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 2020, at 18,583. McPherson County had the lowest, at 11. The median was 248 and the figure for Nebraska was 70,438. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest18,583Douglas County
Lowest11McPherson County
Median24893 counties
Nebraska70,438History

Map of counties, 2020

Adams County: 1,089 countAntelope County: 277 countArthur County: 20 countBanner County: 13 countBlaine County: 23 countBoone County: 262 countBox Butte County: 394 countBoyd County: 104 countBrown County: 173 countBuffalo County: 1,877 countBurt County: 248 countButler County: 276 countCass County: 673 countCedar County: 342 countChase County: 238 countCherry County: 311 countCheyenne County: 370 countClay County: 284 countColfax County: 318 countCuming County: 420 countCuster County: 492 countDakota County: 502 countDawes County: 328 countDawson County: 813 countDeuel County: 79 countDixon County: 150 countDodge County: 1,145 countDouglas County: 18,583 countDundy County: 84 countFillmore County: 279 countFranklin County: 119 countFrontier County: 92 countFurnas County: 232 countGage County: 778 countGarden County: 78 countGarfield County: 118 countGosper County: 78 countGrant County: 57 countGreeley County: 121 countHall County: 2,056 countHamilton County: 362 countHarlan County: 131 countHayes County: 39 countHitchcock County: 100 countHolt County: 525 countHooker County: 38 countHoward County: 219 countJefferson County: 270 countJohnson County: 146 countKearney County: 210 countKeith County: 401 countKeya Paha County: 32 countKimball County: 164 countKnox County: 329 countLancaster County: 9,819 countLincoln County: 1,202 countLogan County: 42 countLoup County: 23 countMcPherson County: 11 countMadison County: 1,409 countMerrick County: 277 countMorrill County: 188 countNance County: 124 countNemaha County: 228 countNuckolls County: 185 countOtoe County: 514 countPawnee County: 97 countPerkins County: 163 countPhelps County: 427 countPierce County: 240 countPlatte County: 1,148 countPolk County: 177 countRed Willow County: 455 countRichardson County: 317 countRock County: 58 countSaline County: 384 countSarpy County: 4,166 countSaunders County: 623 countScotts Bluff County: 1,342 countSeward County: 518 countSheridan County: 249 countSherman County: 111 countSioux County: 26 countStanton County: 102 countThayer County: 254 countThomas County: 40 countThurston County: 173 countValley County: 240 countWashington County: 651 countWayne County: 281 countWebster County: 128 countWheeler County: 39 countYork County: 623 count
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 600
  • 600 and over
count, 2020. 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, 2020

Douglas County: 18,583 countDouglas County18,583Lancaster County: 9,819 countLancaster County9,819Sarpy County: 4,166 countSarpy County4,166Hall County: 2,056 countHall County2,056Buffalo County: 1,877 countBuffalo County1,877Madison County: 1,409 countMadison County1,409Scotts Bluff County: 1,342 countScotts Bluff County1,342Lincoln County: 1,202 countLincoln County1,202Platte County: 1,148 countPlatte County1,148Dodge County: 1,145 countDodge County1,145Adams County: 1,089 countAdams County1,089Dawson County: 813 countDawson County813Gage County: 778 countGage County778Cass County: 673 countCass County673Washington County: 651 countWashington County651Saunders County: 623 countSaunders County623York County: 623 countYork County623Holt County: 525 countHolt County525Seward County: 518 countSeward County518Otoe County: 514 countOtoe County514Dakota County: 502 countDakota County502Custer County: 492 countCuster County492Red Willow County: 455 countRed Willow County455Phelps County: 427 countPhelps County427Cuming County: 420 countCuming County420Keith County: 401 countKeith County401Box Butte County: 394 countBox Butte County394Saline County: 384 countSaline County384Cheyenne County: 370 countCheyenne County370Hamilton County: 362 countHamilton County362Cedar County: 342 countCedar County342Knox County: 329 countKnox County329Dawes County: 328 countDawes County328Colfax County: 318 countColfax County318Richardson County: 317 countRichardson County317Cherry County: 311 countCherry County311Clay County: 284 countClay County284Wayne County: 281 countWayne County281Fillmore County: 279 countFillmore County279Antelope County: 277 countAntelope County277Douglas County: 18,583 countDouglas County18,583Lancaster County: 9,819 countLancaster County9,819Sarpy County: 4,166 countSarpy County4,166Hall County: 2,056 countHall County2,056Buffalo County: 1,877 countBuffalo County1,877Madison County: 1,409 countMadison County1,409Scotts Bluff County: 1,342 countScotts Bluff County1,342Lincoln County: 1,202 countLincoln County1,202Platte County: 1,148 countPlatte County1,148Dodge County: 1,145 countDodge County1,145Adams County: 1,089 countAdams County1,089Dawson County: 813 countDawson County813Gage County: 778 countGage County778Cass County: 673 countCass County673Washington County: 651 countWashington County651Saunders County: 623 countSaunders County623York County: 623 countYork County623Holt County: 525 countHolt County525Seward County: 518 countSeward County518Otoe County: 514 countOtoe County514Dakota County: 502 countDakota County502Custer County: 492 countCuster County492Red Willow County: 455 countRed Willow County455Phelps County: 427 countPhelps County427Cuming County: 420 countCuming County420Keith County: 401 countKeith County401Box Butte County: 394 countBox Butte County394Saline County: 384 countSaline County384Cheyenne County: 370 countCheyenne County370Hamilton County: 362 countHamilton County362Cedar County: 342 countCedar County342Knox County: 329 countKnox County329Dawes County: 328 countDawes County328Colfax County: 318 countColfax County318Richardson County: 317 countRichardson County317Cherry County: 311 countCherry County311Clay County: 284 countClay County284Wayne County: 281 countWayne County281Fillmore County: 279 countFillmore County279Antelope County: 277 countAntelope County277
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

