Counties in Michigan by covered employment (QCEW)

Oakland County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 83 counties in 2022, at 717,269 jobs. Keweenaw County had the lowest, at 455 jobs. The median was 12,286 jobs and the figure for Michigan was 4,300,943 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest717,269Oakland County
Median12,28683 counties
Michigan4,300,943History

Map of counties, 2022

Alcona County: 1,864 jobsAlger County: 2,590 jobsAllegan County: 39,440 jobsAlpena County: 11,462 jobsAntrim County: 5,148 jobsArenac County: 3,804 jobsBaraga County: 2,820 jobsBarry County: 12,680 jobsBay County: 33,816 jobsBenzie County: 4,710 jobsBerrien County: 59,375 jobsBranch County: 14,554 jobsCalhoun County: 52,729 jobsCass County: 9,096 jobsCharlevoix County: 10,579 jobsCheboygan County: 6,270 jobsChippewa County: 12,496 jobsClare County: 6,609 jobsClinton County: 17,704 jobsCrawford County: 4,059 jobsDelta County: 13,401 jobsDickinson County: 13,644 jobsEaton County: 42,727 jobsEmmet County: 17,988 jobsGenesee County: 130,274 jobsGladwin County: 4,111 jobsGogebic County: 4,936 jobsGrand Traverse County: 50,391 jobsGratiot County: 12,684 jobsHillsdale County: 12,286 jobsHoughton County: 11,698 jobsHuron County: 10,932 jobsIngham County: 149,185 jobsIonia County: 18,132 jobsIosco County: 7,726 jobsIron County: 3,354 jobsIsabella County: 26,894 jobsJackson County: 56,669 jobsKalamazoo County: 119,499 jobsKalkaska County: 4,332 jobsKent County: 403,212 jobsKeweenaw County: 455 jobsLake County: 1,793 jobsLapeer County: 21,334 jobsLeelanau County: 6,481 jobsLenawee County: 25,538 jobsLivingston County: 62,252 jobsLuce County: 1,694 jobsMackinac County: 4,673 jobsMacomb County: 332,069 jobsManistee County: 6,790 jobsMarquette County: 25,845 jobsMason County: 10,223 jobsMecosta County: 12,924 jobsMenominee County: 7,160 jobsMidland County: 36,000 jobsMissaukee County: 3,863 jobsMonroe County: 38,767 jobsMontcalm County: 15,997 jobsMontmorency County: 2,022 jobsMuskegon County: 61,898 jobsNewaygo County: 12,005 jobsOakland County: 717,269 jobsOceana County: 6,261 jobsOgemaw County: 6,198 jobsOntonagon County: 1,289 jobsOsceola County: 7,347 jobsOscoda County: 1,453 jobsOtsego County: 10,442 jobsOttawa County: 130,004 jobsPresque Isle County: 2,669 jobsRoscommon County: 5,531 jobsSaginaw County: 79,355 jobsSt. Clair County: 42,306 jobsSt. Joseph County: 21,177 jobsSanilac County: 10,129 jobsSchoolcraft County: 2,458 jobsShiawassee County: 15,084 jobsTuscola County: 11,327 jobsVan Buren County: 21,330 jobsWashtenaw County: 212,593 jobsWayne County: 714,597 jobsWexford County: 13,762 jobs
  • Under 4,000
  • 4,000 to 7,000
  • 7,000 to 12K
  • 12K to 20K
  • 20K to 54K
  • 54K and over
jobs, 2022. 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, 2022

