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

Counties in Minnesota by covered employment (QCEW), 2025

Hennepin County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 87 counties in 2025, at 919,062 jobs. Red Lake County had the lowest, at 958 jobs. The median was 7,906 jobs and the figure for Minnesota was 2,944,260 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest919,062Hennepin County
Lowest958Red Lake County
Median7,90687 counties
Minnesota2,944,260History

Map of counties, 2025

Aitkin County: 4,402 jobsAnoka County: 133,128 jobsBecker County: 15,368 jobsBeltrami County: 20,687 jobsBenton County: 17,097 jobsBig Stone County: 1,742 jobsBlue Earth County: 41,483 jobsBrown County: 13,328 jobsCarlton County: 13,111 jobsCarver County: 40,641 jobsCass County: 10,595 jobsChippewa County: 5,136 jobsChisago County: 16,270 jobsClay County: 19,568 jobsClearwater County: 2,559 jobsCook County: 2,646 jobsCottonwood County: 4,821 jobsCrow Wing County: 31,145 jobsDakota County: 189,166 jobsDodge County: 5,983 jobsDouglas County: 19,728 jobsFaribault County: 4,468 jobsFillmore County: 6,170 jobsFreeborn County: 11,723 jobsGoodhue County: 21,796 jobsGrant County: 1,904 jobsHennepin County: 919,062 jobsHouston County: 5,129 jobsHubbard County: 6,286 jobsIsanti County: 11,167 jobsItasca County: 16,444 jobsJackson County: 4,837 jobsKanabec County: 4,175 jobsKandiyohi County: 23,281 jobsKittson County: 1,494 jobsKoochiching County: 4,163 jobsLac qui Parle County: 2,145 jobsLake County: 4,000 jobsLake of the Woods County: 1,520 jobsLe Sueur County: 8,456 jobsLincoln County: 1,671 jobsLyon County: 13,452 jobsMcLeod County: 15,822 jobsMahnomen County: 2,028 jobsMarshall County: 2,430 jobsMartin County: 8,383 jobsMeeker County: 7,838 jobsMille Lacs County: 9,490 jobsMorrison County: 11,202 jobsMower County: 16,974 jobsMurray County: 2,866 jobsNicollet County: 14,599 jobsNobles County: 9,959 jobsNorman County: 1,874 jobsOlmsted County: 105,239 jobsOtter Tail County: 22,581 jobsPennington County: 9,386 jobsPine County: 7,906 jobsPipestone County: 4,239 jobsPolk County: 12,003 jobsPope County: 4,400 jobsRamsey County: 330,908 jobsRed Lake County: 958 jobsRedwood County: 5,995 jobsRenville County: 5,595 jobsRice County: 26,450 jobsRock County: 3,898 jobsRoseau County: 7,687 jobsSt. Louis County: 95,078 jobsScott County: 63,836 jobsSherburne County: 28,584 jobsSibley County: 3,771 jobsStearns County: 87,420 jobsSteele County: 19,168 jobsStevens County: 5,774 jobsSwift County: 3,627 jobsTodd County: 7,119 jobsTraverse County: 1,015 jobsWabasha County: 6,512 jobsWadena County: 5,398 jobsWaseca County: 5,429 jobsWashington County: 96,635 jobsWatonwan County: 4,490 jobsWilkin County: 1,649 jobsWinona County: 23,933 jobsWright County: 49,245 jobsYellow Medicine County: 3,610 jobs
  • Under 3,000
  • 3,000 to 5,000
  • 5,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 to 15K
  • 15K to 26K
  • 26K and over
jobs, 2025. 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, 2025

