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 2018, at 18,783. Banner County had the lowest, at 10. The median was 258 and the figure for Nebraska was 71,615. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest18,783Douglas County
Lowest10Banner County
Median25893 counties
Nebraska71,615History

Map of counties, 2018

Adams County: 1,146 countAntelope County: 287 countArthur County: 16 countBanner County: 10 countBlaine County: 25 countBoone County: 271 countBox Butte County: 431 countBoyd County: 105 countBrown County: 175 countBuffalo County: 1,938 countBurt County: 266 countButler County: 279 countCass County: 697 countCedar County: 346 countChase County: 234 countCherry County: 332 countCheyenne County: 386 countClay County: 291 countColfax County: 320 countCuming County: 437 countCuster County: 507 countDakota County: 525 countDawes County: 347 countDawson County: 847 countDeuel County: 82 countDixon County: 146 countDodge County: 1,179 countDouglas County: 18,783 countDundy County: 92 countFillmore County: 297 countFranklin County: 122 countFrontier County: 92 countFurnas County: 240 countGage County: 789 countGarden County: 89 countGarfield County: 125 countGosper County: 70 countGrant County: 58 countGreeley County: 121 countHall County: 2,129 countHamilton County: 378 countHarlan County: 149 countHayes County: 37 countHitchcock County: 100 countHolt County: 561 countHooker County: 38 countHoward County: 224 countJefferson County: 289 countJohnson County: 152 countKearney County: 221 countKeith County: 415 countKeya Paha County: 32 countKimball County: 157 countKnox County: 344 countLancaster County: 10,200 countLincoln County: 1,287 countLogan County: 40 countLoup County: 21 countMcPherson County: 12 countMadison County: 1,487 countMerrick County: 286 countMorrill County: 197 countNance County: 139 countNemaha County: 236 countNuckolls County: 194 countOtoe County: 551 countPawnee County: 105 countPerkins County: 160 countPhelps County: 434 countPierce County: 255 countPlatte County: 1,175 countPolk County: 186 countRed Willow County: 479 countRichardson County: 329 countRock County: 61 countSaline County: 396 countSarpy County: 4,030 countSaunders County: 614 countScotts Bluff County: 1,456 countSeward County: 523 countSheridan County: 261 countSherman County: 114 countSioux County: 26 countStanton County: 107 countThayer County: 258 countThomas County: 36 countThurston County: 182 countValley County: 244 countWashington County: 668 countWayne County: 280 countWebster County: 134 countWheeler County: 41 countYork County: 617 count
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 600
  • 600 and over
count, 2018. 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, 2018

Douglas County: 18,783 countDouglas County18,783Lancaster County: 10,200 countLancaster County10,200Sarpy County: 4,030 countSarpy County4,030Hall County: 2,129 countHall County2,129Buffalo County: 1,938 countBuffalo County1,938Madison County: 1,487 countMadison County1,487Scotts Bluff County: 1,456 countScotts Bluff County1,456Lincoln County: 1,287 countLincoln County1,287Dodge County: 1,179 countDodge County1,179Platte County: 1,175 countPlatte County1,175Adams County: 1,146 countAdams County1,146Dawson County: 847 countDawson County847Gage County: 789 countGage County789Cass County: 697 countCass County697Washington County: 668 countWashington County668York County: 617 countYork County617Saunders County: 614 countSaunders County614Holt County: 561 countHolt County561Otoe County: 551 countOtoe County551Dakota County: 525 countDakota County525Seward County: 523 countSeward County523Custer County: 507 countCuster County507Red Willow County: 479 countRed Willow County479Cuming County: 437 countCuming County437Phelps County: 434 countPhelps County434Box Butte County: 431 countBox Butte County431Keith County: 415 countKeith County415Saline County: 396 countSaline County396Cheyenne County: 386 countCheyenne County386Hamilton County: 378 countHamilton County378Dawes County: 347 countDawes County347Cedar County: 346 countCedar County346Knox County: 344 countKnox County344Cherry County: 332 countCherry County332Richardson County: 329 countRichardson County329Colfax County: 320 countColfax County320Fillmore County: 297 countFillmore County297Clay County: 291 countClay County291Jefferson County: 289 countJefferson County289Antelope County: 287 countAntelope County287Douglas County: 18,783 countDouglas County18,783Lancaster County: 10,200 countLancaster County10,200Sarpy County: 4,030 countSarpy County4,030Hall County: 2,129 countHall County2,129Buffalo County: 1,938 countBuffalo County1,938Madison County: 1,487 countMadison County1,487Scotts Bluff County: 1,456 countScotts Bluff County1,456Lincoln County: 1,287 countLincoln County1,287Dodge County: 1,179 countDodge County1,179Platte County: 1,175 countPlatte County1,175Adams County: 1,146 countAdams County1,146Dawson County: 847 countDawson County847Gage County: 789 countGage County789Cass County: 697 countCass County697Washington County: 668 countWashington County668York County: 617 countYork County617Saunders County: 614 countSaunders County614Holt County: 561 countHolt County561Otoe County: 551 countOtoe County551Dakota County: 525 countDakota County525Seward County: 523 countSeward County523Custer County: 507 countCuster County507Red Willow County: 479 countRed Willow County479Cuming County: 437 countCuming County437Phelps County: 434 countPhelps County434Box Butte County: 431 countBox Butte County431Keith County: 415 countKeith County415Saline County: 396 countSaline County396Cheyenne County: 386 countCheyenne County386Hamilton County: 378 countHamilton County378Dawes County: 347 countDawes County347Cedar County: 346 countCedar County346Knox County: 344 countKnox County344Cherry County: 332 countCherry County332Richardson County: 329 countRichardson County329Colfax County: 320 countColfax County320Fillmore County: 297 countFillmore County297Clay County: 291 countClay County291Jefferson County: 289 countJefferson County289Antelope County: 287 countAntelope County287
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