Oakland County: 717,269 jobsOakland County717,269Wayne County: 714,597 jobsWayne County714,597Kent County: 403,212 jobsKent County403,212Macomb County: 332,069 jobsMacomb County332,069Washtenaw County: 212,593 jobsWashtenaw County212,593Ingham County: 149,185 jobsIngham County149,185Genesee County: 130,274 jobsGenesee County130,274Ottawa County: 130,004 jobsOttawa County130,004Kalamazoo County: 119,499 jobsKalamazoo County119,499Saginaw County: 79,355 jobsSaginaw County79,355Livingston County: 62,252 jobsLivingston County62,252Muskegon County: 61,898 jobsMuskegon County61,898Berrien County: 59,375 jobsBerrien County59,375Jackson County: 56,669 jobsJackson County56,669Calhoun County: 52,729 jobsCalhoun County52,729Grand Traverse County: 50,391 jobsGrand Traverse County50,391Eaton County: 42,727 jobsEaton County42,727St. Clair County: 42,306 jobsSt. Clair County42,306Allegan County: 39,440 jobsAllegan County39,440Monroe County: 38,767 jobsMonroe County38,767Midland County: 36,000 jobsMidland County36,000Bay County: 33,816 jobsBay County33,816Isabella County: 26,894 jobsIsabella County26,894Marquette County: 25,845 jobsMarquette County25,845Lenawee County: 25,538 jobsLenawee County25,538Lapeer County: 21,334 jobsLapeer County21,334Van Buren County: 21,330 jobsVan Buren County21,330St. Joseph County: 21,177 jobsSt. Joseph County21,177Ionia County: 18,132 jobsIonia County18,132Emmet County: 17,988 jobsEmmet County17,988Clinton County: 17,704 jobsClinton County17,704Montcalm County: 15,997 jobsMontcalm County15,997Shiawassee County: 15,084 jobsShiawassee County15,084Branch County: 14,554 jobsBranch County14,554Wexford County: 13,762 jobsWexford County13,762Dickinson County: 13,644 jobsDickinson County13,644Delta County: 13,401 jobsDelta County13,401Mecosta County: 12,924 jobsMecosta County12,924Gratiot County: 12,684 jobsGratiot County12,684Barry County: 12,680 jobsBarry County12,680Oakland County: 717,269 jobsOakland County717,269Wayne County: 714,597 jobsWayne County714,597Kent County: 403,212 jobsKent County403,212Macomb County: 332,069 jobsMacomb County332,069Washtenaw County: 212,593 jobsWashtenaw County212,593Ingham County: 149,185 jobsIngham County149,185Genesee County: 130,274 jobsGenesee County130,274Ottawa County: 130,004 jobsOttawa County130,004Kalamazoo County: 119,499 jobsKalamazoo County119,499Saginaw County: 79,355 jobsSaginaw County79,355Livingston County: 62,252 jobsLivingston County62,252Muskegon County: 61,898 jobsMuskegon County61,898Berrien County: 59,375 jobsBerrien County59,375Jackson County: 56,669 jobsJackson County56,669Calhoun County: 52,729 jobsCalhoun County52,729Grand Traverse County: 50,391 jobsGrand Traverse County50,391Eaton County: 42,727 jobsEaton County42,727St. Clair County: 42,306 jobsSt. Clair County42,306Allegan County: 39,440 jobsAllegan County39,440Monroe County: 38,767 jobsMonroe County38,767Midland County: 36,000 jobsMidland County36,000Bay County: 33,816 jobsBay County33,816Isabella County: 26,894 jobsIsabella County26,894Marquette County: 25,845 jobsMarquette County25,845Lenawee County: 25,538 jobsLenawee County25,538Lapeer County: 21,334 jobsLapeer County21,334Van Buren County: 21,330 jobsVan Buren County21,330St. Joseph County: 21,177 jobsSt. Joseph County21,177Ionia County: 18,132 jobsIonia County18,132Emmet County: 17,988 jobsEmmet County17,988Clinton County: 17,704 jobsClinton County17,704Montcalm County: 15,997 jobsMontcalm County15,997Shiawassee County: 15,084 jobsShiawassee County15,084Branch County: 14,554 jobsBranch County14,554Wexford County: 13,762 jobsWexford County13,762Dickinson County: 13,644 jobsDickinson County13,644Delta County: 13,401 jobsDelta County13,401Mecosta County: 12,924 jobsMecosta County12,924Gratiot County: 12,684 jobsGratiot County12,684Barry County: 12,680 jobsBarry County12,680
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

