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 2024, at 2,565,567 jobs. Pope County had the lowest, at 643 jobs. The median was 7,761 jobs and the figure for Illinois was 6,043,357 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest2,565,567Cook County
Lowest643Pope County
Median7,761102 counties
Illinois6,043,357History

Map of counties, 2024

Adams County: 32,154 jobsAlexander County: 888 jobsBond County: 4,511 jobsBoone County: 11,526 jobsBrown County: 4,791 jobsBureau County: 10,032 jobsCalhoun County: 743 jobsCarroll County: 3,955 jobsCass County: 5,143 jobsChampaign County: 94,777 jobsChristian County: 9,353 jobsClark County: 4,392 jobsClay County: 4,625 jobsClinton County: 12,592 jobsColes County: 23,930 jobsCook County: 2,565,567 jobsCrawford County: 7,487 jobsCumberland County: 2,893 jobsDeKalb County: 36,272 jobsDe Witt County: 5,008 jobsDouglas County: 7,643 jobsDuPage County: 622,113 jobsEdgar County: 7,065 jobsEdwards County: 1,933 jobsEffingham County: 23,242 jobsFayette County: 5,030 jobsFord County: 5,727 jobsFranklin County: 9,079 jobsFulton County: 8,642 jobsGallatin County: 874 jobsGreene County: 2,275 jobsGrundy County: 22,349 jobsHamilton County: 2,057 jobsHancock County: 4,144 jobsHardin County: 767 jobsHenderson County: 1,150 jobsHenry County: 13,805 jobsIroquois County: 7,372 jobsJackson County: 25,266 jobsJasper County: 2,186 jobsJefferson County: 19,307 jobsJersey County: 5,218 jobsJo Daviess County: 7,485 jobsJohnson County: 2,439 jobsKane County: 213,795 jobsKankakee County: 42,231 jobsKendall County: 30,329 jobsKnox County: 17,106 jobsLake County: 329,354 jobsLaSalle County: 39,242 jobsLawrence County: 4,016 jobsLee County: 12,375 jobsLivingston County: 13,762 jobsLogan County: 7,878 jobsMcDonough County: 10,119 jobsMcHenry County: 96,922 jobsMcLean County: 88,945 jobsMacon County: 45,051 jobsMacoupin County: 10,150 jobsMadison County: 105,166 jobsMarion County: 12,409 jobsMarshall County: 2,765 jobsMason County: 2,828 jobsMassac County: 2,858 jobsMenard County: 1,773 jobsMercer County: 2,968 jobsMonroe County: 8,442 jobsMontgomery County: 8,783 jobsMorgan County: 13,936 jobsMoultrie County: 5,140 jobsOgle County: 14,934 jobsPeoria County: 103,940 jobsPerry County: 4,622 jobsPiatt County: 3,707 jobsPike County: 3,881 jobsPope County: 643 jobsPulaski County: 1,195 jobsPutnam County: 2,012 jobsRandolph County: 11,393 jobsRichland County: 5,834 jobsRock Island County: 70,119 jobsSt. Clair County: 89,981 jobsSaline County: 8,307 jobsSangamon County: 134,376 jobsSchuyler County: 1,715 jobsScott County: 920 jobsShelby County: 4,848 jobsStark County: 1,696 jobsStephenson County: 17,367 jobsTazewell County: 46,883 jobsUnion County: 5,377 jobsVermilion County: 25,748 jobsWabash County: 3,376 jobsWarren County: 6,368 jobsWashington County: 6,126 jobsWayne County: 4,064 jobsWhite County: 4,205 jobsWhiteside County: 21,197 jobsWill County: 263,673 jobsWilliamson County: 28,465 jobsWinnebago County: 126,415 jobsWoodford County: 11,428 jobs
  • Under 10K
  • 10K to 40K
  • 40K 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

