Counties in Missouri by business establishments (QCEW)

St. Louis County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 115 counties in 2017, at 38,894. Worth County had the lowest, at 66. The median was 535 and the figure for Missouri was 205,150. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest38,894St. Louis County
Lowest66Worth County
Median535115 counties
Missouri205,150History

Map of counties, 2017

Adair County: 796 countAndrew County: 344 countAtchison County: 244 countAudrain County: 652 countBarry County: 878 countBarton County: 328 countBates County: 452 countBenton County: 535 countBollinger County: 307 countBoone County: 4,992 countBuchanan County: 2,564 countButler County: 1,599 countCaldwell County: 225 countCallaway County: 847 countCamden County: 1,696 countCape Girardeau County: 2,747 countCarroll County: 323 countCarter County: 237 countCass County: 2,155 countCedar County: 361 countChariton County: 281 countChristian County: 1,946 countClark County: 168 countClay County: 5,689 countClinton County: 471 countCole County: 2,474 countCooper County: 474 countCrawford County: 668 countDade County: 183 countDallas County: 330 countDaviess County: 218 countDeKalb County: 261 countDent County: 581 countDouglas County: 208 countDunklin County: 1,668 countFranklin County: 3,026 countGasconade County: 485 countGentry County: 235 countGreene County: 8,924 countGrundy County: 312 countHarrison County: 300 countHenry County: 682 countHickory County: 183 countHolt County: 186 countHoward County: 247 countHowell County: 1,269 countIron County: 526 countJackson County: 22,017 countJasper County: 3,442 countJefferson County: 4,320 countJohnson County: 1,157 countKnox County: 118 countLaclede County: 842 countLafayette County: 883 countLawrence County: 896 countLewis County: 227 countLincoln County: 1,028 countLinn County: 392 countLivingston County: 485 countMcDonald County: 413 countMacon County: 443 countMadison County: 394 countMaries County: 157 countMarion County: 954 countMercer County: 105 countMiller County: 640 countMississippi County: 537 countMoniteau County: 362 countMonroe County: 259 countMontgomery County: 326 countMorgan County: 540 countNew Madrid County: 739 countNewton County: 1,299 countNodaway County: 571 countOregon County: 268 countOsage County: 291 countOzark County: 224 countPemiscot County: 835 countPerry County: 568 countPettis County: 1,239 countPhelps County: 1,205 countPike County: 485 countPlatte County: 2,695 countPolk County: 703 countPulaski County: 853 countPutnam County: 134 countRalls County: 231 countRandolph County: 684 countRay County: 434 countReynolds County: 336 countRipley County: 526 countSt. Charles County: 9,451 countSt. Clair County: 202 countSte. Genevieve County: 487 countSt. Francois County: 1,911 countSt. Louis County: 38,894 countSaline County: 628 countSchuyler County: 99 countScotland County: 154 countScott County: 1,476 countShannon County: 237 countShelby County: 213 countStoddard County: 1,044 countStone County: 757 countSullivan County: 166 countTaney County: 1,982 countTexas County: 635 countVernon County: 655 countWarren County: 659 countWashington County: 816 countWayne County: 494 countWebster County: 749 countWorth County: 66 countWright County: 502 countSt. Louis city: 14,430 count
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 500
  • 500 to 800
  • 800 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

