Sueur County: 719 countLe Sueur County719Mille Lacs County: 687 countMille Lacs County687
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
1Hennepin County38,559+4.4%
2Ramsey County13,267+4.2%
3Dakota County9,891+4.3%
4Anoka County7,124+4.8%
5Washington County5,501+4.5%
6St. Louis County5,265+2.4%
7Stearns County4,308+3.3%
8Olmsted County3,421+4.4%
9Wright County3,127+4.8%
10Scott County3,108+6.3%
11Carver County2,399+6.1%
12Crow Wing County2,113+3.3%
13Blue Earth County2,008+5%
14Sherburne County1,934+4.8%
15Otter Tail County1,752+4%
16Rice County1,548+4%
17Douglas County1,374+3.8%
18Kandiyohi County1,364+3.4%
19Clay County1,347+3.9%
20Goodhue County1,310+3.4%
21Itasca County1,195+2.8%
22Beltrami County1,194+2.2%
23Winona County1,156+1.9%
24Chisago County1,116+4.3%
25Becker County1,001+1.7%
26Polk County964+2.3%
27Steele County963+2.7%
28Benton County942+3.2%
29Morrison County936+2.6%
30McLeod County911+1.3%
31Cass County853+4.3%
32Mower County836+1.2%
33Brown County812+2.5%
34Lyon County811+1.6%
35Freeborn County796+3%
36Isanti County783+4.4%
37Nicollet County732+4.9%
38Carlton County722+0.6%
39Le Sueur County719+2.6%
40Mille Lacs County687+3.5%
41Martin County666+2.1%
42Fillmore County640+1.3%
43Pine County631+5.3%
44Nobles County614+1.3%
45Hubbard County604+4%
46Meeker County593+4.2%
47Renville County579+2.1%
48Wabasha County567+2.2%
49Todd County556+3.7%
50Redwood County548+3.6%
51Waseca County506+4.8%
52Roseau County455+2%
53Faribault County445+2.8%
54Dodge County443+3.5%
55Aitkin County437+2.1%
56Houston County435+1.2%
57Chippewa County430+2.4%
58Koochiching County413+0.5%
58Pennington County413+0.5%
60Wadena County407+1.8%
61Sibley County392+2.3%
62Cottonwood County387+1.6%
63Pipestone County355+3.2%
64Yellow Medicine County350+1.7%
65Pope County340+2.1%
66Stevens County338+1.2%
67Jackson County335-0.6%
68Swift County332+2.5%
69Murray County323-0.3%
70Lake County316+3.3%
70Watonwan County316+2.9%
72Kanabec County311+4.4%
73Marshall County303+2.7%
74Cook County298+3.8%
75Rock County297+3.1%
76Grant County259+3.2%
77Norman County237+3.5%
78Lac qui Parle County227+0.9%
79Clearwater County222+4.2%
79Lincoln County222-0.4%
81Big Stone County206-1.4%
81Wilkin County2060%
83Kittson County186+1.6%
84Lake of the Woods County1650%
85Traverse County143+0.7%
86Red Lake County124+3.3%
87Mahnomen County115-1.7%

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/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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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/minnesota-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 Minnesota 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/minnesota-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 Minnesota 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/minnesota-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_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 Minnesota 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/minnesota-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 Minnesota 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/minnesota-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/minnesota-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 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 38,559 in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Mahnomen County, with 115 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 Minnesota: more rankings