Counties in Wisconsin by business establishments (QCEW)

Milwaukee County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 72 counties in 2024, at 29,416. Menominee County had the lowest, at 110. The median was 1,154 and the figure for Wisconsin was 203,377. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest29,416Milwaukee County
Median1,15472 counties
Wisconsin203,377History

Map of counties, 2024

Adams County: 444 countAshland County: 627 countBarron County: 1,569 countBayfield County: 578 countBrown County: 7,615 countBuffalo County: 401 countBurnett County: 469 countCalumet County: 1,007 countChippewa County: 1,963 countClark County: 956 countColumbia County: 1,775 countCrawford County: 504 countDane County: 18,084 countDodge County: 2,002 countDoor County: 1,422 countDouglas County: 1,215 countDunn County: 1,151 countEau Claire County: 3,254 countFlorence County: 137 countFond du Lac County: 2,535 countForest County: 301 countGrant County: 1,509 countGreen County: 1,156 countGreen Lake County: 534 countIowa County: 722 countIron County: 228 countJackson County: 488 countJefferson County: 2,344 countJuneau County: 736 countKenosha County: 4,341 countKewaunee County: 575 countLa Crosse County: 3,551 countLafayette County: 510 countLanglade County: 647 countLincoln County: 792 countManitowoc County: 1,990 countMarathon County: 3,960 countMarinette County: 1,257 countMarquette County: 396 countMenominee County: 110 countMilwaukee County: 29,416 countMonroe County: 1,335 countOconto County: 932 countOneida County: 1,496 countOutagamie County: 6,053 countOzaukee County: 3,167 countPepin County: 270 countPierce County: 1,024 countPolk County: 1,311 countPortage County: 1,939 countPrice County: 434 countRacine County: 5,234 countRichland County: 542 countRock County: 3,943 countRusk County: 386 countSt. Croix County: 2,832 countSauk County: 2,219 countSawyer County: 701 countShawano County: 1,069 countSheboygan County: 3,046 countTaylor County: 538 countTrempealeau County: 835 countVernon County: 828 countVilas County: 1,010 countWalworth County: 3,401 countWashburn County: 611 countWashington County: 3,910 countWaukesha County: 14,577 countWaupaca County: 1,385 countWaushara County: 571 countWinnebago County: 4,383 countWood County: 2,131 count
  • Under 500
  • 500 to 700
  • 700 to 1,200
  • 1,200 to 1,900
  • 1,900 to 3,400
  • 3,400 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

