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 2021, at 2,422,930 jobs. Pope County had the lowest, at 497 jobs. The median was 7,381 jobs and the figure for Illinois was 5,694,355 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest2,422,930Cook County
Lowest497Pope County
Median7,381102 counties
Illinois5,694,355History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 31,411 jobsAlexander County: 823 jobsBond County: 4,172 jobsBoone County: 14,914 jobsBrown County: 4,434 jobsBureau County: 11,007 jobsCalhoun County: 713 jobsCarroll County: 4,081 jobsCass County: 5,118 jobsChampaign County: 90,673 jobsChristian County: 9,122 jobsClark County: 4,308 jobsClay County: 4,628 jobsClinton County: 11,908 jobsColes County: 22,429 jobsCook County: 2,422,930 jobsCrawford County: 6,860 jobsCumberland County: 2,753 jobsDeKalb County: 34,629 jobsDe Witt County: 4,789 jobsDouglas County: 7,451 jobsDuPage County: 586,589 jobsEdgar County: 7,021 jobsEdwards County: 2,023 jobsEffingham County: 22,380 jobsFayette County: 5,333 jobsFord County: 4,727 jobsFranklin County: 8,417 jobsFulton County: 8,030 jobsGallatin County: 851 jobsGreene County: 2,317 jobsGrundy County: 20,933 jobsHamilton County: 1,894 jobsHancock County: 3,919 jobsHardin County: 644 jobsHenderson County: 1,104 jobsHenry County: 13,331 jobsIroquois County: 7,013 jobsJackson County: 23,691 jobsJasper County: 2,061 jobsJefferson County: 18,555 jobsJersey County: 5,137 jobsJo Daviess County: 7,141 jobsJohnson County: 2,330 jobsKane County: 200,560 jobsKankakee County: 41,679 jobsKendall County: 28,719 jobsKnox County: 16,159 jobsLake County: 321,815 jobsLaSalle County: 40,150 jobsLawrence County: 4,154 jobsLee County: 12,487 jobsLivingston County: 12,799 jobsLogan County: 8,348 jobsMcDonough County: 9,784 jobsMcHenry County: 93,643 jobsMcLean County: 79,440 jobsMacon County: 44,716 jobsMacoupin County: 9,973 jobsMadison County: 99,443 jobsMarion County: 12,141 jobsMarshall County: 2,836 jobsMason County: 2,759 jobsMassac County: 2,844 jobsMenard County: 1,634 jobsMercer County: 3,070 jobsMonroe County: 8,386 jobsMontgomery County: 8,481 jobsMorgan County: 13,541 jobsMoultrie County: 5,111 jobsOgle County: 14,690 jobsPeoria County: 99,249 jobsPerry County: 4,475 jobsPiatt County: 3,444 jobsPike County: 3,892 jobsPope County: 497 jobsPulaski County: 1,179 jobsPutnam County: 1,726 jobsRandolph County: 11,621 jobsRichland County: 5,630 jobsRock Island County: 70,153 jobsSt. Clair County: 87,314 jobsSaline County: 7,310 jobsSangamon County: 125,059 jobsSchuyler County: 1,523 jobsScott County: 876 jobsShelby County: 4,941 jobsStark County: 1,439 jobsStephenson County: 16,764 jobsTazewell County: 44,434 jobsUnion County: 4,962 jobsVermilion County: 24,933 jobsWabash County: 3,073 jobsWarren County: 5,820 jobsWashington County: 6,339 jobsWayne County: 3,794 jobsWhite County: 3,708 jobsWhiteside County: 20,136 jobsWill County: 244,347 jobsWilliamson County: 26,889 jobsWinnebago County: 117,427 jobsWoodford County: 10,022 jobs
  • Under 10K
  • 10K to 40K
  • 40K 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

Cook County: 2,422,930 jobsCook County2,422,930DuPage County: 586,589 jobsDuPage County586,589Lake County: 321,815 jobsLake County321,815Will County: 244,347 jobsWill County244,347Kane County: 200,560 jobsKane County200,560Sangamon County: 125,059 jobsSangamon County125,059Winnebago County: 117,427 jobsWinnebago County117,427Madison County: 99,443 jobsMadison County99,443Peoria County: 99,249 jobsPeoria County99,249McHenry County: 93,643 jobsMcHenry County93,643Champaign County: 90,673 jobsChampaign County90,673St. Clair County: 87,314 jobsSt. Clair County87,314McLean County: 79,440 