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

Counties in Iowa by covered employment (QCEW)

Polk County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 99 counties in 2014, at 285,777 jobs. Adams County had the lowest, at 1,254 jobs. The median was 6,117 jobs and the figure for Iowa was 1,515,822 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest285,777Polk County
Lowest1,254Adams County
Median6,11799 counties
Iowa1,515,822History

Map of counties, 2014

Adair County: 2,765 jobsAdams County: 1,254 jobsAllamakee County: 5,203 jobsAppanoose County: 4,519 jobsAudubon County: 1,865 jobsBenton County: 5,661 jobsBlack Hawk County: 75,312 jobsBoone County: 9,576 jobsBremer County: 10,053 jobsBuchanan County: 6,593 jobsBuena Vista County: 10,918 jobsButler County: 3,758 jobsCalhoun County: 2,925 jobsCarroll County: 11,641 jobsCass County: 6,117 jobsCedar County: 5,438 jobsCerro Gordo County: 23,770 jobsCherokee County: 5,104 jobsChickasaw County: 4,812 jobsClarke County: 4,269 jobsClay County: 8,900 jobsClayton County: 6,641 jobsClinton County: 22,149 jobsCrawford County: 7,395 jobsDallas County: 38,118 jobsDavis County: 1,904 jobsDecatur County: 2,340 jobsDelaware County: 6,496 jobsDes Moines County: 22,639 jobsDickinson County: 9,124 jobsDubuque County: 57,206 jobsEmmet County: 4,161 jobsFayette County: 7,177 jobsFloyd County: 5,575 jobsFranklin County: 4,108 jobsFremont County: 2,751 jobsGreene County: 3,209 jobsGrundy County: 4,001 jobsGuthrie County: 3,175 jobsHamilton County: 5,830 jobsHancock County: 6,808 jobsHardin County: 7,280 jobsHarrison County: 4,252 jobsHenry County: 9,164 jobsHoward County: 4,140 jobsHumboldt County: 3,989 jobsIda County: 3,499 jobsIowa County: 9,536 jobsJackson County: 6,163 jobsJasper County: 11,311 jobsJefferson County: 7,316 jobsJohnson County: 80,253 jobsJones County: 6,483 jobsKeokuk County: 2,404 jobsKossuth County: 6,881 jobsLee County: 16,555 jobsLinn County: 127,927 jobsLouisa County: 3,624 jobsLucas County: 3,231 jobsLyon County: 4,677 jobsMadison County: 3,631 jobsMahaska County: 7,972 jobsMarion County: 16,652 jobsMarshall County: 18,243 jobsMills County: 4,035 jobsMitchell County: 3,607 jobsMonona County: 2,858 jobsMonroe County: 3,596 jobsMontgomery County: 4,244 jobsMuscatine County: 22,844 jobsO'Brien County: 6,501 jobsOsceola County: 2,271 jobsPage County: 6,312 jobsPalo Alto County: 3,742 jobsPlymouth County: 10,862 jobsPocahontas County: 3,005 jobsPolk County: 285,777 jobsPottawattamie County: 38,817 jobsPoweshiek County: 9,619 jobsRinggold County: 1,395 jobsSac County: 3,203 jobsScott County: 89,869 jobsShelby County: 6,093 jobsSioux County: 20,027 jobsStory County: 44,754 jobsTama County: 4,965 jobsTaylor County: 2,005 jobsUnion County: 6,451 jobsVan Buren County: 2,101 jobsWapello County: 16,080 jobsWarren County: 10,334 jobsWashington County: 8,368 jobsWayne County: 1,905 jobsWebster County: 18,257 jobsWinnebago County: 4,337 jobsWinneshiek County: 10,261 jobsWoodbury County: 52,728 jobsWorth County: 2,329 jobsWright County: 5,831 jobs
  • Under 3,000
  • 3,000 to 4,000
  • 4,000 to 6,000
  • 6,000 to 9,000
  • 9,000 to 18K
  • 18K and over
jobs, 2014. 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, 2014

