Counties in Missouri by business establishments (QCEW)

St. Louis County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 115 counties in 2022, at 44,138. Worth County had the lowest, at 71. The median was 580 and the figure for Missouri was 233,707. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest44,138St. Louis County
Lowest71Worth County
Median580115 counties
Missouri233,707History

Map of counties, 2022

Adair County: 675 countAndrew County: 532 countAtchison County: 228 countAudrain County: 624 countBarry County: 917 countBarton County: 329 countBates County: 456 countBenton County: 580 countBollinger County: 248 countBoone County: 5,255 countBuchanan County: 2,521 countButler County: 1,553 countCaldwell County: 225 countCallaway County: 909 countCamden County: 1,676 countCape Girardeau County: 2,898 countCarroll County: 309 countCarter County: 240 countCass County: 2,484 countCedar County: 369 countChariton County: 276 countChristian County: 2,215 countClark County: 175 countClay County: 6,454 countClinton County: 470 countCole County: 2,449 countCooper County: 504 countCrawford County: 668 countDade County: 180 countDallas County: 407 countDaviess County: 268 countDeKalb County: 272 countDent County: 546 countDouglas County: 254 countDunklin County: 1,513 countFranklin County: 3,050 countGasconade County: 494 countGentry County: 230 countGreene County: 10,208 countGrundy County: 285 countHarrison County: 276 countHenry County: 701 countHickory County: 203 countHolt County: 185 countHoward County: 238 countHowell County: 1,357 countIron County: 604 countJackson County: 24,493 countJasper County: 3,450 countJefferson County: 4,552 countJohnson County: 1,228 countKnox County: 117 countLaclede County: 841 countLafayette County: 930 countLawrence County: 922 countLewis County: 241 countLincoln County: 1,137 countLinn County: 384 countLivingston County: 466 countMcDonald County: 431 countMacon County: 410 countMadison County: 341 countMaries County: 164 countMarion County: 959 countMercer County: 105 countMiller County: 725 countMississippi County: 436 countMoniteau County: 358 countMonroe County: 247 countMontgomery County: 317 countMorgan County: 592 countNew Madrid County: 861 countNewton County: 1,511 countNodaway County: 601 countOregon County: 262 countOsage County: 285 countOzark County: 223 countPemiscot County: 903 countPerry County: 596 countPettis County: 1,348 countPhelps County: 1,225 countPike County: 491 countPlatte County: 2,997 countPolk County: 747 countPulaski County: 858 countPutnam County: 130 countRalls County: 257 countRandolph County: 655 countRay County: 451 countReynolds County: 262 countRipley County: 673 countSt. Charles County: 10,512 countSt. Clair County: 217 countSte. Genevieve County: 487 countSt. Francois County: 1,782 countSt. Louis County: 44,138 countSaline County: 637 countSchuyler County: 98 countScotland County: 144 countScott County: 1,371 countShannon County: 229 countShelby County: 197 countStoddard County: 907 countStone County: 820 countSullivan County: 155 countTaney County: 2,065 countTexas County: 593 countVernon County: 702 countWarren County: 705 countWashington County: 688 countWayne County: 405 countWebster County: 839 countWorth County: 71 countWright County: 532 countSt. Louis city: 15,645 count
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 400
  • 400 to 600
  • 600 to 800
  • 800 to 1,600
  • 1,600 and over
count, 2022. 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, 2022

St. Louis County: 44,138 countSt. Louis County44,138Jackson County: 24,493 countJackson County24,493St. Louis city: 15,645 countSt. Louis city15,645St. Charles County: 10,512 countSt. Charles County10,512Greene County: 10,208 countGreene County10,208Clay County: 6,454 countClay County6,454Boone County: 5,255 countBoone County5,255Jefferson County: 4,552 countJefferson County4,552Jasper County: 3,450 countJasper County3,450Franklin County: 3,050 countFranklin County3,050Platte County: 2,997 countPlatte County2,997Cape Girardeau County: 2,898 countCape Girardeau County2,898Buchanan County: 2,521 countBuchanan County2,521Cass County: 2,484 countCass County2,484Cole County: 2,449 countCole County2,449Christian County: 2,215 countChristian County2,215Taney County: 2,065 countTaney County2,065St. Francois County: 1,782 countSt. Francois County1,782Camden County: 1,676 countCamden County1,676Butler County: 1,553 countButler County1,553Dunklin County: 1,513 countDunklin County1,513Newton County: 1,511 countNewton County1,511Scott County: 1,371 countScott County1,371Howell County: 1,357 countHowell County1,357Pettis County: 1,348 countPettis County1,348Johnson County: 1,228 countJohnson County1,228Phelps County: 1,225 countPhelps County1,225Lincoln County: 1,137 countLincoln County1,137Marion County: 959 countMarion County959Lafayette County: 930 countLafayette County930Lawrence County: 922 countLawrence County922Barry County: 917 countBarry County917Callaway County: 909 countCallaway County909Stoddard County: 907 countStoddard County907Pemiscot County: 903 countPemiscot County903New Madrid County: 861 countNew Madrid County861Pulaski County: 858 countPulaski County858Laclede County: 841 countLaclede County841Webster County: 839 countWebster County839Stone County: 820 countStone County820St. Louis County: 44,138 countSt. Louis County44,138Jackson County: 24,493 countJackson County24,493St. Louis city: 15,645 countSt. Louis city15,645St. Charles County: 10,512 countSt. Charles County10,512Greene County: 10,208 countGreene County10,208Clay County: 6,454 countClay County6,454Boone County: 5,255 countBoone County5,255Jefferson County: 4,552 countJefferson County4,552Jasper County: 3,450 countJasper County3,450Franklin County: 3,050 countFranklin County3,050Platte County: 2,997 countPlatte County2,997Cape Girardeau County: 2,898 countCape Girardeau County2,898Buchanan County: 2,521 countBuchanan County2,521Cass County: 2,484 countCass County2,484Cole County: 2,449 countCole County2,449Christian County: 2,215 countChristian County2,215Taney County: 2,065 countTaney County2,065St. Francois County: 1,782 countSt. Francois County1,782Camden County: 1,676 countCamden County1,676Butler County: 1,553 countButler County1,553Dunklin County: 1,513 countDunklin County1,513Newton County: 1,511 countNewton County1,511Scott County: 1,371 countScott County1,371Howell County: 1,357 countHowell County1,357Pettis County: 1,348 countPettis County1,348Johnson County: 1,228 countJohnson County1,228Phelps County: 1,225 countPhelps County1,225Lincoln County: 1,137 countLincoln County1,137Marion County: 959 countMarion County959Lafayette County: 930 countLafayette County930Lawrence County: 922 countLawrence County922Barry County: 917 countBarry County917Callaway County: 909 countCallaway County909Stoddard County: 907 countStoddard County907Pemiscot County: 903 countPemiscot County903New Madrid County: 861 countNew Madrid County861Pulaski County: 858 countPulaski County858Laclede County: 841 countLaclede County841Webster County: 839 countWebster County839Stone County: 820 countStone County820
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

