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

Counties in Nebraska by business establishments (QCEW)

Douglas County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 93 counties in 2017, at 18,959. Banner County had the lowest, at 12. The median was 264 and the figure for Nebraska was 72,292. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest18,959Douglas County
Lowest12Banner County
Median26493 counties
Nebraska72,292History

Map of counties, 2017

Adams County: 1,179 countAntelope County: 293 countArthur County: 17 countBanner County: 12 countBlaine County: 24 countBoone County: 271 countBox Butte County: 435 countBoyd County: 108 countBrown County: 171 countBuffalo County: 1,933 countBurt County: 274 countButler County: 284 countCass County: 700 countCedar County: 349 countChase County: 232 countCherry County: 338 countCheyenne County: 408 countClay County: 293 countColfax County: 329 countCuming County: 451 countCuster County: 523 countDakota County: 559 countDawes County: 364 countDawson County: 877 countDeuel County: 86 countDixon County: 150 countDodge County: 1,207 countDouglas County: 18,959 countDundy County: 97 countFillmore County: 300 countFranklin County: 121 countFrontier County: 93 countFurnas County: 247 countGage County: 831 countGarden County: 88 countGarfield County: 123 countGosper County: 66 countGrant County: 54 countGreeley County: 121 countHall County: 2,172 countHamilton County: 385 countHarlan County: 151 countHayes County: 37 countHitchcock County: 94 countHolt County: 568 countHooker County: 39 countHoward County: 217 countJefferson County: 304 countJohnson County: 154 countKearney County: 234 countKeith County: 436 countKeya Paha County: 34 countKimball County: 160 countKnox County: 349 countLancaster County: 10,263 countLincoln County: 1,321 countLogan County: 39 countLoup County: 21 countMcPherson County: 13 countMadison County: 1,522 countMerrick County: 297 countMorrill County: 199 countNance County: 148 countNemaha County: 238 countNuckolls County: 199 countOtoe County: 566 countPawnee County: 111 countPerkins County: 163 countPhelps County: 459 countPierce County: 264 countPlatte County: 1,197 countPolk County: 189 countRed Willow County: 502 countRichardson County: 334 countRock County: 61 countSaline County: 404 countSarpy County: 3,958 countSaunders County: 608 countScotts Bluff County: 1,519 countSeward County: 542 countSheridan County: 271 countSherman County: 115 countSioux County: 30 countStanton County: 110 countThayer County: 258 countThomas County: 35 countThurston County: 189 countValley County: 251 countWashington County: 665 countWayne County: 286 countWebster County: 139 countWheeler County: 41 countYork County: 634 count
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 600
  • 600 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