Cook County: 2,565,567 jobsCook County2,565,567DuPage County: 622,113 jobsDuPage County622,113Lake County: 329,354 jobsLake County329,354Will County: 263,673 jobsWill County263,673Kane County: 213,795 jobsKane County213,795Sangamon County: 134,376 jobsSangamon County134,376Winnebago County: 126,415 jobsWinnebago County126,415Madison County: 105,166 jobsMadison County105,166Peoria County: 103,940 jobsPeoria County103,940McHenry County: 96,922 jobsMcHenry County96,922Champaign County: 94,777 jobsChampaign County94,777St. Clair County: 89,981 jobsSt. Clair County89,981McLean County: 88,945 jobsMcLean County88,945Rock Island County: 70,119 jobsRock Island County70,119Tazewell County: 46,883 jobsTazewell County46,883Macon County: 45,051 jobsMacon County45,051Kankakee County: 42,231 jobsKankakee County42,231LaSalle County: 39,242 jobsLaSalle County39,242DeKalb County: 36,272 jobsDeKalb County36,272Adams County: 32,154 jobsAdams County32,154Kendall County: 30,329 jobsKendall County30,329Williamson County: 28,465 jobsWilliamson County28,465Vermilion County: 25,748 jobsVermilion County25,748Jackson County: 25,266 jobsJackson County25,266Coles County: 23,930 jobsColes County23,930Effingham County: 23,242 jobsEffingham County23,242Grundy County: 22,349 jobsGrundy County22,349Whiteside County: 21,197 jobsWhiteside County21,197Jefferson County: 19,307 jobsJefferson County19,307Stephenson County: 17,367 jobsStephenson County17,367Knox County: 17,106 jobsKnox County17,106Ogle County: 14,934 jobsOgle County14,934Morgan County: 13,936 jobsMorgan County13,936Henry County: 13,805 jobsHenry County13,805Livingston County: 13,762 jobsLivingston County13,762Clinton County: 12,592 jobsClinton County12,592Marion County: 12,409 jobsMarion County12,409Lee County: 12,375 jobsLee County12,375Boone County: 11,526 jobsBoone County11,526Woodford County: 11,428 jobsWoodford County11,428Cook County: 2,565,567 jobsCook County2,565,567DuPage County: 622,113 jobsDuPage County622,113Lake County: 329,354 jobsLake County329,354Will County: 263,673 jobsWill County263,673Kane County: 213,795 jobsKane County213,795Sangamon County: 134,376 jobsSangamon County134,376Winnebago County: 126,415 jobsWinnebago County126,415Madison County: 105,166 jobsMadison County105,166Peoria County: 103,940 jobsPeoria County103,940McHenry County: 96,922 jobsMcHenry County96,922Champaign County: 94,777 jobsChampaign County94,777St. Clair County: 89,981 jobsSt. Clair County89,981McLean County: 88,945 jobsMcLean County88,945Rock Island County: 70,119 jobsRock Island County70,119Tazewell County: 46,883 jobsTazewell County46,883Macon County: 45,051 jobsMacon County45,051Kankakee County: 42,231 jobsKankakee County42,231LaSalle County: 39,242 jobsLaSalle County39,242DeKalb County: 36,272 jobsDeKalb County36,272Adams County: 32,154 jobsAdams County32,154Kendall County: 30,329 jobsKendall County30,329Williamson County: 28,465 jobsWilliamson County28,465Vermilion County: 25,748 jobsVermilion County25,748Jackson County: 25,266 jobsJackson County25,266Coles County: 23,930 jobsColes County23,930Effingham County: 23,242 jobsEffingham County23,242Grundy County: 22,349 jobsGrundy County22,349Whiteside County: 21,197 jobsWhiteside County21,197Jefferson County: 19,307 jobsJefferson County19,307Stephenson County: 17,367 jobsStephenson County17,367Knox County: 17,106 jobsKnox County17,106Ogle County: 14,934 jobsOgle County14,934Morgan County: 13,936 jobsMorgan County13,936Henry County: 13,805 jobsHenry County13,805Livingston County: 13,762 jobsLivingston County13,762Clinton County: 12,592 jobsClinton County12,592Marion County: 12,409 jobsMarion County12,409Lee County: 12,375 jobsLee County12,375Boone County: 11,526 jobsBoone County11,526Woodford County: 11,428 jobsWoodford County11,428
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
1Cook County2,565,567+0.2%
2DuPage County622,113+0.1%
3Lake County329,354+0.5%
4Will County263,673+0.3%
5Kane County213,795+0.3%
6Sangamon County134,376+4.7%
7Winnebago County126,415+0.9%
8Madison County105,166+1.6%
9Peoria County103,940+0.4%
10McHenry County96,922+0.6%
11Champaign County94,777-0.9%