RankCounties2022
count
Change on 2021
1St. Louis County44,138+4.6%
2Jackson County24,493+4.1%
3St. Louis city15,645+3.7%
4St. Charles County10,512+2.9%
5Greene County10,208+3.6%
6Clay County6,454+4.6%
7Boone County5,255+1.7%
8Jefferson County4,552+2.5%
9Jasper County3,450+1%
10Franklin County3,050+0.7%
11Platte County2,997+4%
12Cape Girardeau County2,898+2.2%
13Buchanan County2,521+3.1%
14Cass County2,484+4.5%
15Cole County2,449+2.4%
16Christian County2,215+3.9%
17Taney County2,065+1.2%
18St. Francois County1,782+2.7%
19Camden County1,676+1.1%
20Butler County1,553+0.1%
21Dunklin County1,513+3.6%
22Newton County1,511+2.7%
23Scott County1,371+0.3%
24Howell County1,357+0.4%
25Pettis County1,348+3.5%
26Johnson County1,228+3.5%
27Phelps County1,225+2.4%
28Lincoln County1,137+2.1%
29Marion County959-0.3%
30Lafayette County930+5.7%
31Lawrence County922+2.6%
32Barry County917+0.5%
33Callaway County909+3.9%
34Stoddard County907-0.9%
35Pemiscot County903+6.6%
36New Madrid County861+1.4%
37Pulaski County858+2.3%
38Laclede County841-0.6%
39Webster County839+1%
40Stone County820+3.9%
41Polk County747+1.2%
42Miller County725+1.3%
43Warren County705+2.5%
44Vernon County702+1.2%
45Henry County701+3.1%
46Washington County688+0.4%
47Adair County675+2.1%
48Ripley County673+8.4%
49Crawford County668+2.1%
50Randolph County655+1.1%
51Saline County637-0.2%
52Audrain County624-0.2%
53Iron County604+2.5%
54Nodaway County601+2%
55Perry County596+3.3%
56Texas County593+0.2%
57Morgan County592+1%
58Benton County580+3.6%
59Dent County546-2.7%
60Andrew County532+4.9%
60Wright County532+2.5%
62Cooper County504+7.2%
63Gasconade County494+1.9%
64Pike County491+0.2%
65Ste. Genevieve County487+3.6%
66Clinton County470+4.7%
67Livingston County466+1.1%
68Bates County4560%
69Ray County451+2.5%
70Mississippi County436-3.3%
71McDonald County431+2.4%
72Macon County410-1.4%
73Dallas County407+2.5%
74Wayne County405-2.9%
75Linn County384+1.9%
76Cedar County369+5.4%
77Moniteau County3580%
78Madison County341-2.6%
79Barton County329+1.5%
80Montgomery County317+2.3%
81Carroll County309+1.6%
82Grundy County285+0.7%
82Osage County285+1.4%
84Chariton County276-1.1%
84Harrison County2760%
86DeKalb County272+5%
87Daviess County268+3.1%
88Oregon County262+2.3%
88Reynolds County262+0.4%
90Ralls County257+1.6%
91Douglas County254+6.3%
92Bollinger County248+1.6%
93Monroe County2470%
94Lewis County241+2.1%
95Carter County240+2.1%
96Howard County238+7.7%
97Gentry County2300%
98Shannon County229+0.9%
99Atchison County228+0.9%
100Caldwell County2250%
101Ozark County223+4.7%
102St. Clair County217+4.3%
103Hickory County203+9.1%
104Shelby County197+1%
105Holt County1850%
106Dade County180-2.2%
107Clark County175-2.8%
108Maries County164+5.1%
109Sullivan County155+1.3%
110Scotland County144-1.4%
111Putnam County130+1.6%
112Knox County117+3.5%
113Mercer County105+2.9%
114Schuyler County98+3.2%
115Worth County71-1.4%

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/2022/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), 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/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), 2022. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/missouri-counties?period=2022. 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), 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/missouri-counties?period=2022.

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), 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/missouri-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_missouri_by_2022,
  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), 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/missouri-counties?period=2022. 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/2022/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), 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/missouri-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/missouri-counties?period=2022.
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/2022/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 44,138 in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Worth County, with 71 in 2022.

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