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 2021, at 296,465 jobs. Adams County had the lowest, at 1,186 jobs. The median was 5,777 jobs and the figure for Iowa was 1,505,989 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest296,465Polk County
Lowest1,186Adams County
Median5,77799 counties
Iowa1,505,989History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 2,991 jobsAdams County: 1,186 jobsAllamakee County: 4,833 jobsAppanoose County: 4,485 jobsAudubon County: 1,778 jobsBenton County: 5,907 jobsBlack Hawk County: 71,094 jobsBoone County: 8,722 jobsBremer County: 9,518 jobsBuchanan County: 6,682 jobsBuena Vista County: 10,806 jobsButler County: 3,599 jobsCalhoun County: 2,695 jobsCarroll County: 10,966 jobsCass County: 5,679 jobsCedar County: 5,025 jobsCerro Gordo County: 23,407 jobsCherokee County: 4,819 jobsChickasaw County: 4,843 jobsClarke County: 4,529 jobsClay County: 8,464 jobsClayton County: 6,280 jobsClinton County: 19,213 jobsCrawford County: 6,413 jobsDallas County: 47,146 jobsDavis County: 2,054 jobsDecatur County: 2,400 jobsDelaware County: 6,601 jobsDes Moines County: 20,020 jobsDickinson County: 9,828 jobsDubuque County: 56,632 jobsEmmet County: 3,395 jobsFayette County: 6,764 jobsFloyd County: 5,549 jobsFranklin County: 3,828 jobsFremont County: 2,317 jobsGreene County: 3,267 jobsGrundy County: 4,063 jobsGuthrie County: 3,015 jobsHamilton County: 5,580 jobsHancock County: 6,051 jobsHardin County: 6,567 jobsHarrison County: 3,978 jobsHenry County: 8,942 jobsHoward County: 4,146 jobsHumboldt County: 3,701 jobsIda County: 3,654 jobsIowa County: 9,421 jobsJackson County: 5,871 jobsJasper County: 10,837 jobsJefferson County: 7,371 jobsJohnson County: 80,064 jobsJones County: 5,984 jobsKeokuk County: 2,211 jobsKossuth County: 6,396 jobsLee County: 14,249 jobsLinn County: 124,853 jobsLouisa County: 3,754 jobsLucas County: 3,604 jobsLyon County: 4,523 jobsMadison County: 3,939 jobsMahaska County: 7,844 jobsMarion County: 18,252 jobsMarshall County: 15,770 jobsMills County: 3,546 jobsMitchell County: 3,923 jobsMonona County: 2,567 jobsMonroe County: 3,459 jobsMontgomery County: 3,957 jobsMuscatine County: 21,782 jobsO'Brien County: 6,381 jobsOsceola County: 2,455 jobsPage County: 6,091 jobsPalo Alto County: 3,534 jobsPlymouth County: 11,504 jobsPocahontas County: 2,956 jobsPolk County: 296,465 jobsPottawattamie County: 38,371 jobsPoweshiek County: 9,465 jobsRinggold County: 1,356 jobsSac County: 2,962 jobsScott County: 86,292 jobsShelby County: 5,395 jobsSioux County: 21,329 jobsStory County: 45,298 jobsTama County: 5,276 jobsTaylor County: 1,933 jobsUnion County: 5,777 jobsVan Buren County: 1,875 jobsWapello County: 15,073 jobsWarren County: 12,173 jobsWashington County: 8,071 jobsWayne County: 1,900 jobsWebster County: 17,155 jobsWinnebago County: 4,070 jobsWinneshiek County: 10,001 jobsWoodbury County: 50,117 jobsWorth County: 2,170 jobsWright County: 5,693 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, 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