Hennepin County: 919,062 jobsHennepin County919,062Ramsey County: 330,908 jobsRamsey County330,908Dakota County: 189,166 jobsDakota County189,166Anoka County: 133,128 jobsAnoka County133,128Olmsted County: 105,239 jobsOlmsted County105,239Washington County: 96,635 jobsWashington County96,635St. Louis County: 95,078 jobsSt. Louis County95,078Stearns County: 87,420 jobsStearns County87,420Scott County: 63,836 jobsScott County63,836Wright County: 49,245 jobsWright County49,245Blue Earth County: 41,483 jobsBlue Earth County41,483Carver County: 40,641 jobsCarver County40,641Crow Wing County: 31,145 jobsCrow Wing County31,145Sherburne County: 28,584 jobsSherburne County28,584Rice County: 26,450 jobsRice County26,450Winona County: 23,933 jobsWinona County23,933Kandiyohi County: 23,281 jobsKandiyohi County23,281Otter Tail County: 22,581 jobsOtter Tail County22,581Goodhue County: 21,796 jobsGoodhue County21,796Beltrami County: 20,687 jobsBeltrami County20,687Douglas County: 19,728 jobsDouglas County19,728Clay County: 19,568 jobsClay County19,568Steele County: 19,168 jobsSteele County19,168Benton County: 17,097 jobsBenton County17,097Mower County: 16,974 jobsMower County16,974Itasca County: 16,444 jobsItasca County16,444Chisago County: 16,270 jobsChisago County16,270McLeod County: 15,822 jobsMcLeod County15,822Becker County: 15,368 jobsBecker County15,368Nicollet County: 14,599 jobsNicollet County14,599Lyon County: 13,452 jobsLyon County13,452Brown County: 13,328 jobsBrown County13,328Carlton County: 13,111 jobsCarlton County13,111Polk County: 12,003 jobsPolk County12,003Freeborn County: 11,723 jobsFreeborn County11,723Morrison County: 11,202 jobsMorrison County11,202Isanti County: 11,167 jobsIsanti County11,167Cass County: 10,595 jobsCass County10,595Nobles County: 9,959 jobsNobles County9,959Mille Lacs County: 9,490 jobsMille Lacs County9,490Hennepin County: 919,062 jobsHennepin County919,062Ramsey County: 330,908 jobsRamsey County330,908Dakota County: 189,166 jobsDakota County189,166Anoka County: 133,128 jobsAnoka County133,128Olmsted County: 105,239 jobsOlmsted County105,239Washington County: 96,635 jobsWashington County96,635St. Louis County: 95,078 jobsSt. Louis County95,078Stearns County: 87,420 jobsStearns County87,420Scott County: 63,836 jobsScott County63,836Wright County: 49,245 jobsWright County49,245Blue Earth County: 41,483 jobsBlue Earth County41,483Carver County: 40,641 jobsCarver County40,641Crow Wing County: 31,145 jobsCrow Wing County31,145Sherburne County: 28,584 jobsSherburne County28,584Rice County: 26,450 jobsRice County26,450Winona County: 23,933 jobsWinona County23,933Kandiyohi County: 23,281 jobsKandiyohi County23,281Otter Tail County: 22,581 jobsOtter Tail County22,581Goodhue County: 21,796 jobsGoodhue County21,796Beltrami County: 20,687 jobsBeltrami County20,687Douglas County: 19,728 jobsDouglas County19,728Clay County: 19,568 jobsClay County19,568Steele County: 19,168 jobsSteele County19,168Benton County: 17,097 jobsBenton County17,097Mower County: 16,974 jobsMower County16,974Itasca County: 16,444 jobsItasca County16,444Chisago County: 16,270 jobsChisago County16,270McLeod County: 15,822 jobsMcLeod County15,822Becker County: 15,368 jobsBecker County15,368Nicollet County: 14,599 jobsNicollet County14,599Lyon County: 13,452 jobsLyon County13,452Brown County: 13,328 jobsBrown County13,328Carlton County: 13,111 jobsCarlton County13,111Polk County: 12,003 jobsPolk County12,003Freeborn County: 11,723 jobsFreeborn County11,723Morrison County: 11,202 jobsMorrison County11,202Isanti County: 11,167 jobsIsanti County11,167Cass County: 10,595 jobsCass County10,595Nobles County: 9,959 jobsNobles County9,959Mille Lacs County: 9,490 jobsMille Lacs County9,490
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