St. Louis County: 38,894 countSt. Louis County38,894Jackson County: 22,017 countJackson County22,017St. Louis city: 14,430 countSt. Louis city14,430St. Charles County: 9,451 countSt. Charles County9,451Greene County: 8,924 countGreene County8,924Clay County: 5,689 countClay County5,689Boone County: 4,992 countBoone County4,992Jefferson County: 4,320 countJefferson County4,320Jasper County: 3,442 countJasper County3,442Franklin County: 3,026 countFranklin County3,026Cape Girardeau County: 2,747 countCape Girardeau County2,747Platte County: 2,695 countPlatte County2,695Buchanan County: 2,564 countBuchanan County2,564Cole County: 2,474 countCole County2,474Cass County: 2,155 countCass County2,155Taney County: 1,982 countTaney County1,982Christian County: 1,946 countChristian County1,946St. Francois County: 1,911 countSt. Francois County1,911Camden County: 1,696 countCamden County1,696Dunklin County: 1,668 countDunklin County1,668Butler County: 1,599 countButler County1,599Scott County: 1,476 countScott County1,476Newton County: 1,299 countNewton County1,299Howell County: 1,269 countHowell County1,269Pettis County: 1,239 countPettis County1,239Phelps County: 1,205 countPhelps County1,205Johnson County: 1,157 countJohnson County1,157Stoddard County: 1,044 countStoddard County1,044Lincoln County: 1,028 countLincoln County1,028Marion County: 954 countMarion County954Lawrence County: 896 countLawrence County896Lafayette County: 883 countLafayette County883Barry County: 878 countBarry County878Pulaski County: 853 countPulaski County853Callaway County: 847 countCallaway County847Laclede County: 842 countLaclede County842Pemiscot County: 835 countPemiscot County835Washington County: 816 countWashington County816Adair County: 796 countAdair County796Stone County: 757 countStone County757St. Louis County: 38,894 countSt. Louis County38,894Jackson County: 22,017 countJackson County22,017St. Louis city: 14,430 countSt. Louis city14,430St. Charles County: 9,451 countSt. Charles County9,451Greene County: 8,924 countGreene County8,924Clay County: 5,689 countClay County5,689Boone County: 4,992 countBoone County4,992Jefferson County: 4,320 countJefferson County4,320Jasper County: 3,442 countJasper County3,442Franklin County: 3,026 countFranklin County3,026Cape Girardeau County: 2,747 countCape Girardeau County2,747Platte County: 2,695 countPlatte County2,695Buchanan County: 2,564 countBuchanan County2,564Cole County: 2,474 countCole County2,474Cass County: 2,155 countCass County2,155Taney County: 1,982 countTaney County1,982Christian County: 1,946 countChristian County1,946St. Francois County: 1,911 countSt. Francois County1,911Camden County: 1,696 countCamden County1,696Dunklin County: 1,668 countDunklin County1,668Butler County: 1,599 countButler County1,599Scott County: 1,476 countScott County1,476Newton County: 1,299 countNewton County1,299Howell County: 1,269 countHowell County1,269Pettis County: 1,239 countPettis County1,239Phelps County: 1,205 countPhelps County1,205Johnson County: 1,157 countJohnson County1,157Stoddard County: 1,044 countStoddard County1,044Lincoln County: 1,028 countLincoln County1,028Marion County: 954 countMarion County954Lawrence County: 896 countLawrence County896Lafayette County: 883 countLafayette County883Barry County: 878 countBarry County878Pulaski County: 853 countPulaski County853Callaway County: 847 countCallaway County847Laclede County: 842 countLaclede County842Pemiscot County: 835 countPemiscot County835Washington County: 816 countWashington County816Adair County: 796 countAdair County796Stone County: 757 countStone County757
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
1St. Louis County38,894+7.1%
2Jackson County22,017+5%
3St. Louis city14,430+8.8%
4St. Charles County9,451+4.6%
5Greene County8,924+4.8%
6Clay County5,689+3%
7Boone County4,992+2.9%
8Jefferson County4,320+3.5%
9Jasper County3,442+2.7%
10Franklin County3,026+4.5%
11Cape Girardeau County2,747+4.6%
12Platte County2,695+2.1%
13Buchanan County2,564+1.4%
14Cole County2,474+4.7%
15Cass County2,155+3.5%
16Taney County1,982+3.6%
17Christian County1,946+5.5%
18St. Francois County1,911+5.4%
19Camden County1,696+3.5%
20Dunklin County1,668+6.7%
21Butler County1,599+4.2%
22Scott County1,476+4.5%
23Newton County1,299+4.8%
24Howell County1,269+3.4%
25Pettis County1,239+4.2%
26Phelps County1,205+2.1%
27Johnson County1,157+4.5%
28Stoddard County1,044+2.2%
29Lincoln County1,028+4.4%
30Marion County954+2.3%
31Lawrence County896+4.1%
32Lafayette County883+2.4%
33Barry County878+2.7%
34Pulaski County853+2.3%
35Callaway County847+1.2%
36Laclede County842+0.4%
37Pemiscot County835+9.4%
38Washington County816-0.6%
39Adair County796+14.4%
40Stone County757+2.7%
41Webster County749+6.1%
42New Madrid County739+9.6%
43Polk County703+5.6%
44Randolph County684+2.4%
45Henry County682+1.5%
46Crawford County668-0.1%
47Warren County659+3.9%
48Vernon County655+3.5%
49Audrain County652+1.4%
50Miller County640+6.1%
51Texas County635+4.4%
52Saline County628+0.6%
53Dent County581+6.2%
54Nodaway County571+2.5%
55Perry County568+1.4%
56Morgan County540+3.8%
57Mississippi County537+2.3%
58Benton County535+4.9%
59Iron County526+11.7%
59Ripley County526+5.2%
61Wright County502+2.9%
62Wayne County494+0.6%
63Ste. Genevieve County487+2.3%
64Gasconade County485+2.1%
64Livingston County485-0.6%
64Pike County485+0.8%
67Cooper County474+2.4%
68Clinton County471+2.8%
69Bates County452+3%
70Macon County443+4.5%
71Ray County434+2.6%
72McDonald County413+2.5%
73Madison County394+3.1%
74Linn County392+1.6%
75Moniteau County362+0.8%
76Cedar County361+2.3%
77Andrew County344+9.6%
78Reynolds County336+5%
79Dallas County330+11.9%
80Barton County328+2.5%
81Montgomery County326-1.2%
82Carroll County323+1.9%
83Grundy County312+1.3%
84Bollinger County307+3.7%
85Harrison County300+1%
86Osage County291+1%
87Chariton County281-0.4%
88Oregon County268+3.9%
89DeKalb County261+1.2%
90Monroe County259+2.4%
91Howard County2470%
92Atchison County244+4.3%
93Carter County237+7.7%
93Shannon County237+3.5%
95Gentry County235+0.9%
96Ralls County231+3.6%
97Lewis County227-0.4%
98Caldwell County225+6.1%
99Ozark County224+2.3%
100Daviess County218+6.3%
101Shelby County213+2.4%
102Douglas County208+1%
103St. Clair County202-0.5%
104Holt County1860%
105Dade County183+4%
105Hickory County183+5.2%
107Clark County168-0.6%
108Sullivan County166+0.6%
109Maries County1570%
110Scotland County154+2%
111Putnam County134+3.9%
112Knox County118-0.8%
113Mercer County105+1%
114Schuyler County99+3.1%
115Worth County66-1.5%

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 Missouri 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 Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_missouri_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 Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/missouri-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  - 
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Rank Counties in Missouri by business establishments (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

St. Louis County, with 38,894 in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Worth County, with 66 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 Missouri: more rankings