Polk County: 296,465 jobsPolk County296,465Linn County: 124,853 jobsLinn County124,853Scott County: 86,292 jobsScott County86,292Johnson County: 80,064 jobsJohnson County80,064Black Hawk County: 71,094 jobsBlack Hawk County71,094Dubuque County: 56,632 jobsDubuque County56,632Woodbury County: 50,117 jobsWoodbury County50,117Dallas County: 47,146 jobsDallas County47,146Story County: 45,298 jobsStory County45,298Pottawattamie County: 38,371 jobsPottawattamie County38,371Cerro Gordo County: 23,407 jobsCerro Gordo County23,407Muscatine County: 21,782 jobsMuscatine County21,782Sioux County: 21,329 jobsSioux County21,329Des Moines County: 20,020 jobsDes Moines County20,020Clinton County: 19,213 jobsClinton County19,213Marion County: 18,252 jobsMarion County18,252Webster County: 17,155 jobsWebster County17,155Marshall County: 15,770 jobsMarshall County15,770Wapello County: 15,073 jobsWapello County15,073Lee County: 14,249 jobsLee County14,249Warren County: 12,173 jobsWarren County12,173Plymouth County: 11,504 jobsPlymouth County11,504Carroll County: 10,966 jobsCarroll County10,966Jasper County: 10,837 jobsJasper County10,837Buena Vista County: 10,806 jobsBuena Vista County10,806Winneshiek County: 10,001 jobsWinneshiek County10,001Dickinson County: 9,828 jobsDickinson County9,828Bremer County: 9,518 jobsBremer County9,518Poweshiek County: 9,465 jobsPoweshiek County9,465Iowa County: 9,421 jobsIowa County9,421Henry County: 8,942 jobsHenry County8,942Boone County: 8,722 jobsBoone County8,722Clay County: 8,464 jobsClay County8,464Washington County: 8,071 jobsWashington County8,071Mahaska County: 7,844 jobsMahaska County7,844Jefferson County: 7,371 jobsJefferson County7,371Fayette County: 6,764 jobsFayette County6,764Buchanan County: 6,682 jobsBuchanan County6,682Delaware County: 6,601 jobsDelaware County6,601Hardin County: 6,567 jobsHardin County6,567Polk County: 296,465 jobsPolk County296,465Linn County: 124,853 jobsLinn County124,853Scott County: 86,292 jobsScott County86,292Johnson County: 80,064 jobsJohnson County80,064Black Hawk County: 71,094 jobsBlack Hawk County71,094Dubuque County: 56,632 jobsDubuque County56,632Woodbury County: 50,117 jobsWoodbury County50,117Dallas County: 47,146 jobsDallas County47,146Story County: 45,298 jobsStory County45,298Pottawattamie County: 38,371 jobsPottawattamie County38,371Cerro Gordo County: 23,407 jobsCerro Gordo County23,407Muscatine County: 21,782 jobsMuscatine County21,782Sioux County: 21,329 jobsSioux County21,329Des Moines County: 20,020 jobsDes Moines County20,020Clinton County: 19,213 jobsClinton County19,213Marion County: 18,252 jobsMarion County18,252Webster County: 17,155 jobsWebster County17,155Marshall County: 15,770 jobsMarshall County15,770Wapello County: 15,073 jobsWapello County15,073Lee County: 14,249 jobsLee County14,249Warren County: 12,173 jobsWarren County12,173Plymouth County: 11,504 jobsPlymouth County11,504Carroll County: 10,966 jobsCarroll County10,966Jasper County: 10,837 jobsJasper County10,837Buena Vista County: 10,806 jobsBuena Vista County10,806Winneshiek County: 10,001 jobsWinneshiek County10,001Dickinson County: 9,828 jobsDickinson County9,828Bremer County: 9,518 jobsBremer County9,518Poweshiek County: 9,465 jobsPoweshiek County9,465Iowa County: 9,421 jobsIowa County9,421Henry County: 8,942 jobsHenry County8,942Boone County: 8,722 jobsBoone County8,722Clay County: 8,464 jobsClay County8,464Washington County: 8,071 jobsWashington County8,071Mahaska County: 7,844 jobsMahaska County7,844Jefferson County: 7,371 jobsJefferson County7,371Fayette County: 6,764 jobsFayette County6,764Buchanan County: 6,682 jobsBuchanan County6,682Delaware County: 6,601 jobsDelaware County6,601Hardin County: 6,567 jobsHardin County6,567
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
1Polk County296,465+2.8%
2Linn County124,853+1.4%
3Scott County86,292+2.4%
4Johnson County80,064+1.8%
5Black Hawk County71,094+1.9%
6Dubuque County56,632+1.5%
7Woodbury County50,117+2.1%