jobsMcLean County79,440Rock Island County: 70,153 jobsRock Island County70,153Macon County: 44,716 jobsMacon County44,716Tazewell County: 44,434 jobsTazewell County44,434Kankakee County: 41,679 jobsKankakee County41,679LaSalle County: 40,150 jobsLaSalle County40,150DeKalb County: 34,629 jobsDeKalb County34,629Adams County: 31,411 jobsAdams County31,411Kendall County: 28,719 jobsKendall County28,719Williamson County: 26,889 jobsWilliamson County26,889Vermilion County: 24,933 jobsVermilion County24,933Jackson County: 23,691 jobsJackson County23,691Coles County: 22,429 jobsColes County22,429Effingham County: 22,380 jobsEffingham County22,380Grundy County: 20,933 jobsGrundy County20,933Whiteside County: 20,136 jobsWhiteside County20,136Jefferson County: 18,555 jobsJefferson County18,555Stephenson County: 16,764 jobsStephenson County16,764Knox County: 16,159 jobsKnox County16,159Boone County: 14,914 jobsBoone County14,914Ogle County: 14,690 jobsOgle County14,690Morgan County: 13,541 jobsMorgan County13,541Henry County: 13,331 jobsHenry County13,331Livingston County: 12,799 jobsLivingston County12,799Lee County: 12,487 jobsLee County12,487Marion County: 12,141 jobsMarion County12,141Clinton County: 11,908 jobsClinton County11,908Randolph County: 11,621 jobsRandolph County11,621Cook County: 2,422,930 jobsCook County2,422,930DuPage County: 586,589 jobsDuPage County586,589Lake County: 321,815 jobsLake County321,815Will County: 244,347 jobsWill County244,347Kane County: 200,560 jobsKane County200,560Sangamon County: 125,059 jobsSangamon County125,059Winnebago County: 117,427 jobsWinnebago County117,427Madison County: 99,443 jobsMadison County99,443Peoria County: 99,249 jobsPeoria County99,249McHenry County: 93,643 jobsMcHenry County93,643Champaign County: 90,673 jobsChampaign County90,673St. Clair County: 87,314 jobsSt. Clair County87,314McLean County: 79,440 jobsMcLean County79,440Rock Island County: 70,153 jobsRock Island County70,153Macon County: 44,716 jobsMacon County44,716Tazewell County: 44,434 jobsTazewell County44,434Kankakee County: 41,679 jobsKankakee County41,679LaSalle County: 40,150 jobsLaSalle County40,150DeKalb County: 34,629 jobsDeKalb County34,629Adams County: 31,411 jobsAdams County31,411Kendall County: 28,719 jobsKendall County28,719Williamson County: 26,889 jobsWilliamson County26,889Vermilion County: 24,933 jobsVermilion County24,933Jackson County: 23,691 jobsJackson County23,691Coles County: 22,429 jobsColes County22,429Effingham County: 22,380 jobsEffingham County22,380Grundy County: 20,933 jobsGrundy County20,933Whiteside County: 20,136 jobsWhiteside County20,136Jefferson County: 18,555 jobsJefferson County18,555Stephenson County: 16,764 jobsStephenson County16,764Knox County: 16,159 jobsKnox County16,159Boone County: 14,914 jobsBoone County14,914Ogle County: 14,690 jobsOgle County14,690Morgan County: 13,541 jobsMorgan County13,541Henry County: 13,331 jobsHenry County13,331Livingston County: 12,799 jobsLivingston County12,799Lee County: 12,487 jobsLee County12,487Marion County: 12,141 jobsMarion County12,141Clinton County: 11,908 jobsClinton County11,908Randolph County: 11,621 jobsRandolph County11,621
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
1Cook County2,422,930+1.4%
2DuPage County586,589+2.6%
3Lake County321,815+1.4%
4Will County244,347+2.4%
5Kane County200,560+3.2%
6Sangamon County125,059+2.4%
7Winnebago County117,427+1.8%
8Madison County99,4430%
9Peoria County99,249+1.3%
10McHenry County93,643+3.4%
11Champaign County90,673+2.7%
12St. Clair County87,314+1.9%
13McLean County79,440+2.2%
14Rock Island County70,153+1.9%
15Macon County44,716-0.2%
16Tazewell County44,434+0.6%
17Kankakee County41,679-2.2%
18LaSalle County40,150+3.4%
