Counties in North Dakota by covered employment (QCEW)

Cass County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 53 counties in 2016, at 116,890 jobs. Slope County had the lowest, at 147 jobs. The median was 1,644 jobs and the figure for North Dakota was 417,119 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest116,890Cass County
Lowest147Slope County
Median1,64453 counties
North Dakota417,119History

Map of counties, 2016

Adams County: 990 jobsBarnes County: 4,673 jobsBenson County: 1,980 jobsBillings County: 470 jobsBottineau County: 2,515 jobsBowman County: 1,644 jobsBurke County: 705 jobsBurleigh County: 57,973 jobsCass County: 116,890 jobsCavalier County: 1,455 jobsDickey County: 1,910 jobsDivide County: 879 jobsDunn County: 2,005 jobsEddy County: 720 jobsEmmons County: 969 jobsFoster County: 1,641 jobsGolden Valley County: 671 jobsGrand Forks County: 40,857 jobsGrant County: 562 jobsGriggs County: 894 jobsHettinger County: 746 jobsKidder County: 681 jobsLaMoure County: 1,425 jobsLogan County: 638 jobsMcHenry County: 1,318 jobsMcIntosh County: 1,071 jobsMcKenzie County: 8,628 jobsMcLean County: 3,541 jobsMercer County: 5,387 jobsMorton County: 11,124 jobsMountrail County: 5,699 jobsNelson County: 1,023 jobsOliver County: 889 jobsPembina County: 3,648 jobsPierce County: 1,747 jobsRamsey County: 6,110 jobsRansom County: 2,086 jobsRenville County: 719 jobsRichland County: 7,874 jobsRolette County: 4,518 jobsSargent County: 2,893 jobsSheridan County: 237 jobsSioux County: 1,611 jobsSlope County: 147 jobsStark County: 18,575 jobsSteele County: 611 jobsStutsman County: 11,448 jobsTowner County: 823 jobsTraill County: 3,354 jobsWalsh County: 5,073 jobsWard County: 32,276 jobsWells County: 1,560 jobsWilliams County: 26,170 jobs
  • Under 1,000
  • 1,000 to 2,000
  • 2,000 to 3,000
  • 3,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 and over
jobs, 2016. 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, 2016

Cass County: 116,890 jobsCass County116,890Burleigh County: 57,973 jobsBurleigh County57,973Grand Forks County: 40,857 jobsGrand Forks County40,857Ward County: 32,276 jobsWard County32,276Williams County: 26,170 jobsWilliams County26,170Stark County: 18,575 jobsStark County18,575Stutsman County: 11,448 jobsStutsman County11,448Morton County: 11,124 jobsMorton County11,124McKenzie County: 8,628 jobsMcKenzie County8,628Richland County: 7,874 jobsRichland County7,874Ramsey County: 6,110 jobsRamsey County6,110Mountrail County: 5,699 jobsMountrail County5,699Mercer County: 5,387 jobsMercer County5,387Walsh County: 5,073 jobsWalsh County5,073Barnes County: 4,673 jobsBarnes County4,673Rolette County: 4,518 jobsRolette County4,518Pembina County: 3,648 jobsPembina County3,648McLean County: 3,541 jobsMcLean County3,541Traill County: 3,354 jobsTraill County3,354Sargent County: 2,893 jobsSargent County2,893Bottineau County: 2,515 jobsBottineau County2,515Ransom County: 2,086 jobsRansom County2,086Dunn County: 2,005 jobsDunn County2,005Benson County: 1,980 jobsBenson County1,980Dickey County: 1,910 jobsDickey County1,910Pierce County: 1,747 jobsPierce County1,747Bowman County: 1,644 jobsBowman County1,644Foster County: 1,641 jobsFoster County1,641Sioux County: 1,611 jobsSioux County1,611Wells County: 1,560 jobsWells County1,560Cavalier County: 1,455 jobsCavalier County1,455LaMoure County: 1,425 jobsLaMoure County1,425McHenry County: 1,318 jobsMcHenry County1,318McIntosh County: 1,071 jobsMcIntosh County1,071Nelson County: 1,023 jobsNelson County1,023Adams County: 990 jobsAdams County990Emmons County: 969 jobsEmmons County969Griggs County: 894 jobsGriggs County894Oliver County: 889 jobsOliver County889Divide County: 879 jobsDivide County879Towner County: 823 jobsTowner County823Hettinger County: 746 jobsHettinger County746Eddy County: 720 jobsEddy County720Renville County: 719 jobsRenville County719Burke County: 705 jobsBurke County705Kidder County: 681 jobsKidder County681Golden Valley County: 671 jobsGolden Valley County671Logan County: 638 jobsLogan County638Steele County: 611 jobsSteele County611Grant County: 562 jobsGrant County562Billings County: 470 jobsBillings County470Sheridan County: 237 jobsSheridan County237Slope County: 147 jobsSlope County147Cass County: 116,890 jobsCass County116,890Burleigh County: 57,973 jobsBurleigh County57,973Grand Forks County: 40,857 jobsGrand Forks County40,857Ward County: 32,276 jobsWard County32,276Williams County: 26,170 jobsWilliams County26,170Stark County: 18,575 jobsStark County18,575Stutsman County: 11,448 jobsStutsman County11,448Morton County: 11,124 jobsMorton County11,124McKenzie County: 8,628 jobsMcKenzie County8,628Richland County: 7,874 jobsRichland County7,874Ramsey County: 6,110 jobsRamsey County6,110Mountrail County: 5,699 jobsMountrail County5,699Mercer County: 5,387 jobsMercer County5,387Walsh County: 5,073 jobsWalsh County5,073Barnes County: 4,673 jobsBarnes County4,673Rolette County: 4,518 jobsRolette County4,518Pembina County: 3,648 jobsPembina County3,648McLean County: 3,541 jobsMcLean County3,541Traill County: 3,354 jobsTraill County3,354Sargent County: 2,893 jobsSargent County2,893Bottineau County: 2,515 jobsBottineau County2,515Ransom County: 2,086 jobsRansom County2,086Dunn County: 2,005 jobsDunn County2,005Benson County: 1,980 jobsBenson County1,980Dickey County: 1,910 jobsDickey County1,910Pierce County: 1,747 jobsPierce County1,747Bowman County: 1,644 jobsBowman County1,644Foster County: 1,641 jobsFoster County1,641Sioux County: 1,611 jobsSioux County1,611Wells County: 1,560 jobsWells County1,560Cavalier County: 1,455 jobsCavalier County1,455LaMoure County: 1,425 jobsLaMoure County1,425McHenry County: 1,318 jobsMcHenry County1,318McIntosh County: 1,071 jobsMcIntosh County1,071Nelson County: 1,023 jobsNelson County1,023Adams County: 990 jobsAdams County990Emmons County: 969 jobsEmmons County969Griggs County: 894 jobsGriggs County894Oliver County: 889 jobsOliver County889Divide County: 879 jobsDivide County879Towner County: 823 jobsTowner County823Hettinger County: 746 jobsHettinger County746Eddy County: 720 jobsEddy County720Renville County: 719 jobsRenville County719Burke County: 705 jobsBurke County705Kidder County: 681 jobsKidder County681Golden Valley County: 671 jobsGolden Valley County671Logan County: 638 jobsLogan County638Steele County: 611 jobsSteele County611Grant County: 562 jobsGrant County562Billings County: 470 jobsBillings County470Sheridan County: 237 jobsSheridan County237Slope County: 147 jobsSlope County147
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

