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 2024, at 261,631 jobs. Newton County had the lowest, at 1,004 jobs. The median was 5,759 jobs and the figure for Arkansas was 1,295,577 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest261,631Pulaski County
Lowest1,004Newton County
Median5,75975 counties
Arkansas1,295,577History

Map of counties, 2024

Arkansas County: 9,514 jobsAshley County: 5,759 jobsBaxter County: 16,171 jobsBenton County: 144,544 jobsBoone County: 14,330 jobsBradley County: 3,600 jobsCalhoun County: 3,268 jobsCarroll County: 10,760 jobsChicot County: 2,663 jobsClark County: 8,618 jobsClay County: 3,120 jobsCleburne County: 6,524 jobsCleveland County: 1,045 jobsColumbia County: 8,106 jobsConway County: 6,503 jobsCraighead County: 55,053 jobsCrawford County: 19,290 jobsCrittenden County: 16,197 jobsCross County: 4,761 jobsDallas County: 2,595 jobsDesha County: 4,132 jobsDrew County: 6,337 jobsFaulkner County: 45,513 jobsFranklin County: 4,972 jobsFulton County: 1,775 jobsGarland County: 38,005 jobsGrant County: 4,601 jobsGreene County: 15,663 jobsHempstead County: 7,628 jobsHot Spring County: 7,969 jobsHoward County: 6,139 jobsIndependence County: 17,612 jobsIzard County: 2,949 jobsJackson County: 5,130 jobsJefferson County: 25,233 jobsJohnson County: 8,068 jobsLafayette County: 1,074 jobsLawrence County: 3,983 jobsLee County: 1,623 jobsLincoln County: 2,666 jobsLittle River County: 3,083 jobsLogan County: 5,089 jobsLonoke County: 15,597 jobsMadison County: 3,680 jobsMarion County: 3,239 jobsMiller County: 12,301 jobsMississippi County: 20,139 jobsMonroe County: 1,761 jobsMontgomery County: 1,276 jobsNevada County: 1,877 jobsNewton County: 1,004 jobsOuachita County: 7,057 jobsPerry County: 1,038 jobsPhillips County: 4,531 jobsPike County: 2,603 jobsPoinsett County: 5,164 jobsPolk County: 5,837 jobsPope County: 26,851 jobsPrairie County: 1,562 jobsPulaski County: 261,631 jobsRandolph County: 6,201 jobsSt. Francis County: 6,723 jobsSaline County: 27,501 jobsScott County: 3,110 jobsSearcy County: 1,407 jobsSebastian County: 67,665 jobsSevier County: 4,945 jobsSharp County: 3,954 jobsStone County: 2,658 jobsUnion County: 16,449 jobsVan Buren County: 3,804 jobsWashington County: 120,673 jobsWhite County: 26,169 jobsWoodruff County: 1,981 jobsYell County: 6,547 jobs
  • Under 3,000
  • 3,000 to 4,000
  • 4,000 to 6,000
  • 6,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 to 19K
  • 19K and over
jobs, 2024. 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, 2024

Pulaski County: 261,631 jobsPulaski County261,631Benton County: 144,544 jobsBenton County144,544Washington County: 120,673 jobsWashington County120,673Sebastian County: 67,665 jobsSebastian County67,665Craighead County: 55,053 jobsCraighead County55,053Faulkner County: 45,513 jobsFaulkner County45,513Garland County: 38,005 jobsGarland County38,005Saline County: 27,501 jobsSaline County27,501Pope County: 26,851 jobsPope County26,851White County: 26,169 jobsWhite County26,169Jefferson County: 25,233 jobsJefferson County25,233Mississippi County: 20,139 jobsMississippi County20,139Crawford County: 19,290 jobsCrawford County19,290Independence County: 17,612 jobsIndependence County17,612Union County: 16,449 jobsUnion County16,449Crittenden County: 16,197 jobsCrittenden County16,197Baxter County: 16,171 jobsBaxter County16,171Greene County: 15,663 jobsGreene County15,663Lonoke County: 15,597 jobsLonoke County15,597Boone County: 14,330 jobsBoone County14,330Miller County: 12,301 jobsMiller County12,301Carroll County: 10,760 jobsCarroll County10,760Arkansas County: 9,514 jobsArkansas County9,514Clark County: 8,618 jobsClark County8,618Columbia County: 8,106 jobsColumbia County8,106Johnson County: 8,068 jobsJohnson County8,068Hot Spring County: 7,969 jobsHot Spring County7,969Hempstead County: 7,628 jobsHempstead County7,628Ouachita County: 7,057 jobsOuachita County7,057St. Francis County: 6,723 jobsSt. Francis County6,723Yell County: 6,547 jobsYell County6,547Cleburne County: 6,524 jobsCleburne County6,524Conway County: 6,503 jobsConway County6,503Drew County: 6,337 jobsDrew County6,337Randolph County: 6,201 jobsRandolph County6,201Howard County: 6,139 jobsHoward County6,139Polk County: 5,837 jobsPolk County5,837Ashley County: 5,759 jobsAshley County5,759Poinsett County: 5,164 jobsPoinsett County5,164Jackson County: 5,130 jobsJackson County5,130Pulaski County: 261,631 jobsPulaski County261,631Benton County: 144,544 jobsBenton County144,544Washington County: 120,673 jobsWashington County120,673Sebastian County: 67,665 jobsSebastian County67,665Craighead County: 55,053 jobsCraighead County55,053Faulkner County: 45,513 jobsFaulkner County45,513Garland County: 38,005 jobsGarland County38,005Saline County: 27,501 jobsSaline County27,501Pope County: 26,851 jobsPope County26,851White County: 26,169 jobsWhite County26,169Jefferson County: 25,233 jobsJefferson County25,233Mississippi County: 20,139 jobsMississippi County20,139Crawford County: 19,290 jobsCrawford County19,290Independence County: 17,612 jobsIndependence County17,612Union County: 16,449 jobsUnion County16,449Crittenden County: 16,197 jobsCrittenden County16,197Baxter County: 16,171 jobsBaxter County16,171Greene County: 15,663 jobsGreene County15,663Lonoke County: 15,597 jobsLonoke County15,597Boone County: 14,330 jobsBoone County14,330Miller County: 12,301 jobsMiller County12,301Carroll County: 10,760 jobsCarroll County10,760Arkansas County: 9,514 jobsArkansas County9,514Clark County: 8,618 jobsClark County8,618Columbia County: 8,106 jobsColumbia County8,106Johnson County: 8,068 jobsJohnson County8,068Hot Spring County: 7,969 jobsHot Spring County7,969Hempstead County: 7,628 jobsHempstead County7,628Ouachita County: 7,057 jobsOuachita County7,057St. Francis County: 6,723 jobsSt. Francis County6,723Yell County: 6,547 jobsYell County6,547Cleburne County: 6,524 jobsCleburne County6,524Conway County: 6,503 jobsConway County6,503Drew County: 6,337 jobsDrew County6,337Randolph County: 6,201 jobsRandolph County6,201Howard County: 6,139 jobsHoward County6,139Polk County: 5,837 jobsPolk County5,837Ashley County: 5,759 jobsAshley County5,759Poinsett County: 5,164 jobsPoinsett County5,164Jackson County: 5,130 jobsJackson County5,130
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