RankCounties2022
jobs
Change on 2021
1Oakland County717,269+3%
2Wayne County714,597+3.6%
3Kent County403,212+4.8%
4Macomb County332,069+4%
5Washtenaw County212,593+2.9%
6Ingham County149,185+4.3%
7Genesee County130,274+3.5%
8Ottawa County130,004+3.9%
9Kalamazoo County119,499+3.1%
10Saginaw County79,355+2.7%
11Livingston County62,252+3.6%
12Muskegon County61,898+4.5%
13Berrien County59,375+3.8%
14Jackson County56,669+3%
15Calhoun County52,729+3.1%
16Grand Traverse County50,391+4.6%
17Eaton County42,727+3.9%
18St. Clair County42,306+0.7%
19Allegan County39,440+2.3%
20Monroe County38,767+5.3%
21Midland County36,000+2.3%
22Bay County33,816+2.3%
23Isabella County26,894+1.6%
24Marquette County25,845+2.4%
25Lenawee County25,538+2%
26Lapeer County21,334+3.4%
27Van Buren County21,330+3.9%
28St. Joseph County21,177+4.9%
29Ionia County18,132-1.4%
30Emmet County17,988+1.9%
31Clinton County17,704+5.8%
32Montcalm County15,997+4.1%
33Shiawassee County15,084+1.3%
34Branch County14,554+4.2%
35Wexford County13,762+1.7%
36Dickinson County13,644-0.3%
37Delta County13,401+1.2%
38Mecosta County12,924+1.9%
39Gratiot County12,684+3.5%
40Barry County12,680+2.8%
41Chippewa County12,496+3.3%
42Hillsdale County12,286+2.9%
43Newaygo County12,005+2.2%
44Houghton County11,698+3.3%
45Alpena County11,462+1.7%
46Tuscola County11,327+2.6%
47Huron County10,932+3.1%
48Charlevoix County10,579+5.5%
49Otsego County10,442+2.5%
50Mason County10,223+3.8%
51Sanilac County10,129+1.7%
52Cass County9,096+1.7%
53Iosco County7,726+4.4%
54Osceola County7,347+1.2%
55Menominee County7,160+3.5%
56Manistee County6,790+3.1%
57Clare County6,609+4.5%
58Leelanau County6,481+6%
59Cheboygan County6,270+4.8%
60Oceana County6,261+0.9%
61Ogemaw County6,198+6%
62Roscommon County5,531+6.4%
63Antrim County5,148+2.9%
64Gogebic County4,936+3.1%
65Benzie County4,710+8.4%
66Mackinac County4,673+7.6%
67Kalkaska County4,332+4.5%
68Gladwin County4,111+5.2%
69Crawford County4,059+1.5%
70Missaukee County3,863+9.2%
71Arenac County3,804+2.2%
72Iron County3,354+0.4%
73Baraga County2,820+1.9%
74Presque Isle County2,669+5.4%
75Alger County2,590+5.2%
76Schoolcraft County2,458+1.4%
77Montmorency County2,022+1.9%
78Alcona County1,864+5.2%
79Lake County1,793-0.4%
80Luce County1,694+2.2%
81Oscoda County1,453+6.8%
82Ontonagon County1,289+0.2%
83Keweenaw County455+12.9%

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/2022/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 Michigan by covered employment (QCEW), 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/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 Michigan by covered employment (QCEW), 2022. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/michigan-counties?period=2022. 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 Michigan by covered employment (QCEW), 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/michigan-counties?period=2022.

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 Michigan by covered employment (QCEW), 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/michigan-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_michigan_by_2022,
  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 Michigan by covered employment (QCEW), 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/michigan-counties?period=2022. 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/2022/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 Michigan by covered employment (QCEW), 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/michigan-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/michigan-counties?period=2022.
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/2022/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 Michigan by covered employment (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"covered_employment","level":"province","within":"Michigan","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=covered_employment&level=province&within=Michigan&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)?

Oakland County, with 717,269 jobs in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Keweenaw County, with 455 jobs in 2022.

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 Michigan: more rankings