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

Counties in Arkansas by covered employment (QCEW)

Pulaski County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 75 counties in 2021, at 243,041 jobs. Cleveland County had the lowest, at 968 jobs. The median was 5,680 jobs and the figure for Arkansas was 1,203,304 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest243,041Pulaski County
Lowest968Cleveland County
Median5,68075 counties
Arkansas1,203,304History

Map of counties, 2021

Arkansas County: 10,383 jobsAshley County: 5,680 jobsBaxter County: 15,153 jobsBenton County: 126,275 jobsBoone County: 14,239 jobsBradley County: 3,560 jobsCalhoun County: 3,532 jobsCarroll County: 10,947 jobsChicot County: 2,778 jobsClark County: 8,421 jobsClay County: 3,072 jobsCleburne County: 6,265 jobsCleveland County: 968 jobsColumbia County: 7,789 jobsConway County: 6,745 jobsCraighead County: 51,936 jobsCrawford County: 19,221 jobsCrittenden County: 15,076 jobsCross County: 4,614 jobsDallas County: 2,679 jobsDesha County: 4,277 jobsDrew County: 6,242 jobsFaulkner County: 41,142 jobsFranklin County: 4,681 jobsFulton County: 2,100 jobsGarland County: 36,547 jobsGrant County: 4,180 jobsGreene County: 15,145 jobsHempstead County: 7,367 jobsHot Spring County: 8,286 jobsHoward County: 6,515 jobsIndependence County: 16,355 jobsIzard County: 2,717 jobsJackson County: 5,156 jobsJefferson County: 25,975 jobsJohnson County: 8,173 jobsLafayette County: 1,065 jobsLawrence County: 3,837 jobsLee County: 1,644 jobsLincoln County: 2,628 jobsLittle River County: 2,989 jobsLogan County: 5,164 jobsLonoke County: 14,305 jobsMadison County: 3,446 jobsMarion County: 3,400 jobsMiller County: 12,208 jobsMississippi County: 16,615 jobsMonroe County: 1,895 jobsMontgomery County: 1,209 jobsNevada County: 2,234 jobsNewton County: 989 jobsOuachita County: 6,649 jobsPerry County: 1,123 jobsPhillips County: 4,872 jobsPike County: 2,651 jobsPoinsett County: 5,225 jobsPolk County: 5,693 jobsPope County: 24,482 jobsPrairie County: 1,491 jobsPulaski County: 243,041 jobsRandolph County: 5,950 jobsSt. Francis County: 6,716 jobsSaline County: 25,057 jobsScott County: 2,970 jobsSearcy County: 1,544 jobsSebastian County: 62,966 jobsSevier County: 4,668 jobsSharp County: 3,471 jobsStone County: 2,507 jobsUnion County: 16,437 jobsVan Buren County: 3,548 jobsWashington County: 110,640 jobsWhite County: 24,527 jobsWoodruff County: 1,813 jobsYell County: 6,350 jobs
  • Under 3,000
  • 3,000 to 4,000
  • 4,000 to 6,000
  • 6,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 to 17K
  • 17K and over
jobs, 2021. 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, 2021

Pulaski County: 243,041 jobsPulaski County243,041Benton County: 126,275 jobsBenton County126,275Washington County: 110,640 jobsWashington County110,640Sebastian County: 62,966 jobsSebastian County62,966Craighead County: 51,936 jobsCraighead County51,936Faulkner County: 41,142 jobsFaulkner County41,142Garland County: 36,547 jobsGarland County36,547Jefferson County: 25,975 jobsJefferson County25,975Saline County: 25,057 jobsSaline County25,057White County: 24,527 jobsWhite County24,527Pope County: 24,482 jobsPope County24,482Crawford County: 19,221 jobsCrawford County19,221Mississippi County: 16,615 jobsMississippi County16,615Union County: 16,437 jobsUnion County16,437Independence County: 16,355 jobsIndependence County16,355Baxter County: 15,153 jobsBaxter County15,153Greene County: 15,145 jobsGreene County15,145Crittenden County: 15,076 jobsCrittenden County15,076Lonoke County: 14,305 jobsLonoke County14,305Boone County: 14,239 jobsBoone County14,239Miller County: 12,208 jobsMiller County12,208Carroll County: 10,947 jobsCarroll County10,947Arkansas County: 10,383 jobsArkansas County10,383Clark County: 8,421 jobsClark County8,421Hot Spring County: 8,286 jobsHot Spring County8,286Johnson County: 8,173 jobsJohnson County8,173Columbia County: 7,789 jobsColumbia County7,789Hempstead County: 7,367 jobsHempstead County7,367Conway County: 6,745 jobsConway County6,745St. Francis County: 6,716 jobsSt. Francis County6,716Ouachita County: 6,649 jobsOuachita County6,649Howard County: 6,515 jobsHoward County6,515Yell County: 6,350 jobsYell County6,350Cleburne County: 6,265 jobsCleburne County6,265Drew County: 6,242 jobsDrew County6,242Randolph County: 5,950 jobsRandolph County5,950Polk County: 5,693 jobsPolk County5,693Ashley County: 5,680 jobsAshley County5,680Poinsett County: 5,225 jobsPoinsett County5,225Logan County: 5,164 jobsLogan County5,164Pulaski County: 243,041 jobsPulaski County243,041Benton County: 126,275 jobsBenton County126,275Washington County: 110,640 jobsWashington County110,640Sebastian County: 62,966 jobsSebastian County62,966Craighead County: 51,936 jobsCraighead County51,936Faulkner County: 41,142 jobsFaulkner County41,142Garland County: 36,547 jobsGarland County36,547Jefferson County: 25,975 jobsJefferson County25,975Saline County: 25,057 jobsSaline County25,057White County: 24,527 jobsWhite County24,527Pope County: 24,482 jobsPope County24,482Crawford County: 19,221 jobsCrawford County19,221Mississippi County: 16,615 jobsMississippi County16,615Union County: 16,437 jobsUnion County16,437Independence County: 16,355 jobsIndependence County16,355Baxter County: 15,153 jobsBaxter County15,153Greene County: 15,145 jobsGreene County15,145Crittenden County: 15,076 jobsCrittenden County15,076Lonoke County: 14,305 jobsLonoke County14,305Boone County: 14,239 jobsBoone County14,239Miller County: 12,208 jobsMiller County12,208Carroll County: 10,947 jobsCarroll County10,947Arkansas County: 10,383 jobsArkansas County10,383Clark County: 8,421 jobsClark County8,421Hot Spring County: 8,286 jobsHot Spring County8,286Johnson County: 8,173 jobsJohnson County8,173Columbia County: 7,789 jobsColumbia County7,789Hempstead County: 7,367 jobsHempstead County7,367Conway County: 6,745 jobsConway County6,745St. Francis County: 6,716 jobsSt. Francis County6,716Ouachita County: 6,649 jobsOuachita County6,649Howard County: 6,515 jobsHoward County6,515Yell County: 6,350 jobsYell County6,350Cleburne County: 6,265 jobsCleburne County6,265Drew County: 6,242 jobsDrew County6,242Randolph County: 5,950 jobsRandolph County5,950Polk County: 5,693 jobsPolk County5,693Ashley County: 5,680 jobsAshley County5,680Poinsett County: 5,225 jobsPoinsett County5,225Logan County: 5,164 jobsLogan County5,164
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