Polk County: 285,777 jobsPolk County285,777Linn County: 127,927 jobsLinn County127,927Scott County: 89,869 jobsScott County89,869Johnson County: 80,253 jobsJohnson County80,253Black Hawk County: 75,312 jobsBlack Hawk County75,312Dubuque County: 57,206 jobsDubuque County57,206Woodbury County: 52,728 jobsWoodbury County52,728Story County: 44,754 jobsStory County44,754Pottawattamie County: 38,817 jobsPottawattamie County38,817Dallas County: 38,118 jobsDallas County38,118Cerro Gordo County: 23,770 jobsCerro Gordo County23,770Muscatine County: 22,844 jobsMuscatine County22,844Des Moines County: 22,639 jobsDes Moines County22,639Clinton County: 22,149 jobsClinton County22,149Sioux County: 20,027 jobsSioux County20,027Webster County: 18,257 jobsWebster County18,257Marshall County: 18,243 jobsMarshall County18,243Marion County: 16,652 jobsMarion County16,652Lee County: 16,555 jobsLee County16,555Wapello County: 16,080 jobsWapello County16,080Carroll County: 11,641 jobsCarroll County11,641Jasper County: 11,311 jobsJasper County11,311Buena Vista County: 10,918 jobsBuena Vista County10,918Plymouth County: 10,862 jobsPlymouth County10,862Warren County: 10,334 jobsWarren County10,334Winneshiek County: 10,261 jobsWinneshiek County10,261Bremer County: 10,053 jobsBremer County10,053Poweshiek County: 9,619 jobsPoweshiek County9,619Boone County: 9,576 jobsBoone County9,576Iowa County: 9,536 jobsIowa County9,536Henry County: 9,164 jobsHenry County9,164Dickinson County: 9,124 jobsDickinson County9,124Clay County: 8,900 jobsClay County8,900Washington County: 8,368 jobsWashington County8,368Mahaska County: 7,972 jobsMahaska County7,972Crawford County: 7,395 jobsCrawford County7,395Jefferson County: 7,316 jobsJefferson County7,316Hardin County: 7,280 jobsHardin County7,280Fayette County: 7,177 jobsFayette County7,177Kossuth County: 6,881 jobsKossuth County6,881Polk County: 285,777 jobsPolk County285,777Linn County: 127,927 jobsLinn County127,927Scott County: 89,869 jobsScott County89,869Johnson County: 80,253 jobsJohnson County80,253Black Hawk County: 75,312 jobsBlack Hawk County75,312Dubuque County: 57,206 jobsDubuque County57,206Woodbury County: 52,728 jobsWoodbury County52,728Story County: 44,754 jobsStory County44,754Pottawattamie County: 38,817 jobsPottawattamie County38,817Dallas County: 38,118 jobsDallas County38,118Cerro Gordo County: 23,770 jobsCerro Gordo County23,770Muscatine County: 22,844 jobsMuscatine County22,844Des Moines County: 22,639 jobsDes Moines County22,639Clinton County: 22,149 jobsClinton County22,149Sioux County: 20,027 jobsSioux County20,027Webster County: 18,257 jobsWebster County18,257Marshall County: 18,243 jobsMarshall County18,243Marion County: 16,652 jobsMarion County16,652Lee County: 16,555 jobsLee County16,555Wapello County: 16,080 jobsWapello County16,080Carroll County: 11,641 jobsCarroll County11,641Jasper County: 11,311 jobsJasper County11,311Buena Vista County: 10,918 jobsBuena Vista County10,918Plymouth County: 10,862 jobsPlymouth County10,862Warren County: 10,334 jobsWarren County10,334Winneshiek County: 10,261 jobsWinneshiek County10,261Bremer County: 10,053 jobsBremer County10,053Poweshiek County: 9,619 jobsPoweshiek County9,619Boone County: 9,576 jobsBoone County9,576Iowa County: 9,536 jobsIowa County9,536Henry County: 9,164 jobsHenry County9,164Dickinson County: 9,124 jobsDickinson County9,124Clay County: 8,900 jobsClay County8,900Washington County: 8,368 jobsWashington County8,368Mahaska County: 7,972 jobsMahaska County7,972Crawford County: 7,395 jobsCrawford County7,395Jefferson County: 7,316 jobsJefferson County7,316Hardin County: 7,280 jobsHardin County7,280Fayette County: 7,177 jobsFayette County7,177Kossuth County: 6,881 jobsKossuth County6,881
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

