Data / Rankings / Covered employment (QCEW) / Counties in Alabama

Counties in Alabama by covered employment (QCEW)

Jefferson County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 67 counties in 2016, at 340,512 jobs. Coosa County had the lowest, at 1,344 jobs. The median was 9,777 jobs and the figure for Alabama was 1,915,306 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest340,512Jefferson County
Lowest1,344Coosa County
Median9,77767 counties
Alabama1,915,306History

Map of counties, 2016

Autauga County: 10,739 jobsBaldwin County: 70,107 jobsBarbour County: 7,937 jobsBibb County: 4,144 jobsBlount County: 8,147 jobsBullock County: 2,963 jobsButler County: 6,903 jobsCalhoun County: 43,763 jobsChambers County: 8,057 jobsCherokee County: 5,074 jobsChilton County: 9,408 jobsChoctaw County: 3,333 jobsClarke County: 8,150 jobsClay County: 3,925 jobsCleburne County: 2,262 jobsCoffee County: 15,300 jobsColbert County: 23,907 jobsConecuh County: 3,428 jobsCoosa County: 1,344 jobsCovington County: 12,155 jobsCrenshaw County: 3,807 jobsCullman County: 28,794 jobsDale County: 16,795 jobsDallas County: 12,706 jobsDeKalb County: 20,743 jobsElmore County: 19,601 jobsEscambia County: 12,821 jobsEtowah County: 36,213 jobsFayette County: 4,050 jobsFranklin County: 10,333 jobsGeneva County: 5,010 jobsGreene County: 1,746 jobsHale County: 2,732 jobsHenry County: 3,242 jobsHouston County: 46,885 jobsJackson County: 16,278 jobsJefferson County: 340,512 jobsLamar County: 3,427 jobsLauderdale County: 29,434 jobsLawrence County: 4,694 jobsLee County: 56,746 jobsLimestone County: 22,570 jobsLowndes County: 2,413 jobsMacon County: 4,765 jobsMadison County: 191,678 jobsMarengo County: 7,024 jobsMarion County: 9,777 jobsMarshall County: 35,831 jobsMobile County: 169,094 jobsMonroe County: 6,115 jobsMontgomery County: 131,172 jobsMorgan County: 46,691 jobsPerry County: 2,074 jobsPickens County: 3,792 jobsPike County: 13,905 jobsRandolph County: 4,630 jobsRussell County: 13,724 jobsSt. Clair County: 19,313 jobsShelby County: 84,014 jobsSumter County: 3,037 jobsTalladega County: 29,093 jobsTallapoosa County: 13,515 jobsTuscaloosa County: 91,561 jobsWalker County: 17,995 jobsWashington County: 3,572 jobsWilcox County: 2,745 jobsWinston County: 7,434 jobs
  • Under 3,000
  • 3,000 to 5,000
  • 5,000 to 10K
  • 10K to 17K
  • 17K to 36K
  • 36K and over
jobs, 2016. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Jefferson County: 340,512 jobsJefferson County340,512Madison County: 191,678 jobsMadison County191,678Mobile County: 169,094 jobsMobile County169,094Montgomery County: 131,172 jobsMontgomery County131,172Tuscaloosa County: 91,561 jobsTuscaloosa County91,561Shelby County: 84,014 jobsShelby County84,014Baldwin County: 70,107 jobsBaldwin County70,107Lee County: 56,746 jobsLee County56,746Houston County: 46,885 jobsHouston County46,885Morgan County: 46,691 jobsMorgan County46,691Calhoun County: 43,763 jobsCalhoun County43,763Etowah County: 36,213 jobsEtowah County36,213Marshall County: 35,831 jobsMarshall County35,831Lauderdale County: 29,434 jobsLauderdale County29,434Talladega County: 29,093 jobsTalladega County29,093Cullman County: 28,794 jobsCullman County28,794Colbert County: 23,907 jobsColbert County23,907Limestone County: 22,570 jobsLimestone County22,570DeKalb County: 20,743 jobsDeKalb County20,743Elmore County: 19,601 jobsElmore County19,601St. Clair County: 19,313 jobsSt. Clair County19,313Walker County: 17,995 jobsWalker County17,995Dale County: 16,795 jobsDale County16,795Jackson County: 16,278 jobsJackson County16,278Coffee County: 15,300 jobsCoffee County15,300Pike County: 13,905 jobsPike County13,905Russell County: 13,724 jobsRussell County13,724Tallapoosa County: 13,515 jobsTallapoosa County13,515Escambia County: 12,821 jobsEscambia County12,821Dallas County: 12,706 jobsDallas County12,706Covington County: 12,155 jobsCovington County12,155Autauga County: 10,739 jobsAutauga County10,739Franklin County: 10,333 jobsFranklin County10,333Marion County: 9,777 jobsMarion County9,777Chilton County: 9,408 jobsChilton County9,408Clarke County: 8,150 jobsClarke County8,150Blount County: 8,147 jobsBlount County8,147Chambers County: 8,057 jobsChambers County8,057Barbour County: 7,937 jobsBarbour County7,937Winston County: 7,434 jobsWinston County7,434Jefferson County: 340,512 jobsJefferson County340,512Madison County: 191,678 jobsMadison County191,678Mobile County: 169,094 jobsMobile County169,094Montgomery County: 131,172 jobsMontgomery County131,172Tuscaloosa County: 91,561 jobsTuscaloosa County91,561Shelby County: 84,014 jobsShelby County84,014Baldwin County: 70,107 jobsBaldwin County70,107Lee County: 56,746 jobsLee County56,746Houston County: 46,885 jobsHouston