19DeKalb County34,629+0.8%
20Adams County31,411+1.1%
21Kendall County28,719+6.3%
22Williamson County26,889+2%
23Vermilion County24,933-0.5%
24Jackson County23,691+0.7%
25Coles County22,429+0.7%
26Effingham County22,380+3.4%
27Grundy County20,933+2.4%
28Whiteside County20,136+1.1%
29Jefferson County18,555+0.9%
30Stephenson County16,764+1.3%
31Knox County16,159-3%
32Boone County14,914-8.6%
33Ogle County14,690-0.1%
34Morgan County13,541+0.3%
35Henry County13,331+0.1%
36Livingston County12,799-2.5%
37Lee County12,487-0.1%
38Marion County12,141+1.5%
39Clinton County11,908+2.3%
40Randolph County11,621+0.9%
41Bureau County11,007+1%
42Woodford County10,022+3.4%
43Macoupin County9,973+2.6%
44McDonough County9,784+1.1%
45Christian County9,122+0.5%
46Montgomery County8,481+1.1%
47Franklin County8,417+2.4%
48Monroe County8,386+5.4%
49Logan County8,348-2%
50Fulton County8,030+2.5%
51Douglas County7,451+3.6%
52Saline County7,310-0.5%
53Jo Daviess County7,141+7.4%
54Edgar County7,021+2.2%
55Iroquois County7,013-4%
56Crawford County6,860+1.3%
57Washington County6,339+2.8%
58Warren County5,820-3.3%
59Richland County5,630-2.8%
60Fayette County5,333+2.2%
61Jersey County5,137+5.8%
62Cass County5,118-3.2%
63Moultrie County5,111+2.9%
64Union County4,962+2.8%
65Shelby County4,941+0.9%
66De Witt County4,789+3%
67Ford County4,727+5.2%
68Clay County4,628-3.3%
69Perry County4,475+1.4%
70Brown County4,434+1.1%
71Clark County4,308+2.6%
72Bond County4,1720%
73Lawrence County4,154-2.6%
74Carroll County4,081+2.8%
75Hancock County3,919+2%
76Pike County3,892+2.4%
77Wayne County3,794+4.5%
78White County3,708-2.7%
79Piatt County3,444+2.3%
80Wabash County3,073-2.4%
81Mercer County3,070+4.6%
82Massac County2,844+1.8%
83Marshall County2,836+1.3%
84Mason County2,759+1%
85Cumberland County2,753-0.5%
86Johnson County2,330+2.3%
87Greene County2,317+0.6%
88Jasper County2,061+5.3%
89Edwards County2,023-2.6%
90Hamilton County1,894+1.9%
91Putnam County1,726+0.3%
92Menard County1,634+1.7%
93Schuyler County1,523+5.3%
94Stark County1,439+3.1%
95Pulaski County1,179-6.1%
96Henderson County1,104+5.3%
97Scott County876-3.3%
98Gallatin County851+0.2%
99Alexander County823-11.5%
100Calhoun County713+4.9%
101Hardin County644+5.2%
102Pope County497+6.9%

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/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 Illinois 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 Illinois 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/illinois-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 Illinois 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/illinois-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 Illinois 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/illinois-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_illinois_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 Illinois 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/illinois-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 Illinois 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/illinois-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/illinois-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  -
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 Illinois by covered employment (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"covered_employment","level":"province","within":"Illinois","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=covered_employment&level=province&within=Illinois&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)?

Cook County, with 2,422,930 jobs in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Pope County, with 497 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 Illinois: more rankings