RankCounties2018
count		Change on 2017
1Douglas County18,783-0.9%
2Lancaster County10,200-0.6%
3Sarpy County4,030+1.8%
4Hall County2,129-2%
5Buffalo County1,938+0.3%
6Madison County1,487-2.3%
7Scotts Bluff County1,456-4.1%
8Lincoln County1,287-2.6%
9Dodge County1,179-2.3%
10Platte County1,175-1.8%
11Adams County1,146-2.8%
12Dawson County847-3.4%
13Gage County789-5.1%
14Cass County697-0.4%
15Washington County668+0.5%
16York County617-2.7%
17Saunders County614+1%
18Holt County561-1.2%
19Otoe County551-2.7%
20Dakota County525-6.1%
21Seward County523-3.5%
22Custer County507-3.1%
23Red Willow County479-4.6%
24Cuming County437-3.1%
25Phelps County434-5.4%
26Box Butte County431-0.9%
27Keith County415-4.8%
28Saline County396-2%
29Cheyenne County386-5.4%
30Hamilton County378-1.8%
31Dawes County347-4.7%
32Cedar County346-0.9%
33Knox County344-1.4%
34Cherry County332-1.8%
35Richardson County329-1.5%
36Colfax County320-2.7%
37Fillmore County297-1%
38Clay County291-0.7%
39Jefferson County289-4.9%
40Antelope County287-2%
41Merrick County286-3.7%
42Wayne County280-2.1%
43Butler County279-1.8%
44Boone County2710%
45Burt County266-2.9%
46Sheridan County261-3.7%
47Thayer County2580%
48Pierce County255-3.4%
49Valley County244-2.8%
50Furnas County240-2.8%
51Nemaha County236-0.8%
52Chase County234+0.9%
53Howard County224+3.2%
54Kearney County221-5.6%
55Morrill County197-1%
56Nuckolls County194-2.5%
57Polk County186-1.6%
58Thurston County182-3.7%
59Brown County175+2.3%
60Perkins County160-1.8%
61Kimball County157-1.9%
62Johnson County152-1.3%
63Harlan County149-1.3%
64Dixon County146-2.7%
65Nance County139-6.1%
66Webster County134-3.6%
67Garfield County125+1.6%
68Franklin County122+0.8%
69Greeley County1210%
70Sherman County114-0.9%
71Stanton County107-2.7%
72Boyd County105-2.8%
72Pawnee County105-5.4%
74Hitchcock County100+6.4%
75Dundy County92-5.2%
75Frontier County92-1.1%
77Garden County89+1.1%
78Deuel County82-4.7%
79Gosper County70+6.1%
80Rock County610%
81Grant County58+7.4%
82Wheeler County410%
83Logan County40+2.6%
84Hooker County38-2.6%
85Hayes County370%
86Thomas County36+2.9%
87Keya Paha County32-5.9%
88Sioux County26-13.3%
89Blaine County25+4.2%
90Loup County210%
91Arthur County16-5.9%
92McPherson County12-7.7%
93Banner County10-16.7%

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/2018/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), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/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), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2018. 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), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2018.

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), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_nebraska_by_2018,
  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), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2018. 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/2018/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), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2018.
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/2018/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 18,783 in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Banner County, with 10 in 2018.

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