Counties in Nebraska by business establishments (QCEW)

Douglas County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 93 counties in 2015, at 18,477. McPherson County had the lowest, at 14. The median was 257 and the figure for Nebraska was 70,816. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest18,477Douglas County
Median25793 counties
Nebraska70,816History

Map of counties, 2015

Adams County: 1,192 countAntelope County: 304 countArthur County: 18 countBanner County: 19 countBlaine County: 23 countBoone County: 265 countBox Butte County: 435 countBoyd County: 112 countBrown County: 167 countBuffalo County: 1,898 countBurt County: 283 countButler County: 281 countCass County: 676 countCedar County: 369 countChase County: 229 countCherry County: 336 countCheyenne County: 424 countClay County: 295 countColfax County: 336 countCuming County: 460 countCuster County: 513 countDakota County: 566 countDawes County: 379 countDawson County: 904 countDeuel County: 86 countDixon County: 148 countDodge County: 1,188 countDouglas County: 18,477 countDundy County: 100 countFillmore County: 308 countFranklin County: 131 countFrontier County: 87 countFurnas County: 251 countGage County: 846 countGarden County: 82 countGarfield County: 119 countGosper County: 73 countGrant County: 50 countGreeley County: 116 countHall County: 2,165 countHamilton County: 382 countHarlan County: 148 countHayes County: 41 countHitchcock County: 98 countHolt County: 573 countHooker County: 35 countHoward County: 208 countJefferson County: 319 countJohnson County: 155 countKearney County: 236 countKeith County: 448 countKeya Paha County: 35 countKimball County: 167 countKnox County: 367 countLancaster County: 9,929 countLincoln County: 1,352 countLogan County: 42 countLoup County: 20 countMcPherson County: 14 countMadison County: 1,522 countMerrick County: 297 countMorrill County: 203 countNance County: 165 countNemaha County: 241 countNuckolls County: 210 countOtoe County: 583 countPawnee County: 107 countPerkins County: 172 countPhelps County: 456 countPierce County: 252 countPlatte County: 1,210 countPolk County: 187 countRed Willow County: 520 countRichardson County: 333 countRock County: 66 countSaline County: 389 countSarpy County: 3,791 countSaunders County: 595 countScotts Bluff County: 1,528 countSeward County: 535 countSheridan County: 271 countSherman County: 114 countSioux County: 29 countStanton County: 116 countThayer County: 257 countThomas County: 38 countThurston County: 198 countValley County: 243 countWashington County: 633 countWayne County: 286 countWebster County: 147 countWheeler County: 41 countYork County: 660 count
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 600
  • 600 and over
count, 2015. 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, 2015

Douglas County: 18,477 countDouglas County18,477Lancaster County: 9,929 countLancaster County9,929Sarpy County: 3,791 countSarpy County3,791Hall County: 2,165 countHall County2,165Buffalo County: 1,898 countBuffalo County1,898Scotts Bluff County: 1,528 countScotts Bluff County1,528Madison County: 1,522 countMadison County1,522Lincoln County: 1,352 countLincoln County1,352Platte County: 1,210 countPlatte County1,210Adams County: 1,192 countAdams County1,192Dodge County: 1,188 countDodge County1,188Dawson County: 904 countDawson County904Gage County: 846 countGage County846Cass County: 676 countCass County676York County: 660 countYork County660Washington County: 633 countWashington County633Saunders County: 595 countSaunders County595Otoe County: 583 countOtoe County583Holt County: 573 countHolt County573Dakota County: 566 countDakota County566Seward County: 535 countSeward County535Red Willow County: 520 countRed Willow County520Custer County: 513 countCuster County513Cuming County: 460 countCuming County460Phelps County: 456 countPhelps County456Keith County: 448 countKeith County448Box Butte County: 435 countBox Butte County435Cheyenne County: 424 countCheyenne County424Saline County: 389 countSaline County389Hamilton County: 382 countHamilton County382Dawes County: 379 countDawes County379Cedar County: 369 countCedar County369Knox County: 367 countKnox County367Cherry County: 336 countCherry County336Colfax County: 336 countColfax County336Richardson County: 333 countRichardson County333Jefferson County: 319 countJefferson County319Fillmore County: 308 countFillmore County308Antelope County: 304 countAntelope County304Merrick County: 297 countMerrick County297Douglas County: 18,477 countDouglas County18,477Lancaster County: 9,929 countLancaster County9,929Sarpy County: 3,791 countSarpy County3,791Hall County: 2,165 countHall County2,165Buffalo County: 1,898 countBuffalo County1,898Scotts Bluff County: 1,528 countScotts Bluff County1,528Madison County: 1,522 countMadison County1,522Lincoln County: 1,352 countLincoln County1,352Platte County: 1,210 countPlatte County1,210Adams County: 1,192 countAdams County1,192Dodge County: 1,188 countDodge County1,188Dawson County: 904 countDawson County904Gage County: 846 countGage County846Cass County: 676 countCass County676York County: 660 countYork County660Washington County: 633 countWashington County633Saunders County: 595 countSaunders County595Otoe County: 583 countOtoe County583Holt County: 573 countHolt County573Dakota County: 566 countDakota County566Seward County: 535 countSeward County535Red Willow County: 520 countRed Willow County520Custer County: 513 countCuster County513Cuming County: 460 countCuming County460Phelps County: 456 countPhelps County456Keith County: 448 countKeith County448Box Butte County: 435 countBox Butte County435Cheyenne County: 424 countCheyenne County424Saline County: 389 countSaline County389Hamilton County: 382 countHamilton County382Dawes County: 379 countDawes County379Cedar County: 369 countCedar County369Knox County: 367 countKnox County367Cherry County: 336 countCherry County336Colfax County: 336 countColfax County336Richardson County: 333 countRichardson County333Jefferson County: 319 countJefferson County319Fillmore County: 308 countFillmore County308Antelope County: 304 countAntelope County304Merrick County: 297 countMerrick County297
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

