Counties in Montana by covered employment (QCEW)

Yellowstone County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 56 counties in 2014, at 78,530 jobs. Petroleum County had the lowest, at 102 jobs. The median was 2,382 jobs and the figure for Montana was 440,198 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest78,530Yellowstone County
Median2,38256 counties
Montana440,198History

Map of counties, 2014

Beaverhead County: 3,558 jobsBig Horn County: 4,532 jobsBlaine County: 1,464 jobsBroadwater County: 1,329 jobsCarbon County: 2,559 jobsCarter County: 265 jobsCascade County: 35,253 jobsChouteau County: 1,181 jobsCuster County: 5,651 jobsDaniels County: 602 jobsDawson County: 3,809 jobsDeer Lodge County: 3,264 jobsFallon County: 1,672 jobsFergus County: 4,383 jobsFlathead County: 39,157 jobsGallatin County: 49,364 jobsGarfield County: 270 jobsGlacier County: 4,151 jobsGolden Valley County: 176 jobsGranite County: 784 jobsHill County: 6,772 jobsJefferson County: 2,434 jobsJudith Basin County: 446 jobsLake County: 8,266 jobsLewis and Clark County: 35,598 jobsLiberty County: 471 jobsLincoln County: 5,105 jobsMcCone County: 579 jobsMadison County: 3,631 jobsMeagher County: 583 jobsMineral County: 1,143 jobsMissoula County: 56,346 jobsMusselshell County: 1,279 jobsPark County: 5,414 jobsPetroleum County: 102 jobsPhillips County: 1,255 jobsPondera County: 1,688 jobsPowder River County: 526 jobsPowell County: 2,329 jobsPrairie County: 290 jobsRavalli County: 10,675 jobsRichland County: 6,914 jobsRoosevelt County: 3,832 jobsRosebud County: 4,103 jobsSanders County: 2,618 jobsSheridan County: 1,564 jobsSilver Bow County: 15,490 jobsStillwater County: 3,297 jobsSweet Grass County: 1,445 jobsTeton County: 1,781 jobsToole County: 2,031 jobsTreasure County: 182 jobsValley County: 3,174 jobsWheatland County: 572 jobsWibaux County: 318 jobsYellowstone County: 78,530 jobs
  • Under 500
  • 500 to 1,300
  • 1,300 to 2,400
  • 2,400 to 3,800
  • 3,800 to 6,900
  • 6,900 and over
jobs, 2014. 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.

All counties, 2014

Yellowstone County: 78,530 jobsYellowstone County78,530Missoula County: 56,346 jobsMissoula County56,346Gallatin County: 49,364 jobsGallatin County49,364Flathead County: 39,157 jobsFlathead County39,157Lewis and Clark County: 35,598 jobsLewis and Clark County35,598Cascade County: 35,253 jobsCascade County35,253Silver Bow County: 15,490 jobsSilver Bow County15,490Ravalli County: 10,675 jobsRavalli County10,675Lake County: 8,266 jobsLake County8,266Richland County: 6,914 jobsRichland County6,914Hill County: 6,772 jobsHill County6,772Custer County: 5,651 jobsCuster County5,651Park County: 5,414 jobsPark County5,414Lincoln County: 5,105 jobsLincoln County5,105Big Horn County: 4,532 jobsBig Horn County4,532Fergus County: 4,383 jobsFergus County4,383Glacier County: 4,151 jobsGlacier County4,151Rosebud County: 4,103 jobsRosebud County4,103Roosevelt County: 3,832 jobsRoosevelt County3,832Dawson County: 3,809 jobsDawson County3,809Madison County: 3,631 jobsMadison County3,631Beaverhead County: 3,558 jobsBeaverhead County3,558Stillwater County: 3,297 jobsStillwater County3,297Deer Lodge County: 3,264 jobsDeer Lodge County3,264Valley County: 3,174 jobsValley County3,174Sanders County: 2,618 jobsSanders County2,618Carbon County: 2,559 jobsCarbon County2,559Jefferson County: 2,434 jobsJefferson County2,434Powell County: 2,329 jobsPowell County2,329Toole County: 2,031 jobsToole County2,031Teton County: 1,781 jobsTeton County1,781Pondera County: 1,688 jobsPondera County1,688Fallon County: 1,672 jobsFallon County1,672Sheridan County: 1,564 jobsSheridan County1,564Blaine County: 1,464 jobsBlaine County1,464Sweet Grass County: 1,445 jobsSweet Grass County1,445Broadwater County: 1,329 jobsBroadwater County1,329Musselshell County: 1,279 jobsMusselshell County1,279Phillips County: 1,255 jobsPhillips County1,255Chouteau County: 1,181 jobsChouteau County1,181Mineral County: 1,143 jobsMineral County1,143Granite County: 784 jobsGranite County784Daniels County: 602 jobsDaniels County602Meagher County: 583 jobsMeagher County583McCone County: 579 jobsMcCone County579Wheatland County: 572 jobsWheatland County572Powder River County: 526 jobsPowder River County526Liberty County: 471 jobsLiberty County471Judith Basin County: 446 jobsJudith Basin County446Wibaux County: 318 jobsWibaux County318Prairie County: 290 jobsPrairie County290Garfield County: 270 jobsGarfield County270Carter County: 265 jobsCarter County265Treasure County: 182 jobsTreasure County182Golden Valley County: 176 jobsGolden Valley County176Petroleum County: 102 jobsPetroleum County102Yellowstone County: 78,530 jobsYellowstone County78,530Missoula County: 56,346 jobsMissoula County56,346Gallatin County: 49,364 jobsGallatin County49,364Flathead County: 39,157 jobsFlathead County39,157Lewis and Clark County: 35,598 jobsLewis and Clark County35,598Cascade County: 35,253 jobsCascade County35,253Silver Bow County: 15,490 jobsSilver Bow County15,490Ravalli County: 10,675 jobsRavalli County10,675Lake County: 8,266 jobsLake County8,266Richland County: 6,914 jobsRichland County6,914Hill County: 6,772 jobsHill County6,772Custer County: 5,651 jobsCuster County5,651Park County: 5,414 jobsPark County5,414Lincoln County: 5,105 jobsLincoln County5,105Big Horn County: 4,532 jobsBig Horn County4,532Fergus County: 4,383 jobsFergus County4,383Glacier County: 4,151 jobsGlacier County4,151Rosebud County: 4,103 jobsRosebud County4,103Roosevelt County: 3,832 jobsRoosevelt County3,832Dawson County: 3,809 jobsDawson County3,809Madison County: 3,631 jobsMadison County3,631Beaverhead County: 3,558 jobsBeaverhead County3,558Stillwater County: 3,297 jobsStillwater County3,297Deer Lodge County: 3,264 jobsDeer Lodge County3,264Valley County: 3,174 jobsValley County3,174Sanders County: 2,618 jobsSanders County2,618Carbon County: 2,559 jobsCarbon County2,559Jefferson County: 2,434 jobsJefferson County2,434Powell County: 2,329 jobsPowell County2,329Toole County: 2,031 jobsToole County2,031Teton County: 1,781 jobsTeton County1,781Pondera County: 1,688 jobsPondera County1,688Fallon County: 1,672 jobsFallon County1,672Sheridan County: 1,564 jobsSheridan County1,564Blaine County: 1,464 jobsBlaine County1,464Sweet Grass County: 1,445 jobsSweet Grass County1,445Broadwater County: 1,329 jobsBroadwater County1,329Musselshell County: 1,279 jobsMusselshell County1,279Phillips County: 1,255 jobsPhillips County1,255Chouteau County: 1,181 jobsChouteau County1,181Mineral County: 1,143 jobsMineral County1,143Granite County: 784 jobsGranite County784Daniels County: 602 jobsDaniels County602Meagher County: 583 jobsMeagher County583McCone County: 579 jobsMcCone County579Wheatland County: 572 jobsWheatland County572Powder River County: 526 jobsPowder River County526Liberty County: 471 jobsLiberty County471Judith Basin County: 446 jobsJudith Basin County446Wibaux County: 318 jobsWibaux County318Prairie County: 290 jobsPrairie County290Garfield County: 270 jobsGarfield County270Carter County: 265 jobsCarter County265Treasure County: 182 jobsTreasure County182Golden Valley County: 176 jobsGolden Valley County176Petroleum County: 102 jobsPetroleum County102
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

