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 2019, at 303,035 jobs. Adams County had the lowest, at 1,307 jobs. The median was 6,070 jobs and the figure for Iowa was 1,553,350 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest303,035Polk County
Lowest1,307Adams County
Median6,07099 counties
Iowa1,553,350History

Map of counties, 2019

Adair County: 2,882 jobsAdams County: 1,307 jobsAllamakee County: 5,054 jobsAppanoose County: 4,457 jobsAudubon County: 1,813 jobsBenton County: 6,067 jobsBlack Hawk County: 73,630 jobsBoone County: 9,037 jobsBremer County: 9,985 jobsBuchanan County: 6,692 jobsBuena Vista County: 11,037 jobsButler County: 3,431 jobsCalhoun County: 2,827 jobsCarroll County: 11,469 jobsCass County: 5,820 jobsCedar County: 5,376 jobsCerro Gordo County: 24,752 jobsCherokee County: 4,803 jobsChickasaw County: 4,889 jobsClarke County: 4,488 jobsClay County: 8,480 jobsClayton County: 6,746 jobsClinton County: 20,271 jobsCrawford County: 6,786 jobsDallas County: 46,511 jobsDavis County: 2,043 jobsDecatur County: 2,435 jobsDelaware County: 6,630 jobsDes Moines County: 21,433 jobsDickinson County: 9,740 jobsDubuque County: 58,912 jobsEmmet County: 3,762 jobsFayette County: 7,101 jobsFloyd County: 6,073 jobsFranklin County: 3,865 jobsFremont County: 2,161 jobsGreene County: 3,344 jobsGrundy County: 4,076 jobsGuthrie County: 3,106 jobsHamilton County: 5,732 jobsHancock County: 6,243 jobsHardin County: 6,865 jobsHarrison County: 4,055 jobsHenry County: 9,382 jobsHoward County: 4,180 jobsHumboldt County: 3,836 jobsIda County: 3,815 jobsIowa County: 10,244 jobsJackson County: 6,222 jobsJasper County: 11,506 jobsJefferson County: 7,745 jobsJohnson County: 83,508 jobsJones County: 6,203 jobsKeokuk County: 2,210 jobsKossuth County: 6,707 jobsLee County: 15,308 jobsLinn County: 131,354 jobsLouisa County: 3,838 jobsLucas County: 3,637 jobsLyon County: 4,636 jobsMadison County: 3,842 jobsMahaska County: 7,936 jobsMarion County: 17,997 jobsMarshall County: 16,580 jobsMills County: 3,593 jobsMitchell County: 4,714 jobsMonona County: 2,591 jobsMonroe County: 3,561 jobsMontgomery County: 4,124 jobsMuscatine County: 23,062 jobsO'Brien County: 6,591 jobsOsceola County: 2,408 jobsPage County: 6,209 jobsPalo Alto County: 3,798 jobsPlymouth County: 11,625 jobsPocahontas County: 3,241 jobsPolk County: 303,035 jobsPottawattamie County: 40,229 jobsPoweshiek County: 9,807 jobsRinggold County: 1,380 jobsSac County: 2,989 jobsScott County: 91,102 jobsShelby County: 5,763 jobsSioux County: 21,254 jobsStory County: 46,194 jobsTama County: 5,572 jobsTaylor County: 2,033 jobsUnion County: 6,020 jobsVan Buren County: 1,888 jobsWapello County: 16,108 jobsWarren County: 11,764 jobsWashington County: 8,273 jobsWayne County: 1,885 jobsWebster County: 18,218 jobsWinnebago County: 4,275 jobsWinneshiek County: 10,389 jobsWoodbury County: 51,823 jobsWorth County: 2,361 jobsWright County: 6,070 jobs
  • Under 3,000
  • 3,000 to 4,000
  • 4,000 to 6,000
  • 6,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 to 18K
  • 18K and over
jobs, 2019. 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, 2019