RankCounties2021
jobs		Change on 2020
1Pulaski County243,041+1.9%
2Benton County126,275+2.6%
3Washington County110,640+3.9%
4Sebastian County62,966+2.7%
5Craighead County51,936+2.8%
6Faulkner County41,142+3.1%
7Garland County36,547+2.4%
8Jefferson County25,975-1.1%
9Saline County25,057+1.7%
10White County24,527+3.7%
11Pope County24,482+2.4%
12Crawford County19,221-0.7%
13Mississippi County16,615-1.7%
14Union County16,437+0.5%
15Independence County16,355+1.9%
16Baxter County15,153+2.7%
17Greene County15,145+3.2%
18Crittenden County15,076-0.7%
19Lonoke County14,305+5.4%
20Boone County14,239+4.7%
21Miller County12,208+1%
22Carroll County10,947+4%
23Arkansas County10,383+2.2%
24Clark County8,421-2.3%
25Hot Spring County8,286+1.1%
26Johnson County8,173+0.6%
27Columbia County7,789+0.7%
28Hempstead County7,367-0.6%
29Conway County6,745+1.8%
30St. Francis County6,716-1.8%
31Ouachita County6,649+2.5%
32Howard County6,515+2.4%
33Yell County6,350-1%
34Cleburne County6,265+2.3%
35Drew County6,242+0.3%
36Randolph County5,950+1.4%
37Polk County5,693+0.6%
38Ashley County5,680-1.6%
39Poinsett County5,225+3.3%
40Logan County5,164+0.9%
41Jackson County5,156-0.6%
42Phillips County4,872-4.7%
43Franklin County4,681+0.9%
44Sevier County4,668-1.1%
45Cross County4,614-0.2%
46Desha County4,277-4.7%
47Grant County4,180+3.5%
48Lawrence County3,837+1.5%
49Bradley County3,560-1.8%
50Van Buren County3,548+6.6%
51Calhoun County3,532+4.7%
52Sharp County3,471+3.2%
53Madison County3,446+1.7%
54Marion County3,400+0.1%
55Clay County3,072+0.8%
56Little River County2,989-5.1%
57Scott County2,970-2%
58Chicot County2,778-1%
59Izard County2,717-1.5%
60Dallas County2,679+1.5%
61Pike County2,651+2%
62Lincoln County2,628-2.9%
63Stone County2,507+1.6%
64Nevada County2,234-5.9%
65Fulton County2,100+2.6%
66Monroe County1,895-2.1%
67Woodruff County1,813+2.9%
68Lee County1,644-5.3%
69Searcy County1,544+5.4%
70Prairie County1,4910%
71Montgomery County1,209-0.7%
72Perry County1,123-0.6%
73Lafayette County1,065-1.5%
74Newton County989-2.7%
75Cleveland County968-3.8%

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/2021/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 Arkansas by covered employment (QCEW), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/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 Arkansas by covered employment (QCEW), 2021. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/arkansas-counties?period=2021. 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 Arkansas by covered employment (QCEW), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/arkansas-counties?period=2021.

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 Arkansas by covered employment (QCEW), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/arkansas-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_arkansas_by_2021,
  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 Arkansas by covered employment (QCEW), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/arkansas-counties?period=2021. 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/2021/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 Arkansas by covered employment (QCEW), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/arkansas-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/arkansas-counties?period=2021.
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/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Pulaski County, with 243,041 jobs in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Cleveland County, with 968 jobs in 2021.

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 Arkansas: more rankings