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

Counties in Minnesota by covered employment (QCEW)

Hennepin County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 87 counties in 2023, at 914,612 jobs. Red Lake County had the lowest, at 985 jobs. The median was 8,076 jobs and the figure for Minnesota was 2,904,510 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest914,612Hennepin County
Lowest985Red Lake County
Median8,07687 counties
Minnesota2,904,510History

Map of counties, 2023

Aitkin County: 4,290 jobsAnoka County: 132,314 jobsBecker County: 14,952 jobsBeltrami County: 20,497 jobsBenton County: 17,661 jobsBig Stone County: 1,655 jobsBlue Earth County: 40,252 jobsBrown County: 13,226 jobsCarlton County: 12,944 jobsCarver County: 41,369 jobsCass County: 10,685 jobsChippewa County: 5,303 jobsChisago County: 16,089 jobsClay County: 19,712 jobsClearwater County: 2,652 jobsCook County: 2,654 jobsCottonwood County: 5,431 jobsCrow Wing County: 30,580 jobsDakota County: 188,030 jobsDodge County: 5,828 jobsDouglas County: 19,412 jobsFaribault County: 4,607 jobsFillmore County: 6,281 jobsFreeborn County: 11,781 jobsGoodhue County: 21,221 jobsGrant County: 1,871 jobsHennepin County: 914,612 jobsHouston County: 5,084 jobsHubbard County: 6,195 jobsIsanti County: 11,770 jobsItasca County: 15,831 jobsJackson County: 4,938 jobsKanabec County: 4,096 jobsKandiyohi County: 22,790 jobsKittson County: 1,440 jobsKoochiching County: 4,326 jobsLac qui Parle County: 2,184 jobsLake County: 3,812 jobsLake of the Woods County: 1,601 jobsLe Sueur County: 8,523 jobsLincoln County: 1,635 jobsLyon County: 13,670 jobsMcLeod County: 15,714 jobsMahnomen County: 1,793 jobsMarshall County: 2,419 jobsMartin County: 8,266 jobsMeeker County: 7,970 jobsMille Lacs County: 9,134 jobsMorrison County: 10,775 jobsMower County: 16,736 jobsMurray County: 2,838 jobsNicollet County: 15,010 jobsNobles County: 10,139 jobsNorman County: 1,658 jobsOlmsted County: 102,093 jobsOtter Tail County: 22,705 jobsPennington County: 10,014 jobsPine County: 7,793 jobsPipestone County: 4,306 jobsPolk County: 11,881 jobsPope County: 4,451 jobsRamsey County: 324,569 jobsRed Lake County: 985 jobsRedwood County: 6,075 jobsRenville County: 5,461 jobsRice County: 25,568 jobsRock County: 3,561 jobsRoseau County: 8,076 jobsSt. Louis County: 94,643 jobsScott County: 60,642 jobsSherburne County: 27,625 jobsSibley County: 3,825 jobsStearns County: 86,051 jobsSteele County: 18,900 jobsStevens County: 5,579 jobsSwift County: 3,720 jobsTodd County: 6,671 jobsTraverse County: 1,086 jobsWabasha County: 6,531 jobsWadena County: 5,600 jobsWaseca County: 5,520 jobsWashington County: 93,751 jobsWatonwan County: 4,538 jobsWilkin County: 1,674 jobsWinona County: 23,912 jobsWright County: 47,268 jobsYellow Medicine County: 3,713 jobs
  • Under 3,000
  • 3,000 to 5,000
  • 5,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 to 15K
  • 15K to 25K
  • 25K and over
jobs, 2023. 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, 2023

