Counties in Colorado by covered employment (QCEW)

Denver County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 64 counties in 2019, at 529,083 jobs. Hinsdale County had the lowest, at 273 jobs. The median was 4,861 jobs and the figure for Colorado was 2,736,105 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest529,083Denver County
Median4,86164 counties
Colorado2,736,105History

Map of counties, 2019

Adams County: 225,848 jobsAlamosa County: 8,354 jobsArapahoe County: 334,833 jobsArchuleta County: 4,285 jobsBaca County: 1,112 jobsBent County: 1,121 jobsBoulder County: 188,452 jobsBroomfield County: 40,486 jobsChaffee County: 8,252 jobsCheyenne County: 703 jobsClear Creek County: 3,247 jobsConejos County: 1,527 jobsCostilla County: 967 jobsCrowley County: 1,087 jobsCuster County: 801 jobsDelta County: 8,560 jobsDenver County: 529,083 jobsDolores County: 546 jobsDouglas County: 130,825 jobsEagle County: 33,932 jobsElbert County: 3,822 jobsEl Paso County: 283,370 jobsFremont County: 13,706 jobsGarfield County: 26,321 jobsGilpin County: 4,668 jobsGrand County: 7,735 jobsGunnison County: 8,714 jobsHinsdale County: 273 jobsHuerfano County: 1,690 jobsJackson County: 581 jobsJefferson County: 243,080 jobsKiowa County: 489 jobsKit Carson County: 2,868 jobsLake County: 2,428 jobsLa Plata County: 26,169 jobsLarimer County: 165,816 jobsLas Animas County: 5,017 jobsLincoln County: 2,215 jobsLogan County: 7,916 jobsMesa County: 63,636 jobsMineral County: 618 jobsMoffat County: 4,704 jobsMontezuma County: 9,220 jobsMontrose County: 15,524 jobsMorgan County: 12,653 jobsOtero County: 6,165 jobsOuray County: 1,941 jobsPark County: 2,528 jobsPhillips County: 1,699 jobsPitkin County: 16,801 jobsProwers County: 4,565 jobsPueblo County: 62,254 jobsRio Blanco County: 2,865 jobsRio Grande County: 4,124 jobsRoutt County: 15,582 jobsSaguache County: 1,679 jobsSan Juan County: 351 jobsSan Miguel County: 5,702 jobsSedgwick County: 809 jobsSummit County: 22,204 jobsTeller County: 7,416 jobsWashington County: 1,199 jobsWeld County: 114,396 jobsYuma County: 4,263 jobs
  • Under 1,000
  • 1,000 to 3,000
  • 3,000 to 5,000
  • 5,000 to 9,000
  • 9,000 to 51K
  • 51K and over
jobs, 2019. 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, 2019

Denver County: 529,083 jobsDenver County529,083Arapahoe County: 334,833 jobsArapahoe County334,833El Paso County: 283,370 jobsEl Paso County283,370Jefferson County: 243,080 jobsJefferson County243,080Adams County: 225,848 jobsAdams County225,848Boulder County: 188,452 jobsBoulder County188,452Larimer County: 165,816 jobsLarimer County165,816Douglas County: 130,825 jobsDouglas County130,825Weld County: 114,396 jobsWeld County114,396Mesa County: 63,636 jobsMesa County63,636Pueblo County: 62,254 jobsPueblo County62,254Broomfield County: 40,486 jobsBroomfield County40,486Eagle County: 33,932 jobsEagle County33,932Garfield County: 26,321 jobsGarfield County26,321La Plata County: 26,169 jobsLa Plata County26,169Summit County: 22,204 jobsSummit County22,204Pitkin County: 16,801 jobsPitkin County16,801Routt County: 15,582 jobsRoutt County15,582Montrose County: 15,524 jobsMontrose County15,524Fremont County: 13,706 jobsFremont County13,706Morgan County: 12,653 jobsMorgan County12,653Montezuma County: 9,220 jobsMontezuma County9,220Gunnison County: 8,714 jobsGunnison County8,714Delta County: 8,560 jobsDelta County8,560Alamosa County: 8,354 jobsAlamosa County8,354Chaffee County: 8,252 jobsChaffee County8,252Logan County: 7,916 jobsLogan County7,916Grand County: 7,735 jobsGrand County7,735Teller County: 7,416 jobsTeller County7,416Otero County: 6,165 jobsOtero County6,165San Miguel County: 5,702 jobsSan Miguel County5,702Las Animas County: 5,017 jobsLas Animas County5,017Moffat County: 4,704 jobsMoffat County4,704Gilpin County: 4,668 jobsGilpin County4,668Prowers County: 4,565 jobsProwers County4,565Archuleta County: 4,285 jobsArchuleta County4,285Yuma County: 4,263 jobsYuma County4,263Rio Grande County: 4,124 jobsRio Grande County4,124Elbert County: 3,822 jobsElbert County3,822Clear Creek County: 3,247 jobsClear Creek County3,247Denver County: 529,083 jobsDenver County529,083Arapahoe County: 334,833 jobsArapahoe County334,833El Paso County: 283,370 jobsEl Paso County283,370Jefferson County: 243,080 jobsJefferson County243,080Adams County: 225,848 jobsAdams County225,848Boulder County: 188,452 jobsBoulder County188,452Larimer County: 165,816 jobsLarimer County165,816Douglas County: 130,825 jobsDouglas County130,825Weld County: 114,396 jobsWeld County114,396Mesa County: 63,636 jobsMesa County63,636Pueblo County: 62,254 jobsPueblo County62,254Broomfield County: 40,486 jobsBroomfield County40,486Eagle County: 33,932 jobsEagle County33,932Garfield County: 26,321 jobsGarfield County26,321La Plata County: 26,169 jobsLa Plata County26,169Summit County: 22,204 jobsSummit County22,204Pitkin County: 16,801 jobsPitkin County16,801Routt County: 15,582 jobsRoutt County15,582Montrose County: 15,524 jobsMontrose County15,524Fremont County: 13,706 jobsFremont County13,706Morgan County: 12,653 jobsMorgan County12,653Montezuma County: 9,220 jobsMontezuma County9,220Gunnison County: 8,714 jobsGunnison County8,714Delta County: 8,560 jobsDelta County8,560Alamosa County: 8,354 jobsAlamosa County8,354Chaffee County: 8,252 jobsChaffee County8,252Logan County: 7,916 jobsLogan County7,916Grand County: 7,735 jobsGrand County7,735Teller County: 7,416 jobsTeller County7,416Otero County: 6,165 jobsOtero County6,165San Miguel County: 5,702 jobsSan Miguel County5,702Las Animas County: 5,017 jobsLas Animas County5,017Moffat County: 4,704 jobsMoffat County4,704Gilpin County: 4,668 jobsGilpin County4,668Prowers County: 4,565 jobsProwers County4,565Archuleta County: 4,285 jobsArchuleta County4,285Yuma County: 4,263 jobsYuma County4,263Rio Grande County: 4,124 jobsRio Grande County4,124Elbert County: 3,822 jobsElbert County3,822Clear Creek County: 3,247 jobsClear Creek County3,247
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