Polk County: 303,035 jobsPolk County303,035Linn County: 131,354 jobsLinn County131,354Scott County: 91,102 jobsScott County91,102Johnson County: 83,508 jobsJohnson County83,508Black Hawk County: 73,630 jobsBlack Hawk County73,630Dubuque County: 58,912 jobsDubuque County58,912Woodbury County: 51,823 jobsWoodbury County51,823Dallas County: 46,511 jobsDallas County46,511Story County: 46,194 jobsStory County46,194Pottawattamie County: 40,229 jobsPottawattamie County40,229Cerro Gordo County: 24,752 jobsCerro Gordo County24,752Muscatine County: 23,062 jobsMuscatine County23,062Des Moines County: 21,433 jobsDes Moines County21,433Sioux County: 21,254 jobsSioux County21,254Clinton County: 20,271 jobsClinton County20,271Webster County: 18,218 jobsWebster County18,218Marion County: 17,997 jobsMarion County17,997Marshall County: 16,580 jobsMarshall County16,580Wapello County: 16,108 jobsWapello County16,108Lee County: 15,308 jobsLee County15,308Warren County: 11,764 jobsWarren County11,764Plymouth County: 11,625 jobsPlymouth County11,625Jasper County: 11,506 jobsJasper County11,506Carroll County: 11,469 jobsCarroll County11,469Buena Vista County: 11,037 jobsBuena Vista County11,037Winneshiek County: 10,389 jobsWinneshiek County10,389Iowa County: 10,244 jobsIowa County10,244Bremer County: 9,985 jobsBremer County9,985Poweshiek County: 9,807 jobsPoweshiek County9,807Dickinson County: 9,740 jobsDickinson County9,740Henry County: 9,382 jobsHenry County9,382Boone County: 9,037 jobsBoone County9,037Clay County: 8,480 jobsClay County8,480Washington County: 8,273 jobsWashington County8,273Mahaska County: 7,936 jobsMahaska County7,936Jefferson County: 7,745 jobsJefferson County7,745Fayette County: 7,101 jobsFayette County7,101Hardin County: 6,865 jobsHardin County6,865Crawford County: 6,786 jobsCrawford County6,786Clayton County: 6,746 jobsClayton County6,746Polk County: 303,035 jobsPolk County303,035Linn County: 131,354 jobsLinn County131,354Scott County: 91,102 jobsScott County91,102Johnson County: 83,508 jobsJohnson County83,508Black Hawk County: 73,630 jobsBlack Hawk County73,630Dubuque County: 58,912 jobsDubuque County58,912Woodbury County: 51,823 jobsWoodbury County51,823Dallas County: 46,511 jobsDallas County46,511Story County: 46,194 jobsStory County46,194Pottawattamie County: 40,229 jobsPottawattamie County40,229Cerro Gordo County: 24,752 jobsCerro Gordo County24,752Muscatine County: 23,062 jobsMuscatine County23,062Des Moines County: 21,433 jobsDes Moines County21,433Sioux County: 21,254 jobsSioux County21,254Clinton County: 20,271 jobsClinton County20,271Webster County: 18,218 jobsWebster County18,218Marion County: 17,997 jobsMarion County17,997Marshall County: 16,580 jobsMarshall County16,580Wapello County: 16,108 jobsWapello County16,108Lee County: 15,308 jobsLee County15,308Warren County: 11,764 jobsWarren County11,764Plymouth County: 11,625 jobsPlymouth County11,625Jasper County: 11,506 jobsJasper County11,506Carroll County: 11,469 jobsCarroll County11,469Buena Vista County: 11,037 jobsBuena Vista County11,037Winneshiek County: 10,389 jobsWinneshiek County10,389Iowa County: 10,244 jobsIowa County10,244Bremer County: 9,985 jobsBremer County9,985Poweshiek County: 9,807 jobsPoweshiek County9,807Dickinson County: 9,740 jobsDickinson County9,740Henry County: 9,382 jobsHenry County9,382Boone County: 9,037 jobsBoone County9,037Clay County: 8,480 jobsClay County8,480Washington County: 8,273 jobsWashington County8,273Mahaska County: 7,936 jobsMahaska County7,936Jefferson County: 7,745 jobsJefferson County7,745Fayette County: 7,101 jobsFayette County7,101Hardin County: 6,865 jobsHardin County6,865Crawford County: 6,786 jobsCrawford County6,786Clayton County: 6,746 jobsClayton County6,746
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