Douglas County: 18,959 countDouglas County18,959Lancaster County: 10,263 countLancaster County10,263Sarpy County: 3,958 countSarpy County3,958Hall County: 2,172 countHall County2,172Buffalo County: 1,933 countBuffalo County1,933Madison County: 1,522 countMadison County1,522Scotts Bluff County: 1,519 countScotts Bluff County1,519Lincoln County: 1,321 countLincoln County1,321Dodge County: 1,207 countDodge County1,207Platte County: 1,197 countPlatte County1,197Adams County: 1,179 countAdams County1,179Dawson County: 877 countDawson County877Gage County: 831 countGage County831Cass County: 700 countCass County700Washington County: 665 countWashington County665York County: 634 countYork County634Saunders County: 608 countSaunders County608Holt County: 568 countHolt County568Otoe County: 566 countOtoe County566Dakota County: 559 countDakota County559Seward County: 542 countSeward County542Custer County: 523 countCuster County523Red Willow County: 502 countRed Willow County502Phelps County: 459 countPhelps County459Cuming County: 451 countCuming County451Keith County: 436 countKeith County436Box Butte County: 435 countBox Butte County435Cheyenne County: 408 countCheyenne County408Saline County: 404 countSaline County404Hamilton County: 385 countHamilton County385Dawes County: 364 countDawes County364Cedar County: 349 countCedar County349Knox County: 349 countKnox County349Cherry County: 338 countCherry County338Richardson County: 334 countRichardson County334Colfax County: 329 countColfax County329Jefferson County: 304 countJefferson County304Fillmore County: 300 countFillmore County300Merrick County: 297 countMerrick County297Antelope County: 293 countAntelope County293Douglas County: 18,959 countDouglas County18,959Lancaster County: 10,263 countLancaster County10,263Sarpy County: 3,958 countSarpy County3,958Hall County: 2,172 countHall County2,172Buffalo County: 1,933 countBuffalo County1,933Madison County: 1,522 countMadison County1,522Scotts Bluff County: 1,519 countScotts Bluff County1,519Lincoln County: 1,321 countLincoln County1,321Dodge County: 1,207 countDodge County1,207Platte County: 1,197 countPlatte County1,197Adams County: 1,179 countAdams County1,179Dawson County: 877 countDawson County877Gage County: 831 countGage County831Cass County: 700 countCass County700Washington County: 665 countWashington County665York County: 634 countYork County634Saunders County: 608 countSaunders County608Holt County: 568 countHolt County568Otoe County: 566 countOtoe County566Dakota County: 559 countDakota County559Seward County: 542 countSeward County542Custer County: 523 countCuster County523Red Willow County: 502 countRed Willow County502Phelps County: 459 countPhelps County459Cuming County: 451 countCuming County451Keith County: 436 countKeith County436Box Butte County: 435 countBox Butte County435Cheyenne County: 408 countCheyenne County408Saline County: 404 countSaline County404Hamilton County: 385 countHamilton County385Dawes County: 364 countDawes County364Cedar County: 349 countCedar County349Knox County: 349 countKnox County349Cherry County: 338 countCherry County338Richardson County: 334 countRichardson County334Colfax County: 329 countColfax County329Jefferson County: 304 countJefferson County304Fillmore County: 300 countFillmore County300Merrick County: 297 countMerrick County297Antelope County: 293 countAntelope County293
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
1Douglas County18,959+0.1%
2Lancaster County10,263+1.1%
3Sarpy County3,958+2%
4Hall County2,172-0.6%
5Buffalo County1,933+0.9%
6Madison County1,522-0.7%
7Scotts Bluff County1,519-1.6%
8Lincoln County1,321-1%
9Dodge County1,207-0.6%
10Platte County1,197-1%
11Adams County1,179-2%
12Dawson County877-3.2%
13Gage County831-1.3%
14Cass County700+1.9%
15Washington County665+1.4%
16York County634-2.2%
17Saunders County608+0.5%
18Holt County568-1%
19Otoe County566-2.7%
20Dakota County559-2.1%
21Seward County542-0.7%
22Custer County523-0.6%
23Red Willow County502-4%
24Phelps County459-0.9%
25Cuming County451-1.5%
26Keith County436-1.8%
27Box Butte County435+0.9%
28Cheyenne County408-2.6%
29Saline County404+0.7%
30Hamilton County3850%
31Dawes County364-2.7%
32Cedar County349-3.3%
32Knox County349-3.6%
34Cherry County338-0.9%
35Richardson County334+1.2%
36Colfax County329-2.7%
37Jefferson County304-3.5%
38Fillmore County3000%
39Merrick County297+1.7%
40Antelope County293-3%
40Clay County293+0.7%
42Wayne County286+0.4%
43Butler County284+1.1%
44Burt County274-2.8%
45Boone County271+1.5%
45Sheridan County271-2.9%
47Pierce County264+4.8%
48Thayer County258+0.8%
49Valley County251+0.4%
50Furnas County2470%
51Nemaha County238+0.8%
52Kearney County234-0.8%
53Chase County2320%
54Howard County217+3.3%
55Morrill County199-0.5%
55Nuckolls County199-2.5%
57Polk County189+0.5%
57Thurston County189-3.6%
59Brown County171+3%
60Perkins County163-5.2%
61Kimball County160+0.6%
62Johnson County154+0.7%
63Harlan County151+0.7%
64Dixon County150-2.6%
65Nance County148-6.3%
66Webster County139-4.8%
67Garfield County123+0.8%
68Franklin County121-6.9%
68Greeley County121+2.5%
70Sherman County115-1.7%
71Pawnee County111+4.7%
72Stanton County110-3.5%
73Boyd County108-1.8%
74Dundy County97-2%
75Hitchcock County94-4.1%
76Frontier County93+2.2%
77Garden County88-1.1%
78Deuel County86+1.2%
79Gosper County66-1.5%
80Rock County61-6.2%
81Grant County54+10.2%
82Wheeler County410%
83Hooker County39+5.4%
83Logan County39-2.5%
85Hayes County37-7.5%
86Thomas County35-5.4%
87Keya Paha County340%
88Sioux County300%
89Blaine County24+4.3%
90Loup County21+5%
91Arthur County170%
92McPherson County130%
93Banner County12-25%

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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska 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/nebraska-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 Nebraska 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/nebraska-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 Nebraska 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/nebraska-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_nebraska_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 Nebraska 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/nebraska-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 Nebraska 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/nebraska-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-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 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 18,959 in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Banner County, with 12 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 Nebraska: more rankings