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 2017, at 298,553 jobs. Adams County had the lowest, at 1,227 jobs. The median was 6,076 jobs and the figure for Iowa was 1,540,435 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest298,553Polk County
Lowest1,227Adams County
Median6,07699 counties
Iowa1,540,435History

Map of counties, 2017

Adair County: 2,770 jobsAdams County: 1,227 jobsAllamakee County: 5,142 jobsAppanoose County: 4,595 jobsAudubon County: 1,771 jobsBenton County: 5,908 jobsBlack Hawk County: 73,653 jobsBoone County: 9,192 jobsBremer County: 9,883 jobsBuchanan County: 6,518 jobsBuena Vista County: 11,023 jobsButler County: 3,403 jobsCalhoun County: 2,846 jobsCarroll County: 11,545 jobsCass County: 6,036 jobsCedar County: 5,417 jobsCerro Gordo County: 24,706 jobsCherokee County: 4,728 jobsChickasaw County: 4,791 jobsClarke County: 4,474 jobsClay County: 8,550 jobsClayton County: 6,747 jobsClinton County: 21,103 jobsCrawford County: 6,886 jobsDallas County: 43,836 jobsDavis County: 2,102 jobsDecatur County: 2,358 jobsDelaware County: 6,642 jobsDes Moines County: 22,182 jobsDickinson County: 9,832 jobsDubuque County: 58,097 jobsEmmet County: 3,906 jobsFayette County: 7,113 jobsFloyd County: 6,108 jobsFranklin County: 3,889 jobsFremont County: 2,405 jobsGreene County: 3,361 jobsGrundy County: 4,009 jobsGuthrie County: 3,039 jobsHamilton County: 5,925 jobsHancock County: 6,664 jobsHardin County: 7,149 jobsHarrison County: 4,158 jobsHenry County: 9,528 jobsHoward County: 4,061 jobsHumboldt County: 3,999 jobsIda County: 3,701 jobsIowa County: 10,170 jobsJackson County: 6,261 jobsJasper County: 11,484 jobsJefferson County: 7,555 jobsJohnson County: 84,148 jobsJones County: 6,356 jobsKeokuk County: 2,199 jobsKossuth County: 6,993 jobsLee County: 15,401 jobsLinn County: 129,627 jobsLouisa County: 3,828 jobsLucas County: 3,377 jobsLyon County: 4,619 jobsMadison County: 3,933 jobsMahaska County: 7,895 jobsMarion County: 17,080 jobsMarshall County: 17,130 jobsMills County: 3,635 jobsMitchell County: 3,889 jobsMonona County: 2,649 jobsMonroe County: 3,409 jobsMontgomery County: 4,088 jobsMuscatine County: 23,437 jobsO'Brien County: 6,410 jobsOsceola County: 2,458 jobsPage County: 6,076 jobsPalo Alto County: 3,866 jobsPlymouth County: 11,410 jobsPocahontas County: 2,913 jobsPolk County: 298,553 jobsPottawattamie County: 38,736 jobsPoweshiek County: 10,211 jobsRinggold County: 1,417 jobsSac County: 3,018 jobsScott County: 90,939 jobsShelby County: 5,808 jobsSioux County: 20,448 jobsStory County: 46,304 jobsTama County: 5,672 jobsTaylor County: 2,060 jobsUnion County: 6,232 jobsVan Buren County: 2,027 jobsWapello County: 16,128 jobsWarren County: 11,334 jobsWashington County: 8,263 jobsWayne County: 1,838 jobsWebster County: 18,311 jobsWinnebago County: 4,351 jobsWinneshiek County: 10,321 jobsWoodbury County: 51,299 jobsWorth County: 2,346 jobsWright County: 5,554 jobs
  • Under 3,000
  • 3,000 to 4,000
  • 4,000 to 6,000
  • 6,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 to 17K
  • 17K and over
jobs, 2017. 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, 2017

