Counties in Mississippi by covered employment (QCEW)

Hinds County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 82 counties in 2021, at 112,120 jobs. Issaquena County had the lowest, at 177 jobs. The median was 5,894 jobs and the figure for Mississippi was 1,117,423 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest112,120Hinds County
Median5,89482 counties
Mississippi1,117,423History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 9,711 jobsAlcorn County: 13,201 jobsAmite County: 1,820 jobsAttala County: 4,466 jobsBenton County: 1,043 jobsBolivar County: 10,114 jobsCalhoun County: 3,000 jobsCarroll County: 1,064 jobsChickasaw County: 5,118 jobsChoctaw County: 2,144 jobsClaiborne County: 3,206 jobsClarke County: 2,724 jobsClay County: 5,607 jobsCoahoma County: 7,058 jobsCopiah County: 6,201 jobsCovington County: 5,633 jobsDeSoto County: 67,150 jobsForrest County: 38,924 jobsFranklin County: 1,432 jobsGeorge County: 4,787 jobsGreene County: 1,813 jobsGrenada County: 9,866 jobsHancock County: 14,231 jobsHarrison County: 84,247 jobsHinds County: 112,120 jobsHolmes County: 2,992 jobsHumphreys County: 2,016 jobsIssaquena County: 177 jobsItawamba County: 5,851 jobsJackson County: 49,683 jobsJasper County: 3,954 jobsJefferson County: 928 jobsJefferson Davis County: 1,425 jobsJones County: 25,709 jobsKemper County: 1,674 jobsLafayette County: 23,746 jobsLamar County: 19,617 jobsLauderdale County: 31,273 jobsLawrence County: 2,415 jobsLeake County: 5,098 jobsLee County: 54,227 jobsLeflore County: 14,431 jobsLincoln County: 12,642 jobsLowndes County: 24,149 jobsMadison County: 53,283 jobsMarion County: 8,092 jobsMarshall County: 9,648 jobsMonroe County: 10,041 jobsMontgomery County: 2,247 jobsNeshoba County: 11,551 jobsNewton County: 5,451 jobsNoxubee County: 2,272 jobsOktibbeha County: 19,892 jobsPanola County: 10,006 jobsPearl River County: 10,460 jobsPerry County: 2,239 jobsPike County: 14,585 jobsPontotoc County: 12,198 jobsPrentiss County: 7,418 jobsQuitman County: 976 jobsRankin County: 62,430 jobsScott County: 12,791 jobsSharkey County: 1,048 jobsSimpson County: 6,977 jobsSmith County: 2,722 jobsStone County: 4,653 jobsSunflower County: 7,826 jobsTallahatchie County: 2,425 jobsTate County: 5,626 jobsTippah County: 6,513 jobsTishomingo County: 6,318 jobsTunica County: 5,725 jobsUnion County: 11,021 jobsWalthall County: 2,345 jobsWarren County: 18,678 jobsWashington County: 15,374 jobsWayne County: 4,751 jobsWebster County: 1,994 jobsWilkinson County: 1,544 jobsWinston County: 4,916 jobsYalobusha County: 2,717 jobsYazoo County: 5,937 jobs
  • Under 2,000
  • 2,000 to 4,000
  • 4,000 to 6,000
  • 6,000 to 10K
  • 10K to 19K
  • 19K 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