RankCounties2025
jobs		Change on 2024
1Hennepin County919,062+0.2%
2Ramsey County330,908+1.7%
3Dakota County189,166-0.1%
4Anoka County133,128-0%
5Olmsted County105,239+1.3%
6Washington County96,635+1.1%
7St. Louis County95,078-0.4%
8Stearns County87,420+0.2%
9Scott County63,836+1.1%
10Wright County49,245+1%
11Blue Earth County41,483+0.6%
12Carver County40,641-0.5%
13Crow Wing County31,145+0.3%
14Sherburne County28,584+1.8%
15Rice County26,450+1%
16Winona County23,933-0.4%
17Kandiyohi County23,281+0.5%
18Otter Tail County22,581-1.4%
19Goodhue County21,796+2%
20Beltrami County20,687-0.3%
21Douglas County19,728+1%
22Clay County19,568-0.7%
23Steele County19,168+1.1%
24Benton County17,097-1.7%
25Mower County16,974+0.2%
26Itasca County16,444-1%
27Chisago County16,270+1.1%
28McLeod County15,822+0.8%
29Becker County15,368+1.6%
30Nicollet County14,599-0.1%
31Lyon County13,452-2.3%
32Brown County13,328+0.8%
33Carlton County13,111-1.2%
34Polk County12,003-0.3%
35Freeborn County11,723-2%
36Morrison County11,202+0.2%
37Isanti County11,167-4.6%
38Cass County10,595-0.6%
39Nobles County9,959+1.7%
40Mille Lacs County9,490+1.3%
41Pennington County9,386-4.2%
42Le Sueur County8,456-2.4%
43Martin County8,383+1.7%
44Pine County7,906+1.4%
45Meeker County7,838-2.5%
46Roseau County7,687-3.6%
47Todd County7,119+0.5%
48Wabasha County6,512-0.8%
49Hubbard County6,286+0.4%
50Fillmore County6,170-1%
51Redwood County5,995-1.7%
52Dodge County5,983+0.3%
53Stevens County5,774+0.6%
54Renville County5,595+2%
55Waseca County5,429-1.8%
56Wadena County5,398-4.5%
57Chippewa County5,136-2.9%
58Houston County5,129+1.9%
59Jackson County4,837-3.7%
60Cottonwood County4,821-0.5%
61Watonwan County4,490-0.4%
62Faribault County4,468-1.8%
63Aitkin County4,402+1.7%
64Pope County4,400-1.3%
65Pipestone County4,239-1.5%
66Kanabec County4,175-1.1%
67Koochiching County4,163-2%
68Lake County4,000+2.5%
69Rock County3,898+5.7%
70Sibley County3,771-2.9%
71Swift County3,627-2.9%
72Yellow Medicine County3,610-0.3%
73Murray County2,866-1.6%
74Cook County2,646+0.7%
75Clearwater County2,559+0.9%
76Marshall County2,430-0.2%
77Lac qui Parle County2,145-1.8%
78Mahnomen County2,028+2%
79Grant County1,904-0.8%
80Norman County1,874+9.6%
81Big Stone County1,742+2.8%
82Lincoln County1,671-0.8%
83Wilkin County1,649+0.3%
84Lake of the Woods County1,520-3.7%
85Kittson County1,494+4%
86Traverse County1,015-5.1%
87Red Lake County958-2.7%

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/2025/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 Minnesota by covered employment (QCEW), 2025) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/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 Minnesota by covered employment (QCEW), 2025. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties. 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 Minnesota by covered employment (QCEW), 2025. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties.

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 Minnesota by covered employment (QCEW), 2025 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_by_2025,
  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 Minnesota by covered employment (QCEW), 2025}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties. 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/2025/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 Minnesota by covered employment (QCEW), 2025
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties.
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/2025/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Hennepin County, with 919,062 jobs in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Red Lake County, with 958 jobs in 2025.

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 Minnesota: more rankings