RankCounties2016
jobs
Change on 2015
1Cass County116,890+1%
2Burleigh County57,973-0.8%
3Grand Forks County40,857-0.2%
4Ward County32,276-7.8%
5Williams County26,170-27.5%
6Stark County18,575-16.2%
7Stutsman County11,448-0.1%
8Morton County11,124-0.6%
9McKenzie County8,628-20.3%
10Richland County7,874+0.4%
11Ramsey County6,110+6.4%
12Mountrail County5,699-19.3%
13Mercer County5,387+3.8%
14Walsh County5,073-1.8%
15Barnes County4,673-3.8%
16Rolette County4,518-2.3%
17Pembina County3,648-1.2%
18McLean County3,5410%
19Traill County3,354-0.3%
20Sargent County2,893-0.1%
21Bottineau County2,515-4.2%
22Ransom County2,086-0.6%
23Dunn County2,005-28.8%
24Benson County1,980-6.1%
25Dickey County1,910-4.5%
26Pierce County1,747+0.6%
27Bowman County1,644-5.2%
28Foster County1,641+1.2%
29Sioux County1,611-1%
30Wells County1,560-3%
31Cavalier County1,455+0.5%
32LaMoure County1,425+0.8%
33McHenry County1,318+4.1%
34McIntosh County1,071-1.7%
35Nelson County1,023-1.2%
36Adams County990+2.9%
37Emmons County969+2.6%
38Griggs County894-3.2%
39Oliver County889+0.5%
40Divide County879-13.7%
41Towner County823+8.3%
42Hettinger County746+0.7%
43Eddy County720-3.1%
44Renville County719-8.1%
45Burke County705-9.5%
46Kidder County681+0.3%
47Golden Valley County671-5.4%
48Logan County638-2.3%
49Steele County611-3.6%
50Grant County562-7.4%
51Billings County470-11.2%
52Sheridan County237-2.5%
53Slope County147-6.4%

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/2016/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 North Dakota by covered employment (QCEW), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/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 North Dakota by covered employment (QCEW), 2016. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-dakota-counties?period=2016. 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 North Dakota by covered employment (QCEW), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-dakota-counties?period=2016.

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 North Dakota by covered employment (QCEW), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-dakota-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_dakota_2016,
  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 North Dakota by covered employment (QCEW), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-dakota-counties?period=2016. 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/2016/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 North Dakota by covered employment (QCEW), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-dakota-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/north-dakota-counties?period=2016.
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/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Cass County, with 116,890 jobs in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Slope County, with 147 jobs in 2016.

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 North Dakota: more rankings