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

Counties in Illinois by covered employment (QCEW)

Cook County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 102 counties in 2018, at 2,592,847 jobs. Pope County had the lowest, at 527 jobs. The median was 7,816 jobs and the figure for Illinois was 5,973,316 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest2,592,847Cook County
Lowest527Pope County
Median7,816102 counties
Illinois5,973,316History

Map of counties, 2018

Adams County: 33,312 jobsAlexander County: 1,149 jobsBond County: 4,650 jobsBoone County: 19,088 jobsBrown County: 4,220 jobsBureau County: 11,873 jobsCalhoun County: 780 jobsCarroll County: 3,847 jobsCass County: 5,513 jobsChampaign County: 90,419 jobsChristian County: 10,030 jobsClark County: 4,597 jobsClay County: 5,336 jobsClinton County: 12,268 jobsColes County: 23,786 jobsCook County: 2,592,847 jobsCrawford County: 7,009 jobsCumberland County: 2,769 jobsDeKalb County: 38,012 jobsDe Witt County: 5,073 jobsDouglas County: 7,456 jobsDuPage County: 616,701 jobsEdgar County: 7,039 jobsEdwards County: 2,255 jobsEffingham County: 21,991 jobsFayette County: 5,358 jobsFord County: 4,638 jobsFranklin County: 9,005 jobsFulton County: 8,122 jobsGallatin County: 1,201 jobsGreene County: 2,341 jobsGrundy County: 19,713 jobsHamilton County: 2,044 jobsHancock County: 4,118 jobsHardin County: 654 jobsHenderson County: 1,073 jobsHenry County: 13,772 jobsIroquois County: 7,799 jobsJackson County: 24,712 jobsJasper County: 2,029 jobsJefferson County: 20,076 jobsJersey County: 5,096 jobsJo Daviess County: 7,292 jobsJohnson County: 2,217 jobsKane County: 213,005 jobsKankakee County: 44,642 jobsKendall County: 28,586 jobsKnox County: 17,750 jobsLake County: 338,901 jobsLaSalle County: 42,404 jobsLawrence County: 4,550 jobsLee County: 13,156 jobsLivingston County: 13,552 jobsLogan County: 9,183 jobsMcDonough County: 10,765 jobsMcHenry County: 97,524 jobsMcLean County: 82,946 jobsMacon County: 49,601 jobsMacoupin County: 10,468 jobsMadison County: 100,825 jobsMarion County: 12,941 jobsMarshall County: 2,851 jobsMason County: 3,008 jobsMassac County: 3,073 jobsMenard County: 1,724 jobsMercer County: 3,140 jobsMonroe County: 8,821 jobsMontgomery County: 8,723 jobsMorgan County: 13,925 jobsMoultrie County: 5,082 jobsOgle County: 15,724 jobsPeoria County: 105,657 jobsPerry County: 4,688 jobsPiatt County: 3,586 jobsPike County: 4,047 jobsPope County: 527 jobsPulaski County: 1,708 jobsPutnam County: 1,835 jobsRandolph County: 12,156 jobsRichland County: 5,993 jobsRock Island County: 74,124 jobsSt. Clair County: 92,418 jobsSaline County: 7,832 jobsSangamon County: 129,914 jobsSchuyler County: 1,557 jobsScott County: 973 jobsShelby County: 5,221 jobsStark County: 1,361 jobsStephenson County: 17,560 jobsTazewell County: 48,214 jobsUnion County: 4,971 jobsVermilion County: 26,529 jobsWabash County: 3,289 jobsWarren County: 6,551 jobsWashington County: 6,841 jobsWayne County: 3,714 jobsWhite County: 4,321 jobsWhiteside County: 21,048 jobsWill County: 245,803 jobsWilliamson County: 27,919 jobsWinnebago County: 126,796 jobsWoodford County: 9,662 jobs
  • Under 10K
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jobs, 2018. 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, 2018

