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 2017, at 344,402 jobs. Coosa County had the lowest, at 1,384 jobs. The median was 9,896 jobs and the figure for Alabama was 1,936,819 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest344,402Jefferson County
Lowest1,384Coosa County
Median9,89667 counties
Alabama1,936,819History

Map of counties, 2017

Autauga County: 10,823 jobsBaldwin County: 71,999 jobsBarbour County: 8,012 jobsBibb County: 4,110 jobsBlount County: 8,327 jobsBullock County: 3,003 jobsButler County: 6,695 jobsCalhoun County: 44,240 jobsChambers County: 8,312 jobsCherokee County: 5,040 jobsChilton County: 9,302 jobsChoctaw County: 3,439 jobsClarke County: 8,058 jobsClay County: 4,102 jobsCleburne County: 2,140 jobsCoffee County: 15,673 jobsColbert County: 23,797 jobsConecuh County: 3,415 jobsCoosa County: 1,384 jobsCovington County: 12,453 jobsCrenshaw County: 3,725 jobsCullman County: 28,737 jobsDale County: 16,797 jobsDallas County: 12,471 jobsDeKalb County: 21,076 jobsElmore County: 19,853 jobsEscambia County: 12,831 jobsEtowah County: 36,208 jobsFayette County: 4,046 jobsFranklin County: 10,548 jobsGeneva County: 4,889 jobsGreene County: 1,763 jobsHale County: 2,734 jobsHenry County: 3,274 jobsHouston County: 47,744 jobsJackson County: 15,784 jobsJefferson County: 344,402 jobsLamar County: 3,493 jobsLauderdale County: 29,655 jobsLawrence County: 4,787 jobsLee County: 58,339 jobsLimestone County: 23,254 jobsLowndes County: 2,330 jobsMacon County: 4,830 jobsMadison County: 195,702 jobsMarengo County: 7,107 jobsMarion County: 9,896 jobsMarshall County: 36,538 jobsMobile County: 170,070 jobsMonroe County: 6,119 jobsMontgomery County: 132,033 jobsMorgan County: 47,098 jobsPerry County: 2,111 jobsPickens County: 3,855 jobsPike County: 14,374 jobsRandolph County: 4,815 jobsRussell County: 13,960 jobsSt. Clair County: 19,654 jobsShelby County: 84,811 jobsSumter County: 2,963 jobsTalladega County: 29,119 jobsTallapoosa County: 13,300 jobsTuscaloosa County: 92,787 jobsWalker County: 17,965 jobsWashington County: 3,590 jobsWilcox County: 2,816 jobsWinston County: 7,713 jobs
  • Under 3,000
  • 3,000 to 5,000
  • 5,000 to 10K
  • 10K to 17K
  • 17K to 37K
  • 37K and over
jobs, 2017. 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, 2017

Jefferson County: 344,402 jobsJefferson County344,402Madison County: 195,702 jobsMadison County195,702Mobile County: 170,070 jobsMobile County170,070Montgomery County: 132,033 jobsMontgomery County132,033Tuscaloosa County: 92,787 jobsTuscaloosa County92,787Shelby County: 84,811 jobsShelby County84,811Baldwin County: 71,999 jobsBaldwin County71,999Lee County: 58,339 jobsLee County58,339Houston County: 47,744 jobsHouston County47,744Morgan County: 47,098 jobsMorgan County47,098Calhoun County: 44,240 jobsCalhoun County44,240Marshall County: 36,538 jobsMarshall County36,538Etowah County: 36,208 jobsEtowah County36,208Lauderdale County: 29,655 jobsLauderdale County29,655Talladega County: 29,119 jobsTalladega County29,119Cullman County: 28,737 jobsCullman County28,737Colbert County: 23,797 jobsColbert County23,797Limestone County: 23,254 jobsLimestone County23,254DeKalb County: 21,076 jobsDeKalb County21,076Elmore County: 19,853 jobsElmore County19,853St. Clair County: 19,654 jobsSt. Clair County19,654Walker County: 17,965 jobsWalker County17,965Dale County: 16,797 jobsDale County16,797Jackson County: 15,784 jobsJackson County15,784Coffee County: 15,673 jobsCoffee County15,673Pike County: 14,374 jobsPike County14,374Russell County: 13,960 jobsRussell County13,960Tallapoosa County: 13,300 jobsTallapoosa County13,300Escambia County: 12,831 jobsEscambia County12,831Dallas County: 12,471 jobsDallas County12,471Covington County: 12,453 jobsCovington County12,453Autauga County: 10,823 jobsAutauga County10,823Franklin County: 10,548 jobsFranklin County10,548Marion County: 9,896 jobsMarion County9,896Chilton County: 9,302 jobsChilton County9,302Blount County: 8,327 jobsBlount County8,327Chambers County: 8,312 jobsChambers County8,312Clarke County: 8,058 jobsClarke County8,058Barbour County: 8,012 jobsBarbour County8,012Winston County: 7,713 jobsWinston County7,713Jefferson County: 344,402 jobsJefferson County344,402Madison County: 195,702 jobsMadison County195,702Mobile County: 170,070 jobsMobile County170,070Montgomery County: 132,033 jobsMontgomery County132,033Tuscaloosa County: 92,787 jobsTuscaloosa County92,787Shelby County: 84,811 jobsShelby County84,811Baldwin County: 71,999 jobsBaldwin County71,999Lee County: 58,339 jobsLee County58,339Houston County: 47,744 jobsHouston County47,744Morgan County: 47,098 jobsMorgan County47,098Calhoun County: 44,240 jobsCalhoun County44,240Marshall County: 36,538 jobsMarshall County36,538Etowah County: 36,208 jobsEtowah County36,208Lauderdale County: 29,655 jobsLauderdale County29,655Talladega County: 29,119 jobsTalladega County29,119Cullman County: 28,737 jobsCullman County28,737Colbert County: 23,797 jobsColbert County23,797Limestone County: 23,254 jobsLimestone County23,254DeKalb County: 21,076 jobsDeKalb County21,076Elmore County: 19,853 jobsElmore County19,853St. Clair County: 19,654 jobsSt. Clair County19,654Walker County: 17,965 jobsWalker County17,965Dale County: 16,797 jobsDale County16,797Jackson County: 15,784 jobsJackson County15,784Coffee County: 15,673 jobsCoffee County15,673Pike County: 14,374 jobsPike County14,374Russell County: 13,960 jobsRussell County13,960Tallapoosa County: 13,300 jobsTallapoosa County13,300Escambia County: 12,831 jobsEscambia County12,831Dallas County: 12,471 jobsDallas County12,471Covington County: 12,453 jobsCovington County12,453Autauga County: 10,823 jobsAutauga County10,823Franklin County: 10,548 jobsFranklin County10,548Marion County: 9,896 jobsMarion County9,896Chilton County: 9,302 jobsChilton County9,302Blount County: 8,327 jobsBlount County8,327Chambers County: 8,312 jobsChambers County8,312Clarke County: 8,058 jobsClarke County8,058Barbour County: 8,012 jobsBarbour County8,012Winston County: 7,713 jobsWinston County7,713
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