RankCounties2015
count
Change on 2014
1Douglas County18,477+0.8%
2Lancaster County9,929+0.2%
3Sarpy County3,791+2.7%
4Hall County2,1650%
5Buffalo County1,898+0.4%
6Scotts Bluff County1,528-1%
7Madison County1,522+0.3%
8Lincoln County1,352-1.6%
9Platte County1,210+1%
10Adams County1,192-0.4%
11Dodge County1,188-1%
12Dawson County904+1.1%
13Gage County846+0.7%
14Cass County676+0.4%
15York County660-0.8%
16Washington County633-1.4%
17Saunders County595-1.2%
18Otoe County583-1.4%
19Holt County573+2%
20Dakota County566-0.5%
21Seward County535+2.1%
22Red Willow County520-2.1%
23Custer County513+0.6%
24Cuming County4600%
25Phelps County456+1.1%
26Keith County448-2.4%
27Box Butte County435-2.7%
28Cheyenne County424+3.4%
29Saline County389+1.3%
30Hamilton County382+1.6%
31Dawes County379+0.3%
32Cedar County369-0.3%
33Knox County367-0.3%
34Cherry County336+0.3%
34Colfax County336+2.8%
36Richardson County333+1.8%
37Jefferson County319+0.6%
38Fillmore County308+1%
39Antelope County304+0.3%
40Merrick County297-3.3%
41Clay County295+0.3%
42Wayne County2860%
43Burt County283+4.4%
44Butler County281-1.7%
45Sheridan County271+1.1%
46Boone County265-0.7%
47Thayer County2570%
48Pierce County252-2.7%
49Furnas County251-6%
50Valley County2430%
51Nemaha County241-2%
52Kearney County236+0.4%
53Chase County229+3.6%
54Nuckolls County210-0.9%
55Howard County208+4%
56Morrill County203-0.5%
57Thurston County198-0.5%
58Polk County187+1.6%
59Perkins County172-1.7%
60Brown County167-1.2%
60Kimball County167-5.6%
62Nance County165+7.1%
63Johnson County155-4.9%
64Dixon County1480%
64Harlan County148+2.8%
66Webster County147+1.4%
67Franklin County1310%
68Garfield County119+0.8%
69Greeley County1160%
69Stanton County116-1.7%
71Sherman County114-2.6%
72Boyd County112+4.7%
73Pawnee County107-1.8%
74Dundy County100-6.5%
75Hitchcock County98-3%
76Frontier County87-2.2%
77Deuel County86-2.3%
78Garden County82+2.5%
79Gosper County73-5.2%
80Rock County66-1.5%
81Grant County500%
82Logan County42+2.4%
83Hayes County410%
83Wheeler County410%
85Thomas County380%
86Hooker County35-5.4%
86Keya Paha County35+6.1%
88Sioux County29-9.4%
89Blaine County23-11.5%
90Loup County20-4.8%
91Banner County19+11.8%
92Arthur County18-10%
93McPherson County14+16.7%

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/2015/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 Nebraska by business establishments (QCEW), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/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 Nebraska by business establishments (QCEW), 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2015. 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 Nebraska by business establishments (QCEW), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2015.

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 Nebraska by business establishments (QCEW), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_nebraska_by_2015,
  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 Nebraska by business establishments (QCEW), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2015. 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/2015/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 Nebraska by business establishments (QCEW), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2015.
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/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Nebraska by business establishments (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

Douglas County, with 18,477 in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

McPherson County, with 14 in 2015.

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 Nebraska: more rankings