RankCounties2024
jobs		Change on 2023
1Pulaski County261,631+1.9%
2Benton County144,544+3.7%
3Washington County120,673+2.2%
4Sebastian County67,665+1.2%
5Craighead County55,053+1.9%
6Faulkner County45,513+2.6%
7Garland County38,005+0.1%
8Saline County27,501+1.7%
9Pope County26,851+0.1%
10White County26,169+4.1%
11Jefferson County25,233-2.4%
12Mississippi County20,139+11.9%
13Crawford County19,290+0.9%
14Independence County17,612+1.3%
15Union County16,449-1.5%
16Crittenden County16,197+2.1%
17Baxter County16,171+0.6%
18Greene County15,663-1.4%
19Lonoke County15,597+2.4%
20Boone County14,330-1.7%
21Miller County12,301+0.1%
22Carroll County10,760-0.9%
23Arkansas County9,514-7.8%
24Clark County8,618+3%
25Columbia County8,106+1.1%
26Johnson County8,068-3.9%
27Hot Spring County7,969-1.7%
28Hempstead County7,628-1.9%
29Ouachita County7,057-3.1%
30St. Francis County6,723-0.1%
31Yell County6,547+0.6%
32Cleburne County6,524+1.1%
33Conway County6,503-3.6%
34Drew County6,337-0.7%
35Randolph County6,201+5.3%
36Howard County6,139-3.1%
37Polk County5,837-1.6%
38Ashley County5,759+1.2%
39Poinsett County5,164-1.4%
40Jackson County5,130+1.2%
41Logan County5,089-1.7%
42Franklin County4,972+1.7%
43Sevier County4,945+0.3%
44Cross County4,761+1.6%
45Grant County4,601+7.2%
46Phillips County4,531+0.9%
47Desha County4,132-6%
48Lawrence County3,983-1.6%
49Sharp County3,954+1.2%
50Van Buren County3,804-0.5%
51Madison County3,680+4.2%
52Bradley County3,600-0.6%
53Calhoun County3,268+7%
54Marion County3,239-4.8%
55Clay County3,120+1.3%
56Scott County3,110-3.5%
57Little River County3,083+1.4%
58Izard County2,949+3%
59Lincoln County2,666-0.3%
60Chicot County2,663-2.5%
61Stone County2,658+1.1%
62Pike County2,603-1.1%
63Dallas County2,595+0.3%
64Woodruff County1,981+0.1%
65Nevada County1,877-8%
66Fulton County1,775-4.1%
67Monroe County1,761-3.6%
68Lee County1,623-4.9%
69Prairie County1,562+2.2%
70Searcy County1,407-4.9%
71Montgomery County1,276-2.6%
72Lafayette County1,074+7%
73Cleveland County1,045-3.4%
74Perry County1,038+2.2%
75Newton County1,004+1.9%

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/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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Arkansas by covered employment (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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Arkansas by covered employment (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/covered-employment/arkansas-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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Arkansas by covered employment (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/covered-employment/arkansas-counties?period=2024.

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

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_arkansas_by_2024,
  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), 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/covered-employment/arkansas-counties?period=2024. 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/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 employment, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Arkansas by covered employment (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/covered-employment/arkansas-counties?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/arkansas-counties?period=2024.
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/2024/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 261,631 jobs in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Newton County, with 1,004 jobs 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 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