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 2019, at 18,777. McPherson County had the lowest, at 11. The median was 254 and the figure for Nebraska was 71,399. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest18,777Douglas County
Lowest11McPherson County
Median25493 counties
Nebraska71,399History

Map of counties, 2019

Adams County: 1,115 countAntelope County: 287 countArthur County: 19 countBanner County: 11 countBlaine County: 25 countBoone County: 267 countBox Butte County: 414 countBoyd County: 105 countBrown County: 174 countBuffalo County: 1,910 countBurt County: 260 countButler County: 272 countCass County: 703 countCedar County: 352 countChase County: 233 countCherry County: 326 countCheyenne County: 380 countClay County: 290 countColfax County: 311 countCuming County: 432 countCuster County: 505 countDakota County: 511 countDawes County: 328 countDawson County: 835 countDeuel County: 82 countDixon County: 149 countDodge County: 1,176 countDouglas County: 18,777 countDundy County: 90 countFillmore County: 288 countFranklin County: 120 countFrontier County: 92 countFurnas County: 235 countGage County: 788 countGarden County: 79 countGarfield County: 122 countGosper County: 76 countGrant County: 56 countGreeley County: 123 countHall County: 2,105 countHamilton County: 363 countHarlan County: 144 countHayes County: 38 countHitchcock County: 102 countHolt County: 544 countHooker County: 38 countHoward County: 225 countJefferson County: 276 countJohnson County: 153 countKearney County: 209 countKeith County: 408 countKeya Paha County: 31 countKimball County: 159 countKnox County: 335 countLancaster County: 10,071 countLincoln County: 1,255 countLogan County: 41 countLoup County: 21 countMcPherson County: 11 countMadison County: 1,458 countMerrick County: 283 countMorrill County: 197 countNance County: 134 countNemaha County: 235 countNuckolls County: 191 countOtoe County: 540 countPawnee County: 100 countPerkins County: 162 countPhelps County: 429 countPierce County: 245 countPlatte County: 1,156 countPolk County: 181 countRed Willow County: 475 countRichardson County: 324 countRock County: 61 countSaline County: 392 countSarpy County: 4,122 countSaunders County: 620 countScotts Bluff County: 1,416 countSeward County: 519 countSheridan County: 255 countSherman County: 116 countSioux County: 25 countStanton County: 107 countThayer County: 254 countThomas County: 37 countThurston County: 172 countValley County: 244 countWashington County: 663 countWayne County: 275 countWebster County: 130 countWheeler County: 40 countYork County: 614 count
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 600
  • 600 and over
count, 2019. 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, 2019

Douglas County: 18,777 countDouglas County18,777Lancaster County: 10,071 countLancaster County10,071Sarpy County: 4,122 countSarpy County4,122Hall County: 2,105 countHall County2,105Buffalo County: 1,910 countBuffalo County1,910Madison County: 1,458 countMadison County1,458Scotts Bluff County: 1,416 countScotts Bluff County1,416Lincoln County: 1,255 countLincoln County1,255Dodge County: 1,176 countDodge County1,176Platte County: 1,156 countPlatte County1,156Adams County: 1,115 countAdams County1,115Dawson County: 835 countDawson County835Gage County: 788 countGage County788Cass County: 703 countCass County703Washington County: 663 countWashington County663Saunders County: 620 countSaunders County620York County: 614 countYork County614Holt County: 544 countHolt County544Otoe County: 540 countOtoe County540Seward County: 519 countSeward County519Dakota County: 511 countDakota County511Custer County: 505 countCuster County505Red Willow County: 475 countRed Willow County475Cuming County: 432 countCuming County432Phelps County: 429 countPhelps County429Box Butte County: 414 countBox Butte County414Keith County: 408 countKeith County408Saline County: 392 countSaline County392Cheyenne County: 380 countCheyenne County380Hamilton County: 363 countHamilton County363Cedar County: 352 countCedar County352Knox County: 335 countKnox County335Dawes County: 328 countDawes County328Cherry County: 326 countCherry County326Richardson County: 324 countRichardson County324Colfax County: 311 countColfax County311Clay County: 290 countClay County290Fillmore County: 288 countFillmore County288Antelope County: 287 countAntelope County287Merrick County: 283 countMerrick County283Douglas County: 18,777 countDouglas County18,777Lancaster County: 10,071 countLancaster County10,071Sarpy County: 4,122 countSarpy County4,122Hall County: 2,105 countHall County2,105Buffalo County: 1,910 countBuffalo County1,910Madison County: 1,458 countMadison County1,458Scotts Bluff County: 1,416 countScotts Bluff County1,416Lincoln County: 1,255 countLincoln County1,255Dodge County: 1,176 countDodge County1,176Platte County: 1,156 countPlatte County1,156Adams County: 1,115 countAdams County1,115Dawson County: 835 countDawson County835Gage County: 788 countGage County788Cass County: 703 countCass County703Washington County: 663 countWashington County663Saunders County: 620 countSaunders County620York County: 614 countYork County614Holt County: 544 countHolt County544Otoe County: 540 countOtoe County540Seward County: 519 countSeward County519Dakota County: 511 countDakota County511Custer County: 505 countCuster County505Red Willow County: 475 countRed Willow County475Cuming County: 432 countCuming County432Phelps County: 429 countPhelps County429Box Butte County: 414 countBox Butte County414Keith County: 408 countKeith County408Saline County: 392 countSaline County392Cheyenne County: 380 countCheyenne County380Hamilton County: 363 countHamilton County363Cedar County: 352 countCedar County352Knox County: 335 countKnox County335Dawes County: 328 countDawes County328Cherry County: 326 countCherry County326Richardson County: 324 countRichardson County324Colfax County: 311 countColfax County311Clay County: 290 countClay County290Fillmore County: 288 countFillmore County288Antelope County: 287 countAntelope County287Merrick County: 283 countMerrick County283
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