RankCounties2019
jobs		Change on 2018
1Polk County303,035+0.4%
2Linn County131,354+0.5%
3Scott County91,102+0.3%
4Johnson County83,508-0.5%
5Black Hawk County73,630-1.4%
6Dubuque County58,912+0.1%
7Woodbury County51,823-0%
8Dallas County46,511+3%
9Story County46,194-0.6%
10Pottawattamie County40,229+1.3%
11Cerro Gordo County24,752-0%
12Muscatine County23,062-1%
13Des Moines County21,433-2.8%
14Sioux County21,254+2.2%
15Clinton County20,271-1.6%
16Webster County18,218+0.7%
17Marion County17,997+2%
18Marshall County16,580-1.6%
19Wapello County16,108-0.5%
20Lee County15,308-0.1%
21Warren County11,764+1.8%
22Plymouth County11,625+0.4%
23Jasper County11,506+1%
24Carroll County11,469+0.5%
25Buena Vista County11,037+0.3%
26Winneshiek County10,389+0.2%
27Iowa County10,244-0.4%
28Bremer County9,985+0.2%
29Poweshiek County9,807-5.7%
30Dickinson County9,740+1.8%
31Henry County9,382-0.5%
32Boone County9,037-0.9%
33Clay County8,480-1.8%
34Washington County8,273+0.8%
35Mahaska County7,936-0.2%
36Jefferson County7,745+0.5%
37Fayette County7,101-1.7%
38Hardin County6,865-2.3%
39Crawford County6,786-1%
40Clayton County6,746-0.9%
41Kossuth County6,707-2.5%
42Buchanan County6,692+0.6%
43Delaware County6,630+0.6%
44O'Brien County6,591+0.1%
45Hancock County6,243-2.6%
46Jackson County6,222-1.9%
47Page County6,209-1.1%
48Jones County6,203-0.8%
49Floyd County6,073-2.3%
50Wright County6,070+8.6%
51Benton County6,067+1.6%
52Union County6,020-2.1%
53Cass County5,820-4.3%
54Shelby County5,763-0.7%
55Hamilton County5,732-2.1%
56Tama County5,572-0.9%
57Cedar County5,376-0.7%
58Allamakee County5,054-1.1%
59Chickasaw County4,889+0.2%
60Cherokee County4,803+2.2%
61Mitchell County4,714+19%
62Lyon County4,636+0.5%
63Clarke County4,488+0.2%
64Appanoose County4,4570%
65Winnebago County4,275+1%
66Howard County4,180-1.7%
67Montgomery County4,124+0.9%
68Grundy County4,0760%
69Harrison County4,055-1.3%
70Franklin County3,865-2%
71Madison County3,842-0.9%
72Louisa County3,838-1.1%
73Humboldt County3,836-3.3%
74Ida County3,815+0.2%
75Palo Alto County3,798-2.1%
76Emmet County3,762-2.1%
77Lucas County3,637+3.4%
78Mills County3,593-0.4%
79Monroe County3,561+3.2%
80Butler County3,431-0.5%
81Greene County3,344-0.5%
82Pocahontas County3,241+3.8%
83Guthrie County3,106-0.1%
84Sac County2,989-1.2%
85Adair County2,882+3%
86Calhoun County2,827-2.5%
87Monona County2,591-1.7%
88Decatur County2,435+0.2%
89Osceola County2,408-0.6%
90Worth County2,361+0.8%
91Keokuk County2,210+1.4%
92Fremont County2,161-3.5%
93Davis County2,043+0.2%
94Taylor County2,033-1.2%
95Van Buren County1,888-4.6%
96Wayne County1,885+1.5%
97Audubon County1,813+2.1%
98Ringgold County1,380-4%
99Adams County1,307n/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/2019/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), 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/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), 2019. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2019. 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), 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2019.

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), 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_iowa_by_2019,
  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), 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2019. 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/2019/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), 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-counties?period=2019.
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/2019/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 303,035 jobs in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Adams County, with 1,307 jobs in 2019.

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