8Dallas County47,146+5.1%
9Story County45,298+3.6%
10Pottawattamie County38,371+1.9%
11Cerro Gordo County23,407-1.2%
12Muscatine County21,782-0.3%
13Sioux County21,329+2.5%
14Des Moines County20,020+0.6%
15Clinton County19,213+1.2%
16Marion County18,252+5.2%
17Webster County17,155+0.4%
18Marshall County15,770-0.2%
19Wapello County15,073-1.6%
20Lee County14,249-1.5%
21Warren County12,173+5.7%
22Plymouth County11,504+1.1%
23Carroll County10,966+1.4%
24Jasper County10,837-0.2%
25Buena Vista County10,806-0.5%
26Winneshiek County10,001+2%
27Dickinson County9,828+6.3%
28Bremer County9,518+0.9%
29Poweshiek County9,465+2.3%
30Iowa County9,421-0.8%
31Henry County8,942+1.7%
32Boone County8,722+1%
33Clay County8,464+2.5%
34Washington County8,071+1.3%
35Mahaska County7,844+1.4%
36Jefferson County7,371+2.2%
37Fayette County6,764-0.4%
38Buchanan County6,682+2.5%
39Delaware County6,601+1.3%
40Hardin County6,567+0.8%
41Crawford County6,413-1.8%
42Kossuth County6,396+0.6%
43O'Brien County6,381-0.4%
44Clayton County6,280-0.5%
45Page County6,091+3.5%
46Hancock County6,051+1%
47Jones County5,984+4.3%
48Benton County5,907+2%
49Jackson County5,871+1.6%
50Union County5,777+0.1%
51Wright County5,693-5.8%
52Cass County5,679+0.6%
53Hamilton County5,580-0.9%
54Floyd County5,549+2.9%
55Shelby County5,395+1.3%
56Tama County5,276-0.6%
57Cedar County5,025+0.2%
58Chickasaw County4,843+3.4%
59Allamakee County4,833+0.5%
60Cherokee County4,819-0.9%
61Clarke County4,529+5.6%
62Lyon County4,523+0.8%
63Appanoose County4,485+3.1%
64Howard County4,146+1.2%
65Winnebago County4,070-0%
66Grundy County4,063+0.6%
67Harrison County3,978+1.5%
68Montgomery County3,957+0.7%
69Madison County3,939+4.3%
70Mitchell County3,923-4.4%
71Franklin County3,828+1.5%
72Louisa County3,754-0.2%
73Humboldt County3,701+1.3%
74Ida County3,654+0.6%
75Lucas County3,604-0.2%
76Butler County3,599+6.7%
77Mills County3,546+2.3%
78Palo Alto County3,534+0.3%
79Monroe County3,459+1.1%
80Emmet County3,395-3%
81Greene County3,267+1.2%
82Guthrie County3,015-0.9%
83Adair County2,991+3.5%
84Sac County2,962+2.6%
85Pocahontas County2,956+0.4%
86Calhoun County2,695+0.3%
87Monona County2,567+1.9%
88Osceola County2,455+2.6%
89Decatur County2,400+2%
90Fremont County2,317+0.3%
91Keokuk County2,211+1.8%
92Worth County2,170-1.2%
93Davis County2,054+2.8%
94Taylor County1,933+1.5%
95Wayne County1,900+3.8%
96Van Buren County1,875-1.2%
97Audubon County1,778+0.5%
98Ringgold County1,356+1.8%
99Adams County1,186+0.7%

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 Iowa 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 Iowa 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/iowa-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 Iowa 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/iowa-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 Iowa 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/iowa-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_iowa_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 Iowa 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/iowa-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 Iowa 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/iowa-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/iowa-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  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Polk County, with 296,465 jobs in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Adams County, with 1,186 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 Iowa: more rankings