RankCounties2017
jobs		Change on 2016
1Jefferson County344,402+1.1%
2Madison County195,702+2.1%
3Mobile County170,070+0.6%
4Montgomery County132,033+0.7%
5Tuscaloosa County92,787+1.3%
6Shelby County84,811+0.9%
7Baldwin County71,999+2.7%
8Lee County58,339+2.8%
9Houston County47,744+1.8%
10Morgan County47,098+0.9%
11Calhoun County44,240+1.1%
12Marshall County36,538+2%
13Etowah County36,208-0%
14Lauderdale County29,655+0.8%
15Talladega County29,119+0.1%
16Cullman County28,737-0.2%
17Colbert County23,797-0.5%
18Limestone County23,254+3%
19DeKalb County21,076+1.6%
20Elmore County19,853+1.3%
21St. Clair County19,654+1.8%
22Walker County17,965-0.2%
23Dale County16,7970%
24Jackson County15,784-3%
25Coffee County15,673+2.4%
26Pike County14,374+3.4%
27Russell County13,960+1.7%
28Tallapoosa County13,300-1.6%
29Escambia County12,831+0.1%
30Dallas County12,471-1.8%
31Covington County12,453+2.5%
32Autauga County10,823+0.8%
33Franklin County10,548+2.1%
34Marion County9,896+1.2%
35Chilton County9,302-1.1%
36Blount County8,327+2.2%
37Chambers County8,312+3.2%
38Clarke County8,058-1.1%
39Barbour County8,012+0.9%
40Winston County7,713+3.8%
41Marengo County7,107+1.2%
42Butler County6,695-3%
43Monroe County6,119+0.1%
44Cherokee County5,040-0.7%
45Geneva County4,889-2.4%
46Macon County4,830+1.4%
47Randolph County4,815+4%
48Lawrence County4,787+2%
49Bibb County4,110-0.8%
50Clay County4,102+4.5%
51Fayette County4,046-0.1%
52Pickens County3,855+1.7%
53Crenshaw County3,725-2.2%
54Washington County3,590+0.5%
55Lamar County3,493+1.9%
56Choctaw County3,439+3.2%
57Conecuh County3,415-0.4%
58Henry County3,274+1%
59Bullock County3,003+1.3%
60Sumter County2,963-2.4%
61Wilcox County2,816+2.6%
62Hale County2,734+0.1%
63Lowndes County2,330-3.4%
64Cleburne County2,140-5.4%
65Perry County2,111+1.8%
66Greene County1,763+1%
67Coosa County1,384+3%

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/2017/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), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/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), 2017. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2017. 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), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2017.

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), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_alabama_by_2017,
  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), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2017. 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/2017/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), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/alabama-counties?period=2017.
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/2017/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 344,402 jobs in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Coosa County, with 1,384 jobs in 2017.

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