Polk County: 298,553 jobsPolk County298,553Linn County: 129,627 jobsLinn County129,627Scott County: 90,939 jobsScott County90,939Johnson County: 84,148 jobsJohnson County84,148Black Hawk County: 73,653 jobsBlack Hawk County73,653Dubuque County: 58,097 jobsDubuque County58,097Woodbury County: 51,299 jobsWoodbury County51,299Story County: 46,304 jobsStory County46,304Dallas County: 43,836 jobsDallas County43,836Pottawattamie County: 38,736 jobsPottawattamie County38,736Cerro Gordo County: 24,706 jobsCerro Gordo County24,706Muscatine County: 23,437 jobsMuscatine County23,437Des Moines County: 22,182 jobsDes Moines County22,182Clinton County: 21,103 jobsClinton County21,103Sioux County: 20,448 jobsSioux County20,448Webster County: 18,311 jobsWebster County18,311Marshall County: 17,130 jobsMarshall County17,130Marion County: 17,080 jobsMarion County17,080Wapello County: 16,128 jobsWapello County16,128Lee County: 15,401 jobsLee County15,401Carroll County: 11,545 jobsCarroll County11,545Jasper County: 11,484 jobsJasper County11,484Plymouth County: 11,410 jobsPlymouth County11,410Warren County: 11,334 jobsWarren County11,334Buena Vista County: 11,023 jobsBuena Vista County11,023Winneshiek County: 10,321 jobsWinneshiek County10,321Poweshiek County: 10,211 jobsPoweshiek County10,211Iowa County: 10,170 jobsIowa County10,170Bremer County: 9,883 jobsBremer County9,883Dickinson County: 9,832 jobsDickinson County9,832Henry County: 9,528 jobsHenry County9,528Boone County: 9,192 jobsBoone County9,192Clay County: 8,550 jobsClay County8,550Washington County: 8,263 jobsWashington County8,263Mahaska County: 7,895 jobsMahaska County7,895Jefferson County: 7,555 jobsJefferson County7,555Hardin County: 7,149 jobsHardin County7,149Fayette County: 7,113 jobsFayette County7,113Kossuth County: 6,993 jobsKossuth County6,993Crawford County: 6,886 jobsCrawford County6,886Polk County: 298,553 jobsPolk County298,553Linn County: 129,627 jobsLinn County129,627Scott County: 90,939 jobsScott County90,939Johnson County: 84,148 jobsJohnson County84,148Black Hawk County: 73,653 jobsBlack Hawk County73,653Dubuque County: 58,097 jobsDubuque County58,097Woodbury County: 51,299 jobsWoodbury County51,299Story County: 46,304 jobsStory County46,304Dallas County: 43,836 jobsDallas County43,836Pottawattamie County: 38,736 jobsPottawattamie County38,736Cerro Gordo County: 24,706 jobsCerro Gordo County24,706Muscatine County: 23,437 jobsMuscatine County23,437Des Moines County: 22,182 jobsDes Moines County22,182Clinton County: 21,103 jobsClinton County21,103Sioux County: 20,448 jobsSioux County20,448Webster County: 18,311 jobsWebster County18,311Marshall County: 17,130 jobsMarshall County17,130Marion County: 17,080 jobsMarion County17,080Wapello County: 16,128 jobsWapello County16,128Lee County: 15,401 jobsLee County15,401Carroll County: 11,545 jobsCarroll County11,545Jasper County: 11,484 jobsJasper County11,484Plymouth County: 11,410 jobsPlymouth County11,410Warren County: 11,334 jobsWarren County11,334Buena Vista County: 11,023 jobsBuena Vista County11,023Winneshiek County: 10,321 jobsWinneshiek County10,321Poweshiek County: 10,211 jobsPoweshiek County10,211Iowa County: 10,170 jobsIowa County10,170Bremer County: 9,883 jobsBremer County9,883Dickinson County: 9,832 jobsDickinson County9,832Henry County: 9,528 jobsHenry County9,528Boone County: 9,192 jobsBoone County9,192Clay County: 8,550 jobsClay County8,550Washington County: 8,263 jobsWashington County8,263Mahaska County: 7,895 jobsMahaska County7,895Jefferson County: 7,555 jobsJefferson County7,555Hardin County: 7,149 jobsHardin County7,149Fayette County: 7,113 jobsFayette County7,113Kossuth County: 6,993 jobsKossuth County6,993Crawford County: 6,886 jobsCrawford County6,886
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