RankCounties2014
jobs		Change on 2013
1Polk County285,777+2.6%
2Linn County127,927+1%
3Scott County89,869+1.2%
4Johnson County80,253+0.8%
5Black Hawk County75,312+0.3%
6Dubuque County57,206+1%
7Woodbury County52,728+1.5%
8Story County44,754+2.1%
9Pottawattamie County38,817+2.7%
10Dallas County38,118+2.8%
11Cerro Gordo County23,770-0.3%
12Muscatine County22,844+2%
13Des Moines County22,639+2.7%
14Clinton County22,149-0.8%
15Sioux County20,027+2.3%
16Webster County18,2570%
17Marshall County18,243+0.3%
18Marion County16,652+0.4%
19Lee County16,555+5.3%
20Wapello County16,080+0.5%
21Carroll County11,641-1.5%
22Jasper County11,311+1.3%
23Buena Vista County10,918+0.1%
24Plymouth County10,862-1%
25Warren County10,334+3.2%
26Winneshiek County10,261+0.8%
27Bremer County10,053+0.1%
28Poweshiek County9,619-1.2%
29Boone County9,576+1.2%
30Iowa County9,536+2.5%
31Henry County9,164-0.1%
32Dickinson County9,124+4.6%
33Clay County8,900+0.8%
34Washington County8,368+0.6%
35Mahaska County7,972+2.3%
36Crawford County7,395-2.2%
37Jefferson County7,316+1.6%
38Hardin County7,280-0.2%
39Fayette County7,177+0.3%
40Kossuth County6,881+1.1%
41Hancock County6,808-0.5%
42Clayton County6,641+0.9%
43Buchanan County6,593+3%
44O'Brien County6,501+1.4%
45Delaware County6,496+1%
46Jones County6,483+1.3%
47Union County6,451-2.2%
48Page County6,312+0.8%
49Jackson County6,163+1.4%
50Cass County6,117+1.8%
51Shelby County6,093+0.7%
52Wright County5,831+0.7%
53Hamilton County5,830+0.1%
54Benton County5,661-0.8%
55Floyd County5,575+0.5%
56Cedar County5,438-0.2%
57Allamakee County5,203+0.1%
58Cherokee County5,104-6.2%
59Tama County4,965+0.4%
60Chickasaw County4,812+1.1%
61Lyon County4,677+1.1%
62Appanoose County4,519+4.4%
63Winnebago County4,337+0.3%
64Clarke County4,269+2.1%
65Harrison County4,252-1.4%
66Montgomery County4,244+0.1%
67Emmet County4,161-0.9%
68Howard County4,140+0.6%
69Franklin County4,108+1.4%
70Mills County4,035-0.2%
71Grundy County4,001+0.5%
72Humboldt County3,989-0.8%
73Butler County3,758+0.2%
74Palo Alto County3,742+0.7%
75Madison County3,631+2.2%
76Louisa County3,624+0.5%
77Mitchell County3,607-2.8%
78Monroe County3,596+0.9%
79Ida County3,499+1.6%
80Lucas County3,231+1.1%
81Greene County3,209+2.2%
82Sac County3,203-0.7%
83Guthrie County3,175+0.3%
84Pocahontas County3,005+3.3%
85Calhoun County2,925+0.1%
86Monona County2,858+3%
87Adair County2,765-1.9%
88Fremont County2,751-0.4%
89Keokuk County2,4040%
90Decatur County2,340+3.9%
91Worth County2,329-0.2%
92Osceola County2,271-0.2%
93Van Buren County2,101+3%
94Taylor County2,005+1.3%
95Wayne County1,905-1%
96Davis County1,904-2.5%
97Audubon County1,865+0.9%
98Ringgold County1,395n/a
99Adams County1,254n/a

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/2014/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 Iowa by covered employment (QCEW), 2014) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/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 Iowa by covered employment (QCEW), 2014. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2014. 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 Iowa by covered employment (QCEW), 2014. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2014.

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 Iowa by covered employment (QCEW), 2014 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2014 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_iowa_by_2014,
  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 Iowa by covered employment (QCEW), 2014}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2014. 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/2014/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 Iowa by covered employment (QCEW), 2014
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2014.
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/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Polk County, with 285,777 jobs in 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Adams County, with 1,254 jobs in 2014.

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 Iowa: more rankings