Milwaukee County: 29,416 countMilwaukee County29,416Dane County: 18,084 countDane County18,084Waukesha County: 14,577 countWaukesha County14,577Brown County: 7,615 countBrown County7,615Outagamie County: 6,053 countOutagamie County6,053Racine County: 5,234 countRacine County5,234Winnebago County: 4,383 countWinnebago County4,383Kenosha County: 4,341 countKenosha County4,341Marathon County: 3,960 countMarathon County3,960Rock County: 3,943 countRock County3,943Washington County: 3,910 countWashington County3,910La Crosse County: 3,551 countLa Crosse County3,551Walworth County: 3,401 countWalworth County3,401Eau Claire County: 3,254 countEau Claire County3,254Ozaukee County: 3,167 countOzaukee County3,167Sheboygan County: 3,046 countSheboygan County3,046St. Croix County: 2,832 countSt. Croix County2,832Fond du Lac County: 2,535 countFond du Lac County2,535Jefferson County: 2,344 countJefferson County2,344Sauk County: 2,219 countSauk County2,219Wood County: 2,131 countWood County2,131Dodge County: 2,002 countDodge County2,002Manitowoc County: 1,990 countManitowoc County1,990Chippewa County: 1,963 countChippewa County1,963Portage County: 1,939 countPortage County1,939Columbia County: 1,775 countColumbia County1,775Barron County: 1,569 countBarron County1,569Grant County: 1,509 countGrant County1,509Oneida County: 1,496 countOneida County1,496Door County: 1,422 countDoor County1,422Waupaca County: 1,385 countWaupaca County1,385Monroe County: 1,335 countMonroe County1,335Polk County: 1,311 countPolk County1,311Marinette County: 1,257 countMarinette County1,257Douglas County: 1,215 countDouglas County1,215Green County: 1,156 countGreen County1,156Dunn County: 1,151 countDunn County1,151Shawano County: 1,069 countShawano County1,069Pierce County: 1,024 countPierce County1,024Vilas County: 1,010 countVilas County1,010Milwaukee County: 29,416 countMilwaukee County29,416Dane County: 18,084 countDane County18,084Waukesha County: 14,577 countWaukesha County14,577Brown County: 7,615 countBrown County7,615Outagamie County: 6,053 countOutagamie County6,053Racine County: 5,234 countRacine County5,234Winnebago County: 4,383 countWinnebago County4,383Kenosha County: 4,341 countKenosha County4,341Marathon County: 3,960 countMarathon County3,960Rock County: 3,943 countRock County3,943Washington County: 3,910 countWashington County3,910La Crosse County: 3,551 countLa Crosse County3,551Walworth County: 3,401 countWalworth County3,401Eau Claire County: 3,254 countEau Claire County3,254Ozaukee County: 3,167 countOzaukee County3,167Sheboygan County: 3,046 countSheboygan County3,046St. Croix County: 2,832 countSt. Croix County2,832Fond du Lac County: 2,535 countFond du Lac County2,535Jefferson County: 2,344 countJefferson County2,344Sauk County: 2,219 countSauk County2,219Wood County: 2,131 countWood County2,131Dodge County: 2,002 countDodge County2,002Manitowoc County: 1,990 countManitowoc County1,990Chippewa County: 1,963 countChippewa County1,963Portage County: 1,939 countPortage County1,939Columbia County: 1,775 countColumbia County1,775Barron County: 1,569 countBarron County1,569Grant County: 1,509 countGrant County1,509Oneida County: 1,496 countOneida County1,496Door County: 1,422 countDoor County1,422Waupaca County: 1,385 countWaupaca County1,385Monroe County: 1,335 countMonroe County1,335Polk County: 1,311 countPolk County1,311Marinette County: 1,257 countMarinette County1,257Douglas County: 1,215 countDouglas County1,215Green County: 1,156 countGreen County1,156Dunn County: 1,151 countDunn County1,151Shawano County: 1,069 countShawano County1,069Pierce County: 1,024 countPierce County1,024Vilas County: 1,010 countVilas County1,010
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
1Milwaukee County29,416+4.9%
2Dane County18,084+4.9%
3Waukesha County14,577+4.8%
4Brown County7,615+4.1%
5Outagamie County6,053+4.7%
6Racine County5,234+6.3%
7Winnebago County4,383+5.9%
8Kenosha County4,341+6.2%
9Marathon County3,960+5%
10Rock County3,943+5%
11Washington County3,910+5.1%
12La Crosse County3,551+4.1%
13Walworth County3,401+4.8%
14Eau Claire County3,254+3.6%
15Ozaukee County3,167+3.9%
16Sheboygan County3,046+4.4%
17St. Croix County2,832+10.5%
18Fond du Lac County2,535+2.1%
19Jefferson County2,344+5.5%
20Sauk County2,219+4.6%
21Wood County2,131+1.9%
22Dodge County2,002+2.3%
23Manitowoc County1,990+3.5%
24Chippewa County1,963+5.8%
25Portage County1,939+2.3%
26Columbia County1,775+2.1%
27Barron County1,569+3.2%
28Grant County1,509+1%
29Oneida County1,496+4.3%
30Door County1,422+4.6%
31Waupaca County1,385+3%
32Monroe County1,335+3.8%
33Polk County1,311+4%
34Marinette County1,257+2.3%
35Douglas County1,215+3.1%
36Green County1,156+2%
37Dunn County1,151+5.2%
38Shawano County1,069+3.1%
39Pierce County1,024+3.9%
40Vilas County1,010+4%
41Calumet County1,007+7.5%
42Clark County956+2%
43Oconto County932+5.2%
44Trempealeau County835+2%
45Vernon County828+6.3%
46Lincoln County792+3.7%
47Juneau County736+2.9%
48Iowa County722+2.4%
49Sawyer County701+3.9%
50Langlade County647+5%
51Ashland County627-0.3%
52Washburn County611+2.3%
53Bayfield County578+5.7%
54Kewaunee County575+5.3%
55Waushara County571+3.4%
56Richland County542+5%
57Taylor County538+3.9%
58Green Lake County534+3.5%
59Lafayette County510+5.4%
60Crawford County5040%
61Jackson County488+3.2%
62Burnett County469+4.9%
63Adams County444+11.3%
64Price County434+0.2%
65Buffalo County401+3.6%
66Marquette County396+7.6%
67Rusk County386+4.6%
68Forest County301+2.7%
69Pepin County270+0.7%
70Iron County228-1.7%
71Florence County137+0.7%
72Menominee County110+0.9%

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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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/wisconsin-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 Wisconsin 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/wisconsin-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 Wisconsin 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/wisconsin-counties?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_wisconsin_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 Wisconsin 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/wisconsin-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 Wisconsin 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/wisconsin-counties?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/wisconsin-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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Rank Counties in Wisconsin by business establishments (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

Milwaukee County, with 29,416 in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Menominee County, with 110 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 Wisconsin: more rankings