RankCounties2017
jobs		Change on 2016
1Polk County298,553+1.2%
2Linn County129,627-0%
3Scott County90,939+0.3%
4Johnson County84,148+1.3%
5Black Hawk County73,653-0.1%
6Dubuque County58,097+0.4%
7Woodbury County51,299-3.9%
8Story County46,304+1.5%
9Dallas County43,836+3.8%
10Pottawattamie County38,736+0.9%
11Cerro Gordo County24,706+1.3%
12Muscatine County23,437-2.1%
13Des Moines County22,182-1%
14Clinton County21,103-1.9%
15Sioux County20,4480%
16Webster County18,311-5.2%
17Marshall County17,130-4.2%
18Marion County17,080+0.1%
19Wapello County16,128-0%
20Lee County15,401-7.2%
21Carroll County11,545-1.2%
22Jasper County11,484+0.9%
23Plymouth County11,410+2%
24Warren County11,334+3%
25Buena Vista County11,023+1.6%
26Winneshiek County10,321+1%
27Poweshiek County10,211+3%
28Iowa County10,170+0.6%
29Bremer County9,883-0.9%
30Dickinson County9,832-0.9%
31Henry County9,528+1.9%
32Boone County9,192-4.1%
33Clay County8,550-0.7%
34Washington County8,263+0.1%
35Mahaska County7,895-2%
36Jefferson County7,555-0.1%
37Hardin County7,149+1%
38Fayette County7,113-0.9%
39Kossuth County6,993+0.2%
40Crawford County6,886+0.1%
41Clayton County6,7470%
42Hancock County6,664-4.1%
43Delaware County6,642-0.2%
44Buchanan County6,518+0.8%
45O'Brien County6,410-3.9%
46Jones County6,356+1.5%
47Jackson County6,261-0.7%
48Union County6,232+0.4%
49Floyd County6,108+3.4%
50Page County6,076-0.8%
51Cass County6,036-1.8%
52Hamilton County5,925+0.1%
53Benton County5,908+1.1%
54Shelby County5,808-0.7%
55Tama County5,672+0.8%
56Wright County5,554-1%
57Cedar County5,417-0.4%
58Allamakee County5,142+0.3%
59Chickasaw County4,791+1.1%
60Cherokee County4,728-2.4%
61Lyon County4,619+1%
62Appanoose County4,595-0.1%
63Clarke County4,474-0.1%
64Winnebago County4,351-0.2%
65Harrison County4,158-2.9%
66Montgomery County4,088-2.6%
67Howard County4,061-1.1%
68Grundy County4,009+0.7%
69Humboldt County3,999-1.8%
70Madison County3,933+2.1%
71Emmet County3,906-1.4%
72Franklin County3,889-1.6%
72Mitchell County3,889+0.2%
74Palo Alto County3,866-0.2%
75Louisa County3,828+2.2%
76Ida County3,701+1.9%
77Mills County3,635-8.9%
78Monroe County3,409+0.4%
79Butler County3,403-0.9%
80Lucas County3,377+0.5%
81Greene County3,361-4.1%
82Guthrie County3,039-1.9%
83Sac County3,018-2.5%
84Pocahontas County2,913-1.4%
85Calhoun County2,846-3.4%
86Adair County2,770-2.1%
87Monona County2,649-4.1%
88Osceola County2,458+1.5%
89Fremont County2,405-4.5%
90Decatur County2,358+0.9%
91Worth County2,346-0.6%
92Keokuk County2,199-1.7%
93Davis County2,102+1.6%
94Taylor County2,060+4.1%
95Van Buren County2,027-3.4%
96Wayne County1,838-0.9%
97Audubon County1,771-1%
98Ringgold County1,417+0.1%
99Adams County1,227-3.5%

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/2017/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), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/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), 2017. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2017. 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), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2017.

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), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_iowa_by_2017,
  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), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2017. 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/2017/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), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2017/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2017.
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/2017/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 298,553 jobs in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Adams County, with 1,227 jobs in 2017.

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