County46,885Morgan County: 46,691 jobsMorgan County46,691Calhoun County: 43,763 jobsCalhoun County43,763Etowah County: 36,213 jobsEtowah County36,213Marshall County: 35,831 jobsMarshall County35,831Lauderdale County: 29,434 jobsLauderdale County29,434Talladega County: 29,093 jobsTalladega County29,093Cullman County: 28,794 jobsCullman County28,794Colbert County: 23,907 jobsColbert County23,907Limestone County: 22,570 jobsLimestone County22,570DeKalb County: 20,743 jobsDeKalb County20,743Elmore County: 19,601 jobsElmore County19,601St. Clair County: 19,313 jobsSt. Clair County19,313Walker County: 17,995 jobsWalker County17,995Dale County: 16,795 jobsDale County16,795Jackson County: 16,278 jobsJackson County16,278Coffee County: 15,300 jobsCoffee County15,300Pike County: 13,905 jobsPike County13,905Russell County: 13,724 jobsRussell County13,724Tallapoosa County: 13,515 jobsTallapoosa County13,515Escambia County: 12,821 jobsEscambia County12,821Dallas County: 12,706 jobsDallas County12,706Covington County: 12,155 jobsCovington County12,155Autauga County: 10,739 jobsAutauga County10,739Franklin County: 10,333 jobsFranklin County10,333Marion County: 9,777 jobsMarion County9,777Chilton County: 9,408 jobsChilton County9,408Clarke County: 8,150 jobsClarke County8,150Blount County: 8,147 jobsBlount County8,147Chambers County: 8,057 jobsChambers County8,057Barbour County: 7,937 jobsBarbour County7,937Winston County: 7,434 jobsWinston County7,434
jobs. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
jobs		Change on 2015
1Jefferson County340,512+0.7%
2Madison County191,678+2.7%
3Mobile County169,094+1%
4Montgomery County131,172+1.7%
5Tuscaloosa County91,5610%
6Shelby County84,014+0.7%
7Baldwin County70,107+3.7%
8Lee County56,746+3.3%
9Houston County46,885+0.8%
10Morgan County46,691+0.3%
11Calhoun County43,763+0.3%
12Etowah County36,213+2%
13Marshall County35,831+2.9%
14Lauderdale County29,434+1.5%
15Talladega County29,093-1.6%
16Cullman County28,794+4%
17Colbert County23,907+1%
18Limestone County22,570-0.4%
19DeKalb County20,743-0.5%
20Elmore County19,601+1.8%
21St. Clair County19,313+3.3%
22Walker County17,995-1.6%
23Dale County16,795+2%
24Jackson County16,278-0%
25Coffee County15,300+0.6%
26Pike County13,905+1.4%
27Russell County13,724+2.4%
28Tallapoosa County13,515+1%
29Escambia County12,821+0.4%
30Dallas County12,706-0.2%
31Covington County12,155-0.5%
32Autauga County10,739+1.4%
33Franklin County10,333+0.8%
34Marion County9,777+1.8%
35Chilton County9,408+1.7%
36Clarke County8,1500%
37Blount County8,147+1%
38Chambers County8,057+0.2%
39Barbour County7,937-3.2%
40Winston County7,434+2.5%
41Marengo County7,024+2.1%
42Butler County6,903+0.9%
43Monroe County6,115+0.4%
44Cherokee County5,074+0.3%
45Geneva County5,010+1.3%
46Macon County4,765-0.1%
47Lawrence County4,694+1.2%
48Randolph County4,630-4.1%
49Bibb County4,144+1.7%
50Fayette County4,050+3.4%
51Clay County3,925+2.2%
52Crenshaw County3,807+1%
53Pickens County3,792+1.1%
54Washington County3,572+1.3%
55Conecuh County3,428-2.9%
56Lamar County3,427+2.7%
57Choctaw County3,333-0.9%
58Henry County3,242-3.1%
59Sumter County3,037+1.1%
60Bullock County2,963+2%
61Wilcox County2,745+0.3%
62Hale County2,732-1.2%
63Lowndes County2,413+3.5%
64Cleburne County2,262+3.5%
65Perry County2,074-1.1%
66Greene County1,746+0.5%
67Coosa County1,344+4.1%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of 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. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

Counts jobs, not people: someone with two jobs counts twice. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools. A count of employer reports, not a survey estimate like oews_employment.

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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Alabama by covered employment (QCEW), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Alabama by covered employment (QCEW), 2016. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Alabama by covered employment (QCEW), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Alabama by covered employment (QCEW), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_alabama_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Alabama by covered employment (QCEW), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Alabama by covered employment (QCEW), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Jefferson County, with 340,512 jobs in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Coosa County, with 1,344 jobs in 2016.

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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Covered employment (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Alabama: more rankings