12St. Clair County89,981-0.1%
13McLean County88,945+2.1%
14Rock Island County70,119-2.4%
15Tazewell County46,883+0.9%
16Macon County45,051-1%
17Kankakee County42,231+0.3%
18LaSalle County39,242-1.3%
19DeKalb County36,272+0.4%
20Adams County32,154-0.4%
21Kendall County30,329-0.1%
22Williamson County28,465+0.8%
23Vermilion County25,748+1.1%
24Jackson County25,266+2.4%
25Coles County23,930+1.5%
26Effingham County23,242-0.4%
27Grundy County22,349+4.5%
28Whiteside County21,197+0.9%
29Jefferson County19,307+0.5%
30Stephenson County17,367+1.3%
31Knox County17,106+3%
32Ogle County14,934-0.9%
33Morgan County13,936+1.6%
34Henry County13,805+2.2%
35Livingston County13,762-0.1%
36Clinton County12,592+3.1%
37Marion County12,409-1.7%
38Lee County12,375-2.5%
39Boone County11,526-4.9%
40Woodford County11,428+3.2%
41Randolph County11,393-1.4%
42Macoupin County10,150+0.4%
43McDonough County10,119-1.1%
44Bureau County10,032-4.4%
45Christian County9,353-0.4%
46Franklin County9,079+2.3%
47Montgomery County8,783-0.9%
48Fulton County8,642+3.7%
49Monroe County8,442-1.7%
50Saline County8,307+2.6%
51Logan County7,878-1.2%
52Douglas County7,643-0.6%
53Crawford County7,487+2.7%
54Jo Daviess County7,485+1.2%
55Iroquois County7,372+2.8%
56Edgar County7,065+2.6%
57Warren County6,368+0.9%
58Washington County6,126-4.1%
59Richland County5,834+0.9%
60Ford County5,727+4.8%
61Union County5,377+3.4%
62Jersey County5,218-0.5%
63Cass County5,143-5.6%
64Moultrie County5,140+2%
65Fayette County5,030-3.6%
66De Witt County5,008-0.4%
67Shelby County4,848-0.3%
68Brown County4,791+2.7%
69Clay County4,625+0.6%
70Perry County4,622+3%
71Bond County4,511+1%
72Clark County4,392-1.1%
73White County4,205+4.3%
74Hancock County4,144+1.5%
75Wayne County4,064+1.5%
76Lawrence County4,016+5.1%
77Carroll County3,955-1.2%
78Pike County3,881-1%
79Piatt County3,707+1.8%
80Wabash County3,376+1.7%
81Mercer County2,968-2.2%
82Cumberland County2,893-1.4%
83Massac County2,858+0.6%
84Mason County2,828+2.1%
85Marshall County2,765-2%
86Johnson County2,439+4.3%
87Greene County2,275-0.7%
88Jasper County2,186+3.6%
89Hamilton County2,057+2.6%
90Putnam County2,012+6.3%
91Edwards County1,933-7.1%
92Menard County1,773+2.2%
93Schuyler County1,715+13.2%
94Stark County1,696+9.3%
95Pulaski County1,195+1.4%
96Henderson County1,150+1.8%
97Scott County920+4%
98Alexander County888+2%
99Gallatin County874-2.8%
100Hardin County767+2.1%
101Calhoun County743-0.9%
102Pope County643+0.8%

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/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 Illinois 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 Illinois 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/illinois-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 Illinois 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/illinois-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 Illinois 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/illinois-counties?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_illinois_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 Illinois 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/illinois-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 Illinois 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/illinois-counties?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/illinois-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  -
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 2,565,567 jobs in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Pope County, with 643 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 Illinois: more rankings