RankCounties2019
count		Change on 2018
1Douglas County18,777-0%
2Lancaster County10,071-1.3%
3Sarpy County4,122+2.3%
4Hall County2,105-1.1%
5Buffalo County1,910-1.4%
6Madison County1,458-2%
7Scotts Bluff County1,416-2.7%
8Lincoln County1,255-2.5%
9Dodge County1,176-0.3%
10Platte County1,156-1.6%
11Adams County1,115-2.7%
12Dawson County835-1.4%
13Gage County788-0.1%
14Cass County703+0.9%
15Washington County663-0.7%
16Saunders County620+1%
17York County614-0.5%
18Holt County544-3%
19Otoe County540-2%
20Seward County519-0.8%
21Dakota County511-2.7%
22Custer County505-0.4%
23Red Willow County475-0.8%
24Cuming County432-1.1%
25Phelps County429-1.2%
26Box Butte County414-3.9%
27Keith County408-1.7%
28Saline County392-1%
29Cheyenne County380-1.6%
30Hamilton County363-4%
31Cedar County352+1.7%
32Knox County335-2.6%
33Dawes County328-5.5%
34Cherry County326-1.8%
35Richardson County324-1.5%
36Colfax County311-2.8%
37Clay County290-0.3%
38Fillmore County288-3%
39Antelope County2870%
40Merrick County283-1%
41Jefferson County276-4.5%
42Wayne County275-1.8%
43Butler County272-2.5%
44Boone County267-1.5%
45Burt County260-2.3%
46Sheridan County255-2.3%
47Thayer County254-1.6%
48Pierce County245-3.9%
49Valley County2440%
50Furnas County235-2.1%
50Nemaha County235-0.4%
52Chase County233-0.4%
53Howard County225+0.4%
54Kearney County209-5.4%
55Morrill County1970%
56Nuckolls County191-1.5%
57Polk County181-2.7%
58Brown County174-0.6%
59Thurston County172-5.5%
60Perkins County162+1.3%
61Kimball County159+1.3%
62Johnson County153+0.7%
63Dixon County149+2.1%
64Harlan County144-3.4%
65Nance County134-3.6%
66Webster County130-3%
67Greeley County123+1.7%
68Garfield County122-2.4%
69Franklin County120-1.6%
70Sherman County116+1.8%
71Stanton County1070%
72Boyd County1050%
73Hitchcock County102+2%
74Pawnee County100-4.8%
75Frontier County920%
76Dundy County90-2.2%
77Deuel County820%
78Garden County79-11.2%
79Gosper County76+8.6%
80Rock County610%
81Grant County56-3.4%
82Logan County41+2.5%
83Wheeler County40-2.4%
84Hayes County38+2.7%
84Hooker County380%
86Thomas County37+2.8%
87Keya Paha County31-3.1%
88Blaine County250%
88Sioux County25-3.8%
90Loup County210%
91Arthur County19+18.8%
92Banner County11+10%
92McPherson County11-8.3%

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/2019/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), 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/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), 2019. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2019. 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), 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2019.

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), 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_nebraska_by_2019,
  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), 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2019. 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/2019/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), 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2019.
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/2019/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 18,777 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

McPherson County, with 11 in 2019.

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