RankCounties2019
jobs
Change on 2018
1Denver County529,083+1.9%
2Arapahoe County334,833+0.9%
3El Paso County283,370+2.5%
4Jefferson County243,080+1.8%
5Adams County225,848+5.9%
6Boulder County188,452+2.7%
7Larimer County165,816+2.2%
8Douglas County130,825+4.1%
9Weld County114,396+3.8%
10Mesa County63,636+1.5%
11Pueblo County62,254+1.5%
12Broomfield County40,486+2.2%
13Eagle County33,932+2%
14Garfield County26,321+0.2%
15La Plata County26,169-0.7%
16Summit County22,204+2.2%
17Pitkin County16,801+1.6%
18Routt County15,582+1.1%
19Montrose County15,524+1.3%
20Fremont County13,706+0.5%
21Morgan County12,653+1%
22Montezuma County9,220-0.2%
23Gunnison County8,714+0.9%
24Delta County8,560+0.4%
25Alamosa County8,354+0.8%
26Chaffee County8,252+2%
27Logan County7,916-0.9%
28Grand County7,735-0.4%
29Teller County7,416+0.2%
30Otero County6,165+0.7%
31San Miguel County5,702+4.4%
32Las Animas County5,017+1%
33Moffat County4,704-1.4%
34Gilpin County4,668-3.6%
35Prowers County4,565+2.1%
36Archuleta County4,285+0.6%
37Yuma County4,263+4%
38Rio Grande County4,124+1%
39Elbert County3,822+3%
40Clear Creek County3,247+4.4%
41Kit Carson County2,868+1.7%
42Rio Blanco County2,865+3.3%
43Park County2,528+0.3%
44Lake County2,428+4.1%
45Lincoln County2,215-2%
46Ouray County1,941+3.2%
47Phillips County1,699+1.6%
48Huerfano County1,690-1.6%
49Saguache County1,679+4.5%
50Conejos County1,527+0.7%
51Washington County1,199-2.2%
52Bent County1,121+3.3%
53Baca County1,112+1.8%
54Crowley County1,087-0.3%
55Costilla County967+3.6%
56Sedgwick County809+3.7%
57Custer County801-3%
58Cheyenne County703+2.8%
59Mineral County618+2.1%
60Jackson County581-1.7%
61Dolores County546+1.1%
62Kiowa County489+2.7%
63San Juan County351+8%
64Hinsdale County273-2.5%

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/2019/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 Colorado by covered employment (QCEW), 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/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 Colorado by covered employment (QCEW), 2019. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/colorado-counties?period=2019. 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 Colorado by covered employment (QCEW), 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/colorado-counties?period=2019.

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 Colorado by covered employment (QCEW), 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/colorado-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_colorado_by_2019,
  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 Colorado by covered employment (QCEW), 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/colorado-counties?period=2019. 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/2019/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 Colorado by covered employment (QCEW), 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/colorado-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/colorado-counties?period=2019.
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/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Colorado by covered employment (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"covered_employment","level":"province","within":"Colorado","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=covered_employment&level=province&within=Colorado&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Denver County, with 529,083 jobs in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Hinsdale County, with 273 jobs in 2019.

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 Colorado: more rankings