Cook County: 2,592,847 jobsCook County2,592,847DuPage County: 616,701 jobsDuPage County616,701Lake County: 338,901 jobsLake County338,901Will County: 245,803 jobsWill County245,803Kane County: 213,005 jobsKane County213,005Sangamon County: 129,914 jobsSangamon County129,914Winnebago County: 126,796 jobsWinnebago County126,796Peoria County: 105,657 jobsPeoria County105,657Madison County: 100,825 jobsMadison County100,825McHenry County: 97,524 jobsMcHenry County97,524St. Clair County: 92,418 jobsSt. Clair County92,418Champaign County: 90,419 jobsChampaign County90,419McLean County: 82,946 jobsMcLean County82,946Rock Island County: 74,124 jobsRock Island County74,124Macon County: 49,601 jobsMacon County49,601Tazewell County: 48,214 jobsTazewell County48,214Kankakee County: 44,642 jobsKankakee County44,642LaSalle County: 42,404 jobsLaSalle County42,404DeKalb County: 38,012 jobsDeKalb County38,012Adams County: 33,312 jobsAdams County33,312Kendall County: 28,586 jobsKendall County28,586Williamson County: 27,919 jobsWilliamson County27,919Vermilion County: 26,529 jobsVermilion County26,529Jackson County: 24,712 jobsJackson County24,712Coles County: 23,786 jobsColes County23,786Effingham County: 21,991 jobsEffingham County21,991Whiteside County: 21,048 jobsWhiteside County21,048Jefferson County: 20,076 jobsJefferson County20,076Grundy County: 19,713 jobsGrundy County19,713Boone County: 19,088 jobsBoone County19,088Knox County: 17,750 jobsKnox County17,750Stephenson County: 17,560 jobsStephenson County17,560Ogle County: 15,724 jobsOgle County15,724Morgan County: 13,925 jobsMorgan County13,925Henry County: 13,772 jobsHenry County13,772Livingston County: 13,552 jobsLivingston County13,552Lee County: 13,156 jobsLee County13,156Marion County: 12,941 jobsMarion County12,941Clinton County: 12,268 jobsClinton County12,268Randolph County: 12,156 jobsRandolph County12,156Cook County: 2,592,847 jobsCook County2,592,847DuPage County: 616,701 jobsDuPage County616,701Lake County: 338,901 jobsLake County338,901Will County: 245,803 jobsWill County245,803Kane County: 213,005 jobsKane County213,005Sangamon County: 129,914 jobsSangamon County129,914Winnebago County: 126,796 jobsWinnebago County126,796Peoria County: 105,657 jobsPeoria County105,657Madison County: 100,825 jobsMadison County100,825McHenry County: 97,524 jobsMcHenry County97,524St. Clair County: 92,418 jobsSt. Clair County92,418Champaign County: 90,419 jobsChampaign County90,419McLean County: 82,946 jobsMcLean County82,946Rock Island County: 74,124 jobsRock Island County74,124Macon County: 49,601 jobsMacon County49,601Tazewell County: 48,214 jobsTazewell County48,214Kankakee County: 44,642 jobsKankakee County44,642LaSalle County: 42,404 jobsLaSalle County42,404DeKalb County: 38,012 jobsDeKalb County38,012Adams County: 33,312 jobsAdams County33,312Kendall County: 28,586 jobsKendall County28,586Williamson County: 27,919 jobsWilliamson County27,919Vermilion County: 26,529 jobsVermilion County26,529Jackson County: 24,712 jobsJackson County24,712Coles County: 23,786 jobsColes County23,786Effingham County: 21,991 jobsEffingham County21,991Whiteside County: 21,048 jobsWhiteside County21,048Jefferson County: 20,076 jobsJefferson County20,076Grundy County: 19,713 jobsGrundy County19,713Boone County: 19,088 jobsBoone County19,088Knox County: 17,750 jobsKnox County17,750Stephenson County: 17,560 jobsStephenson County17,560Ogle County: 15,724 jobsOgle County15,724Morgan County: 13,925 jobsMorgan County13,925Henry County: 13,772 jobsHenry County13,772Livingston County: 13,552 jobsLivingston County13,552Lee County: 13,156 jobsLee County13,156Marion County: 12,941 jobsMarion County12,941Clinton County: 12,268 jobsClinton County12,268Randolph County: 12,156 jobsRandolph County12,156
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