RankCounties2020
count		Change on 2019
1Douglas County18,583-1%
2Lancaster County9,819-2.5%
3Sarpy County4,166+1.1%
4Hall County2,056-2.3%
5Buffalo County1,877-1.7%
6Madison County1,409-3.4%
7Scotts Bluff County1,342-5.2%
8Lincoln County1,202-4.2%
9Platte County1,148-0.7%
10Dodge County1,145-2.6%
11Adams County1,089-2.3%
12Dawson County813-2.6%
13Gage County778-1.3%
14Cass County673-4.3%
15Washington County651-1.8%
16Saunders County623+0.5%
16York County623+1.5%
18Holt County525-3.5%
19Seward County518-0.2%
20Otoe County514-4.8%
21Dakota County502-1.8%
22Custer County492-2.6%
23Red Willow County455-4.2%
24Phelps County427-0.5%
25Cuming County420-2.8%
26Keith County401-1.7%
27Box Butte County394-4.8%
28Saline County384-2%
29Cheyenne County370-2.6%
30Hamilton County362-0.3%
31Cedar County342-2.8%
32Knox County329-1.8%
33Dawes County3280%
34Colfax County318+2.3%
35Richardson County317-2.2%
36Cherry County311-4.6%
37Clay County284-2.1%
38Wayne County281+2.2%
39Fillmore County279-3.1%
40Antelope County277-3.5%
40Merrick County277-2.1%
42Butler County276+1.5%
43Jefferson County270-2.2%
44Boone County262-1.9%
45Thayer County2540%
46Sheridan County249-2.4%
47Burt County248-4.6%
48Pierce County240-2%
48Valley County240-1.6%
50Chase County238+2.1%
51Furnas County232-1.3%
52Nemaha County228-3%
53Howard County219-2.7%
54Kearney County210+0.5%
55Morrill County188-4.6%
56Nuckolls County185-3.1%
57Polk County177-2.2%
58Brown County173-0.6%
58Thurston County173+0.6%
60Kimball County164+3.1%
61Perkins County163+0.6%
62Dixon County150+0.7%
63Johnson County146-4.6%
64Harlan County131-9%
65Webster County128-1.5%
66Nance County124-7.5%
67Greeley County121-1.6%
68Franklin County119-0.8%
69Garfield County118-3.3%
70Sherman County111-4.3%
71Boyd County104-1%
72Stanton County102-4.7%
73Hitchcock County100-2%
74Pawnee County97-3%
75Frontier County920%
76Dundy County84-6.7%
77Deuel County79-3.7%
78Garden County78-1.3%
78Gosper County78+2.6%
80Rock County58-4.9%
81Grant County57+1.8%
82Logan County42+2.4%
83Thomas County40+8.1%
84Hayes County39+2.6%
84Wheeler County39-2.5%
86Hooker County380%
87Keya Paha County32+3.2%
88Sioux County26+4%
89Blaine County23-8%
89Loup County23+9.5%
91Arthur County20+5.3%
92Banner County13+18.2%
93McPherson County110%

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/2020/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), 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/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), 2020. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2020. 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), 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2020.

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), 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_nebraska_by_2020,
  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), 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2020. 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/2020/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), 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2020/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/nebraska-counties?period=2020.
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/2020/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 18,583 in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

McPherson County, with 11 in 2020.

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