Counties in Pennsylvania by business establishments (QCEW)

Allegheny County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 67 counties in 2024, at 36,316. Forest County had the lowest, at 144. The median was 2,000 and the figure for Pennsylvania was 388,411. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest36,316Allegheny County
Lowest144Forest County
Median2,00067 counties
Pennsylvania388,411History

Map of counties, 2024

Adams County: 2,237 countAllegheny County: 36,316 countArmstrong County: 1,450 countBeaver County: 3,586 countBedford County: 1,246 countBerks County: 8,917 countBlair County: 3,430 countBradford County: 1,525 countBucks County: 21,271 countButler County: 5,418 countCambria County: 3,304 countCameron County: 158 countCarbon County: 1,305 countCentre County: 3,610 countChester County: 16,598 countClarion County: 1,074 countClearfield County: 2,062 countClinton County: 917 countColumbia County: 1,571 countCrawford County: 2,130 countCumberland County: 6,995 countDauphin County: 7,552 countDelaware County: 14,424 countElk County: 960 countErie County: 6,731 countFayette County: 2,734 countForest County: 144 countFranklin County: 3,466 countFulton County: 315 countGreene County: 800 countHuntingdon County: 1,022 countIndiana County: 1,921 countJefferson County: 1,202 countJuniata County: 581 countLackawanna County: 5,565 countLancaster County: 14,605 countLawrence County: 2,000 countLebanon County: 2,936 countLehigh County: 8,954 countLuzerne County: 7,474 countLycoming County: 3,032 countMcKean County: 1,061 countMercer County: 2,857 countMifflin County: 1,093 countMonroe County: 3,684 countMontgomery County: 28,922 countMontour County: 490 countNorthampton County: 7,088 countNorthumberland County: 1,813 countPerry County: 896 countPhiladelphia County: 33,641 countPike County: 1,144 countPotter County: 466 countSchuylkill County: 2,961 countSnyder County: 1,002 countSomerset County: 1,862 countSullivan County: 181 countSusquehanna County: 990 countTioga County: 994 countUnion County: 1,018 countVenango County: 1,208 countWarren County: 910 countWashington County: 5,697 countWayne County: 1,445 countWestmoreland County: 9,132 countWyoming County: 714 countYork County: 9,389 count
  • Under 900
  • 900 to 1,200
  • 1,200 to 2,000
  • 2,000 to 3,500
  • 3,500 to 7,600
  • 7,600 and over
count, 2024. 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, 2024

Allegheny County: 36,316 countAllegheny County36,316Philadelphia County: 33,641 countPhiladelphia County33,641Montgomery County: 28,922 countMontgomery County28,922Bucks County: 21,271 countBucks County21,271Chester County: 16,598 countChester County16,598Lancaster County: 14,605 countLancaster County14,605Delaware County: 14,424 countDelaware County14,424York County: 9,389 countYork County9,389Westmoreland County: 9,132 countWestmoreland County9,132Lehigh County: 8,954 countLehigh County8,954Berks County: 8,917 countBerks County8,917Dauphin County: 7,552 countDauphin County7,552Luzerne County: 7,474 countLuzerne County7,474Northampton County: 7,088 countNorthampton County7,088Cumberland County: 6,995 countCumberland County6,995Erie County: 6,731 countErie County6,731Washington County: 5,697 countWashington County5,697Lackawanna County: 5,565 countLackawanna County5,565Butler County: 5,418 countButler County5,418Monroe County: 3,684 countMonroe County3,684Centre County: 3,610 countCentre County3,610Beaver County: 3,586 countBeaver County3,586Franklin County: 3,466 countFranklin County3,466Blair County: 3,430 countBlair County3,430Cambria County: 3,304 countCambria County3,304Lycoming County: 3,032 countLycoming County3,032Schuylkill County: 2,961 countSchuylkill County2,961Lebanon County: 2,936 countLebanon County2,936Mercer County: 2,857 countMercer County2,857Fayette County: 2,734 countFayette County2,734Adams County: 2,237 countAdams County2,237Crawford County: 2,130 countCrawford County2,130Clearfield County: 2,062 countClearfield County2,062Lawrence County: 2,000 countLawrence County2,000Indiana County: 1,921 countIndiana County1,921Somerset County: 1,862 countSomerset County1,862Northumberland County: 1,813 countNorthumberland County1,813Columbia County: 1,571 countColumbia County1,571Bradford County: 1,525 countBradford County1,525Armstrong County: 1,450 countArmstrong County1,450Allegheny County: 36,316 countAllegheny County36,316Philadelphia County: 33,641 countPhiladelphia County33,641Montgomery County: 28,922 countMontgomery County28,922Bucks County: 21,271 countBucks County21,271Chester County: 16,598 countChester County16,598Lancaster County: 14,605 countLancaster County14,605Delaware County: 14,424 countDelaware County14,424York County: 9,389 countYork County9,389Westmoreland County: 9,132 countWestmoreland County9,132Lehigh County: 8,954 countLehigh County8,954Berks County: 8,917 countBerks County8,917Dauphin County: 7,552 countDauphin County7,552Luzerne County: 7,474 countLuzerne County7,474Northampton County: 7,088 countNorthampton County7,088Cumberland County: 6,995 countCumberland County6,995Erie County: 6,731 countErie County6,731Washington County: 5,697 countWashington County5,697Lackawanna County: 5,565 countLackawanna County5,565Butler County: 5,418 countButler County5,418Monroe County: 3,684 countMonroe County3,684Centre County: 3,610 countCentre County3,610Beaver County: 3,586 countBeaver County3,586Franklin County: 3,466 countFranklin County3,466Blair County: 3,430 countBlair County3,430Cambria County: 3,304 countCambria County3,304Lycoming County: 3,032 countLycoming County3,032Schuylkill County: 2,961 countSchuylkill County2,961Lebanon County: 2,936 countLebanon County2,936Mercer County: 2,857 countMercer County2,857Fayette County: 2,734 countFayette County2,734Adams County: 2,237 countAdams County2,237Crawford County: 2,130 countCrawford County2,130Clearfield County: 2,062 countClearfield County2,062Lawrence County: 2,000 countLawrence County2,000Indiana County: 1,921 countIndiana County1,921Somerset County: 1,862 countSomerset County1,862Northumberland County: 1,813 countNorthumberland County1,813Columbia County: 1,571 countColumbia County1,571Bradford County: 1,525 countBradford County1,525Armstrong County: 1,450 countArmstrong County1,450
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