RankCounties2018
jobs		Change on 2017
1Cook County2,592,847+0.8%
2DuPage County616,701-0.6%
3Lake County338,901+1%
4Will County245,803+2.4%
5Kane County213,005+1.5%
6Sangamon County129,914+0.6%
7Winnebago County126,796+0.6%
8Peoria County105,657+2.3%
9Madison County100,825+2%
10McHenry County97,524-0.2%
11St. Clair County92,418-1.5%
12Champaign County90,419+0.4%
13McLean County82,946-0.6%
14Rock Island County74,124+0.3%
15Macon County49,601+0.6%
16Tazewell County48,214-3.7%
17Kankakee County44,642-0.7%
18LaSalle County42,404-1%
19DeKalb County38,012+1%
20Adams County33,312+1.5%
21Kendall County28,586+0.3%
22Williamson County27,919-1.5%
23Vermilion County26,529-1.4%
24Jackson County24,712+1%
25Coles County23,786-1.9%
26Effingham County21,991+1.4%
27Whiteside County21,048+1.5%
28Jefferson County20,076+1.3%
29Grundy County19,713+2.7%
30Boone County19,088+16.7%
31Knox County17,750-2%
32Stephenson County17,560+1.3%
33Ogle County15,724-1.1%
34Morgan County13,925-0.6%
35Henry County13,772+0.1%
36Livingston County13,552-1.2%
37Lee County13,1560%
38Marion County12,941+0.9%
39Clinton County12,268+0.2%
40Randolph County12,156-1%
41Bureau County11,873-0.2%
42McDonough County10,765-1.3%
43Macoupin County10,468+1.2%
44Christian County10,030-0.3%
45Woodford County9,662-4.7%
46Logan County9,1830%
47Franklin County9,005+7.4%
48Monroe County8,821+1.5%
49Montgomery County8,723-1.6%
50Fulton County8,122-2.7%
51Saline County7,832+1.5%
52Iroquois County7,799-2%
53Douglas County7,456-0.5%
54Jo Daviess County7,292-1.7%
55Edgar County7,039-2.4%
56Crawford County7,009-1.5%
57Washington County6,841+9.3%
58Warren County6,551+1.8%
59Richland County5,993-1.3%
60Cass County5,513+0.2%
61Fayette County5,358+1.4%
62Clay County5,3360%
63Shelby County5,221+7.2%
64Jersey County5,096+2.8%
65Moultrie County5,082+3.9%
66De Witt County5,073-1.9%
67Union County4,971+1.4%
68Perry County4,688+0.7%
69Bond County4,650-1.7%
70Ford County4,638+3%
71Clark County4,597-1.2%
72Lawrence County4,550-1.1%
73White County4,321+1.7%
74Brown County4,220+2.3%
75Hancock County4,118+2.6%
76Pike County4,047+2.2%
77Carroll County3,847-1.2%
78Wayne County3,714+0.9%
79Piatt County3,586+1.6%
80Wabash County3,289+2.7%
81Mercer County3,140+2.3%
82Massac County3,073+1.7%
83Mason County3,008-3.6%
84Marshall County2,851-2.6%
85Cumberland County2,769-0.5%
86Greene County2,341+1.1%
87Edwards County2,255-3.4%
88Johnson County2,217-3.7%
89Hamilton County2,044-0.3%
90Jasper County2,029+5.6%
91Putnam County1,835-0.6%
92Menard County1,724-0.7%
93Pulaski County1,708-7.7%
94Schuyler County1,557+0.1%
95Stark County1,361+1.5%
96Gallatin County1,201-3.5%
97Alexander County1,149-4.1%
98Henderson County1,073+0.1%
99Scott County973-5.4%
100Calhoun County780+2.6%
101Hardin County654-3.1%
102Pope County527-12.5%

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/2018/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 Illinois by covered employment (QCEW), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/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 Illinois by covered employment (QCEW), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/illinois-counties?period=2018. 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 Illinois by covered employment (QCEW), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/illinois-counties?period=2018.

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 Illinois by covered employment (QCEW), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/illinois-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_illinois_by_2018,
  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 Illinois by covered employment (QCEW), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/illinois-counties?period=2018. 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/2018/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 Illinois by covered employment (QCEW), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/illinois-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/illinois-counties?period=2018.
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/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Cook County, with 2,592,847 jobs in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Pope County, with 527 jobs in 2018.

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 Illinois: more rankings