Hennepin County: 914,612 jobsHennepin County914,612Ramsey County: 324,569 jobsRamsey County324,569Dakota County: 188,030 jobsDakota County188,030Anoka County: 132,314 jobsAnoka County132,314Olmsted County: 102,093 jobsOlmsted County102,093St. Louis County: 94,643 jobsSt. Louis County94,643Washington County: 93,751 jobsWashington County93,751Stearns County: 86,051 jobsStearns County86,051Scott County: 60,642 jobsScott County60,642Wright County: 47,268 jobsWright County47,268Carver County: 41,369 jobsCarver County41,369Blue Earth County: 40,252 jobsBlue Earth County40,252Crow Wing County: 30,580 jobsCrow Wing County30,580Sherburne County: 27,625 jobsSherburne County27,625Rice County: 25,568 jobsRice County25,568Winona County: 23,912 jobsWinona County23,912Kandiyohi County: 22,790 jobsKandiyohi County22,790Otter Tail County: 22,705 jobsOtter Tail County22,705Goodhue County: 21,221 jobsGoodhue County21,221Beltrami County: 20,497 jobsBeltrami County20,497Clay County: 19,712 jobsClay County19,712Douglas County: 19,412 jobsDouglas County19,412Steele County: 18,900 jobsSteele County18,900Benton County: 17,661 jobsBenton County17,661Mower County: 16,736 jobsMower County16,736Chisago County: 16,089 jobsChisago County16,089Itasca County: 15,831 jobsItasca County15,831McLeod County: 15,714 jobsMcLeod County15,714Nicollet County: 15,010 jobsNicollet County15,010Becker County: 14,952 jobsBecker County14,952Lyon County: 13,670 jobsLyon County13,670Brown County: 13,226 jobsBrown County13,226Carlton County: 12,944 jobsCarlton County12,944Polk County: 11,881 jobsPolk County11,881Freeborn County: 11,781 jobsFreeborn County11,781Isanti County: 11,770 jobsIsanti County11,770Morrison County: 10,775 jobsMorrison County10,775Cass County: 10,685 jobsCass County10,685Nobles County: 10,139 jobsNobles County10,139Pennington County: 10,014 jobsPennington County10,014Hennepin County: 914,612 jobsHennepin County914,612Ramsey County: 324,569 jobsRamsey County324,569Dakota County: 188,030 jobsDakota County188,030Anoka County: 132,314 jobsAnoka County132,314Olmsted County: 102,093 jobsOlmsted County102,093St. Louis County: 94,643 jobsSt. Louis County94,643Washington County: 93,751 jobsWashington County93,751Stearns County: 86,051 jobsStearns County86,051Scott County: 60,642 jobsScott County60,642Wright County: 47,268 jobsWright County47,268Carver County: 41,369 jobsCarver County41,369Blue Earth County: 40,252 jobsBlue Earth County40,252Crow Wing County: 30,580 jobsCrow Wing County30,580Sherburne County: 27,625 jobsSherburne County27,625Rice County: 25,568 jobsRice County25,568Winona County: 23,912 jobsWinona County23,912Kandiyohi County: 22,790 jobsKandiyohi County22,790Otter Tail County: 22,705 jobsOtter Tail County22,705Goodhue County: 21,221 jobsGoodhue County21,221Beltrami County: 20,497 jobsBeltrami County20,497Clay County: 19,712 jobsClay County19,712Douglas County: 19,412 jobsDouglas County19,412Steele County: 18,900 jobsSteele County18,900Benton County: 17,661 jobsBenton County17,661Mower County: 16,736 jobsMower County16,736Chisago County: 16,089 jobsChisago County16,089Itasca County: 15,831 jobsItasca County15,831McLeod County: 15,714 jobsMcLeod County15,714Nicollet County: 15,010 jobsNicollet County15,010Becker County: 14,952 jobsBecker County14,952Lyon County: 13,670 jobsLyon County13,670Brown County: 13,226 jobsBrown County13,226Carlton County: 12,944 jobsCarlton County12,944Polk County: 11,881 jobsPolk County11,881Freeborn County: 11,781 jobsFreeborn County11,781Isanti County: 11,770 jobsIsanti County11,770Morrison County: 10,775 jobsMorrison County10,775Cass County: 10,685 jobsCass County10,685Nobles County: 10,139 jobsNobles County10,139Pennington County: 10,014 jobsPennington County10,014
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

RankCounties2023
jobs		Change on 2022
1Hennepin County914,612+1.3%
2Ramsey County324,569+1.6%
3Dakota County188,030+1.3%
4Anoka County132,314+2.1%
5Olmsted County102,093+1.6%
6St. Louis County94,643+1.9%
7Washington County93,751+2.1%
8Stearns County86,051+2.1%
9Scott County60,642+2.7%
10Wright County47,268+2.4%
11Carver County41,369+2.2%
12Blue Earth County40,252+3.7%
13Crow Wing County30,580+1.9%
14Sherburne County27,625+2.6%
15Rice County25,568+2.1%
16Winona County23,912+1.5%
17Kandiyohi County22,790+0.5%
18Otter Tail County22,705+1%
19Goodhue County21,221+2.6%
20Beltrami County20,497+1.8%
21Clay County19,712+1.5%
22Douglas County19,412+0.7%
23Steele County18,900-0.3%
24Benton County17,661+0.3%
25Mower County16,736+3.6%
26Chisago County16,089+1.9%
27Itasca County15,831+0.8%
28McLeod County15,714+0.5%
29Nicollet County15,010-1.6%
30Becker County14,952+0.9%
31Lyon County13,670-0.4%
32Brown County13,226+1.2%
33Carlton County12,944-0.5%
34Polk County11,881+3.2%
35Freeborn County11,781+0.9%
36Isanti County11,770+3.1%
37Morrison County10,775+3.4%
38Cass County10,685+1.8%
39Nobles County10,139-1.2%
40Pennington County10,014-0.8%
41Mille Lacs County9,134+2.5%
42Le Sueur County8,523+2%
43Martin County8,266+1.4%
44Roseau County8,076+3%
45Meeker County7,970+3.6%
46Pine County7,793+2.6%
47Todd County6,671+2.8%
48Wabasha County6,531+1.8%
49Fillmore County6,281+0.1%
50Hubbard County6,195+1%
51Redwood County6,075+0.8%
52Dodge County5,828+1.3%
53Wadena County5,600+0.4%
54Stevens County5,579+2.2%
55Waseca County5,520-1.4%
56Renville County5,461+1%
57Cottonwood County5,431-7.5%
58Chippewa County5,303+0.6%
59Houston County5,084+2.1%
60Jackson County4,938+2.4%
61Faribault County4,607+0.6%
62Watonwan County4,538+2.3%
63Pope County4,451+1.7%
64Koochiching County4,326-1.7%
65Pipestone County4,306-0.6%
66Aitkin County4,290+1.7%
67Kanabec County4,096+3.1%
68Sibley County3,825-3.3%
69Lake County3,812+1.1%
70Swift County3,720+3.1%
71Yellow Medicine County3,713+0.1%
72Rock County3,561-1.1%
73Murray County2,838+0.7%
74Cook County2,654+4.8%
75Clearwater County2,652+2.6%
76Marshall County2,419+3.3%
77Lac qui Parle County2,184+0.9%
78Grant County1,871-0.4%
79Mahnomen County1,793+5.2%
80Wilkin County1,674-2%
81Norman County1,658+1.5%
82Big Stone County1,655+0.2%
83Lincoln County1,635+4.5%
84Lake of the Woods County1,601-3%
85Kittson County1,440-0.4%
86Traverse County1,086-1.4%
87Red Lake County985-1.1%

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/2023/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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/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), 2023. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_by_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2023/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/minnesota-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Minnesota by covered employment (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Hennepin County, with 914,612 jobs in 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Red Lake County, with 985 jobs in 2023.

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