RankCounties2024
count
Change on 2023
1Allegheny County36,316-0.1%
2Philadelphia County33,641-1.4%
3Montgomery County28,922+0.7%
4Bucks County21,271+1.3%
5Chester County16,598+1.2%
6Lancaster County14,605+0.9%
7Delaware County14,424+0.4%
8York County9,389-0.1%
9Westmoreland County9,132-0.3%
10Lehigh County8,954+0.4%
11Berks County8,917-0%
12Dauphin County7,552-0.7%
13Luzerne County7,474+0.2%
14Northampton County7,088+1.4%
15Cumberland County6,995+0.8%
16Erie County6,731-0%
17Washington County5,697+0.2%
18Lackawanna County5,565+0.6%
19Butler County5,418+2.3%
20Monroe County3,684+1.1%
21Centre County3,610-0.6%
22Beaver County3,586-0.6%
23Franklin County3,466+1.3%
24Blair County3,430-0.9%
25Cambria County3,304-0.7%
26Lycoming County3,032-0.7%
27Schuylkill County2,961-1.4%
28Lebanon County2,936+0.3%
29Mercer County2,857+1%
30Fayette County2,734-1.9%
31Adams County2,237+0.4%
32Crawford County2,130-0.7%
33Clearfield County2,062-0.6%
34Lawrence County2,000-0.3%
35Indiana County1,921-1%
36Somerset County1,862+0.3%
37Northumberland County1,813-0.2%
38Columbia County1,571-0.2%
39Bradford County1,525-1.5%
40Armstrong County1,450-1%
41Wayne County1,445+0.8%
42Carbon County1,305+0.9%
43Bedford County1,246+3.1%
44Venango County1,208-2.3%
45Jefferson County1,202+0.6%
46Pike County1,144+0.9%
47Mifflin County1,093+1.5%
48Clarion County1,074-0.9%
49McKean County1,061-1.5%
50Huntingdon County1,022+0.9%
51Union County1,018-0.8%
52Snyder County1,002+0.2%
53Tioga County994-0.3%
54Susquehanna County990-1.1%
55Elk County960-0.5%
56Clinton County917-0.2%
57Warren County910-1.2%
58Perry County896-0.6%
59Greene County800-2.7%
60Wyoming County714+1%
61Juniata County581+1.4%
62Montour County490+1.4%
63Potter County466-0.2%
64Fulton County315-1.3%
65Sullivan County181-2.7%
66Cameron County1580%
67Forest County144-1.4%

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/2024/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 Pennsylvania by business establishments (QCEW), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/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 Pennsylvania by business establishments (QCEW), 2024. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/pennsylvania-counties?period=2024. 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 Pennsylvania by business establishments (QCEW), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/pennsylvania-counties?period=2024.

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 Pennsylvania by business establishments (QCEW), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/pennsylvania-counties?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_pennsylvania_by_2024,
  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 Pennsylvania by business establishments (QCEW), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/pennsylvania-counties?period=2024. 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/2024/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 Pennsylvania by business establishments (QCEW), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/pennsylvania-counties?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/pennsylvania-counties?period=2024.
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/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

Allegheny County, with 36,316 in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Forest County, with 144 in 2024.

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 Pennsylvania: more rankings