Hinds County: 112,120 jobsHinds County112,120Harrison County: 84,247 jobsHarrison County84,247DeSoto County: 67,150 jobsDeSoto County67,150Rankin County: 62,430 jobsRankin County62,430Lee County: 54,227 jobsLee County54,227Madison County: 53,283 jobsMadison County53,283Jackson County: 49,683 jobsJackson County49,683Forrest County: 38,924 jobsForrest County38,924Lauderdale County: 31,273 jobsLauderdale County31,273Jones County: 25,709 jobsJones County25,709Lowndes County: 24,149 jobsLowndes County24,149Lafayette County: 23,746 jobsLafayette County23,746Oktibbeha County: 19,892 jobsOktibbeha County19,892Lamar County: 19,617 jobsLamar County19,617Warren County: 18,678 jobsWarren County18,678Washington County: 15,374 jobsWashington County15,374Pike County: 14,585 jobsPike County14,585Leflore County: 14,431 jobsLeflore County14,431Hancock County: 14,231 jobsHancock County14,231Alcorn County: 13,201 jobsAlcorn County13,201Scott County: 12,791 jobsScott County12,791Lincoln County: 12,642 jobsLincoln County12,642Pontotoc County: 12,198 jobsPontotoc County12,198Neshoba County: 11,551 jobsNeshoba County11,551Union County: 11,021 jobsUnion County11,021Pearl River County: 10,460 jobsPearl River County10,460Bolivar County: 10,114 jobsBolivar County10,114Monroe County: 10,041 jobsMonroe County10,041Panola County: 10,006 jobsPanola County10,006Grenada County: 9,866 jobsGrenada County9,866Adams County: 9,711 jobsAdams County9,711Marshall County: 9,648 jobsMarshall County9,648Marion County: 8,092 jobsMarion County8,092Sunflower County: 7,826 jobsSunflower County7,826Prentiss County: 7,418 jobsPrentiss County7,418Coahoma County: 7,058 jobsCoahoma County7,058Simpson County: 6,977 jobsSimpson County6,977Tippah County: 6,513 jobsTippah County6,513Tishomingo County: 6,318 jobsTishomingo County6,318Copiah County: 6,201 jobsCopiah County6,201Hinds County: 112,120 jobsHinds County112,120Harrison County: 84,247 jobsHarrison County84,247DeSoto County: 67,150 jobsDeSoto County67,150Rankin County: 62,430 jobsRankin County62,430Lee County: 54,227 jobsLee County54,227Madison County: 53,283 jobsMadison County53,283Jackson County: 49,683 jobsJackson County49,683Forrest County: 38,924 jobsForrest County38,924Lauderdale County: 31,273 jobsLauderdale County31,273Jones County: 25,709 jobsJones County25,709Lowndes County: 24,149 jobsLowndes County24,149Lafayette County: 23,746 jobsLafayette County23,746Oktibbeha County: 19,892 jobsOktibbeha County19,892Lamar County: 19,617 jobsLamar County19,617Warren County: 18,678 jobsWarren County18,678Washington County: 15,374 jobsWashington County15,374Pike County: 14,585 jobsPike County14,585Leflore County: 14,431 jobsLeflore County14,431Hancock County: 14,231 jobsHancock County14,231Alcorn County: 13,201 jobsAlcorn County13,201Scott County: 12,791 jobsScott County12,791Lincoln County: 12,642 jobsLincoln County12,642Pontotoc County: 12,198 jobsPontotoc County12,198Neshoba County: 11,551 jobsNeshoba County11,551Union County: 11,021 jobsUnion County11,021Pearl River County: 10,460 jobsPearl River County10,460Bolivar County: 10,114 jobsBolivar County10,114Monroe County: 10,041 jobsMonroe County10,041Panola County: 10,006 jobsPanola County10,006Grenada County: 9,866 jobsGrenada County9,866Adams County: 9,711 jobsAdams County9,711Marshall County: 9,648 jobsMarshall County9,648Marion County: 8,092 jobsMarion County8,092Sunflower County: 7,826 jobsSunflower County7,826Prentiss County: 7,418 jobsPrentiss County7,418Coahoma County: 7,058 jobsCoahoma County7,058Simpson County: 6,977 jobsSimpson County6,977Tippah County: 6,513 jobsTippah County6,513Tishomingo County: 6,318 jobsTishomingo County6,318Copiah County: 6,201 jobsCopiah County6,201
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
1Hinds County112,120-1.3%
2Harrison County84,247+4.2%
3DeSoto County67,150+5%
4Rankin County62,430+2.6%
5Lee County54,227+3.2%
6Madison County53,283+3.3%
7Jackson County49,683+3.5%
8Forrest County38,924+0.7%
9Lauderdale County31,273-0.3%
10Jones County25,709-2.2%
11Lowndes County24,149+1.1%
12Lafayette County23,746+4.7%
13Oktibbeha County19,892+1.3%
14Lamar County19,617+4.4%
15Warren County18,678-0.2%
16Washington County15,374-2%
17Pike County14,585+0.8%
18Leflore County14,431+3%
19Hancock County14,231+4.1%
20Alcorn County13,201-1.4%
21Scott County12,791-1%
22Lincoln County12,642+5.8%
23Pontotoc County12,198+1.7%
24Neshoba County11,551-0.5%
25Union County11,021+3%
26Pearl River County10,460+1.2%
27Bolivar County10,114-0.2%
28Monroe County10,041+5.4%
29Panola County10,006+1%
30Grenada County9,866-0.7%
31Adams County9,711+3.2%
32Marshall County9,648+10.1%
33Marion County8,092+2.4%
34Sunflower County7,826-1.2%
35Prentiss County7,418+2.9%
36Coahoma County7,058-0.7%
37Simpson County6,977-0.7%
38Tippah County6,513+3.7%
39Tishomingo County6,318+1.9%
40Copiah County6,201-0.6%
41Yazoo County5,937-2.9%
42Itawamba County5,851+3.2%
43Tunica County5,725-4.2%
44Covington County5,633+0.3%
45Tate County5,626+6.2%
46Clay County5,607+9.4%
47Newton County5,451+5.4%
48Chickasaw County5,118+3.4%
49Leake County5,098+0.9%
50Winston County4,916+1.4%
51George County4,787-2.3%
52Wayne County4,751-0.2%
53Stone County4,653+2.6%
54Attala County4,466+1.5%
55Jasper County3,954-2.9%
56Claiborne County3,206-7.7%
57Calhoun County3,000-1.6%
58Holmes County2,992-1.1%
59Clarke County2,724-1.3%
60Smith County2,722+1.9%
61Yalobusha County2,717-0.7%
62Tallahatchie County2,425-8.3%
63Lawrence County2,415+1.2%
64Walthall County2,345+0.4%
65Noxubee County2,272-5.8%
66Montgomery County2,247-0.1%
67Perry County2,239+3.4%
68Choctaw County2,144+3.6%
69Humphreys County2,016-5.7%
70Webster County1,994+3.8%
71Amite County1,820-0.7%
72Greene County1,813-1.4%
73Kemper County1,674+0.8%
74Wilkinson County1,544+0.7%
75Franklin County1,432-4%
76Jefferson Davis County1,425-2.4%
77Carroll County1,064-2%
78Sharkey County1,048-3.3%
79Benton County1,043+4.6%
80Quitman County976+1.8%
81Jefferson County928-2.8%
82Issaquena County177+2.3%

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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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/mississippi-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 Mississippi 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/mississippi-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 Mississippi 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/mississippi-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_mississippi_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 Mississippi 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/mississippi-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 Mississippi 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/mississippi-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/mississippi-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)?

Hinds County, with 112,120 jobs in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Issaquena County, with 177 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 Mississippi: more rankings