RankCounties2014
jobs
Change on 2013
1Yellowstone County78,530+0.9%
2Missoula County56,346+1.2%
3Gallatin County49,364+4.1%
4Flathead County39,157+0.6%
5Lewis and Clark County35,598+0.4%
6Cascade County35,253-0.3%
7Silver Bow County15,490-1.2%
8Ravalli County10,675+0.7%
9Lake County8,266+2%
10Richland County6,914+3.1%
11Hill County6,772-1.3%
12Custer County5,651-1.2%
13Park County5,414+0.4%
14Lincoln County5,105-0.5%
15Big Horn County4,532+3.8%
16Fergus County4,383-2.2%
17Glacier County4,151-8.5%
18Rosebud County4,103-0.6%
19Roosevelt County3,832-3.2%
20Dawson County3,809+1.3%
21Madison County3,631+2.6%
22Beaverhead County3,558+1.6%
23Stillwater County3,297-2.2%
24Deer Lodge County3,264+1.3%
25Valley County3,174+3.6%
26Sanders County2,618-1.1%
27Carbon County2,559-0.8%
28Jefferson County2,434-0.7%
29Powell County2,329+0.2%
30Toole County2,031-1.9%
31Teton County1,781-3.5%
32Pondera County1,688-3.1%
33Fallon County1,672+1.1%
34Sheridan County1,564-2.9%
35Blaine County1,464-2.1%
36Sweet Grass County1,445+1%
37Broadwater County1,329+0.5%
38Musselshell County1,279+0.9%
39Phillips County1,255-4.9%
40Chouteau County1,181-0.7%
41Mineral County1,143-1.8%
42Granite County7840%
43Daniels County602+2.9%
44Meagher County583-0.9%
45McCone County579-0.9%
46Wheatland County572-6.1%
47Powder River County526-7.2%
48Liberty County471-3.1%
49Judith Basin County446+1.1%
50Wibaux County318-0.3%
51Prairie County2900%
52Garfield County270-6.6%
53Carter County265+5.2%
54Treasure County182-1.1%
55Golden Valley County176+5.4%
56Petroleum County102+2%

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/2014/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 Montana by covered employment (QCEW), 2014) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/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 Montana by covered employment (QCEW), 2014. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/montana-counties?period=2014. 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 Montana by covered employment (QCEW), 2014. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/montana-counties?period=2014.

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 Montana by covered employment (QCEW), 2014 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/montana-counties?period=2014 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_montana_by_2014,
  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 Montana by covered employment (QCEW), 2014}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/montana-counties?period=2014. 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/2014/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 Montana by covered employment (QCEW), 2014
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2014/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/montana-counties?period=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/montana-counties?period=2014.
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/2014/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Yellowstone County, with 78,530 jobs in 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Petroleum County, with 102 jobs in 2014.

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 Montana: more rankings