Counties in Oklahoma by covered employment (QCEW)

Oklahoma County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 77 counties in 2018, at 456,678 jobs. Harmon County had the lowest, at 646 jobs. The median was 6,815 jobs and the figure for Oklahoma was 1,605,887 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest456,678Oklahoma County
Lowest646Harmon County
Median6,81577 counties
Oklahoma1,605,887History

Map of counties, 2018

Adair County: 4,502 jobsAlfalfa County: 1,511 jobsAtoka County: 3,377 jobsBeaver County: 1,732 jobsBeckham County: 10,423 jobsBlaine County: 3,127 jobsBryan County: 18,310 jobsCaddo County: 7,650 jobsCanadian County: 36,684 jobsCarter County: 23,712 jobsCherokee County: 15,516 jobsChoctaw County: 4,261 jobsCimarron County: 734 jobsCleveland County: 81,487 jobsCoal County: 1,189 jobsComanche County: 41,909 jobsCotton County: 1,564 jobsCraig County: 5,425 jobsCreek County: 18,756 jobsCuster County: 12,879 jobsDelaware County: 8,788 jobsDewey County: 1,763 jobsEllis County: 1,214 jobsGarfield County: 24,297 jobsGarvin County: 9,825 jobsGrady County: 13,125 jobsGrant County: 1,378 jobsGreer County: 1,080 jobsHarmon County: 646 jobsHarper County: 1,080 jobsHaskell County: 3,324 jobsHughes County: 3,081 jobsJackson County: 9,470 jobsJefferson County: 1,135 jobsJohnston County: 4,468 jobsKay County: 17,931 jobsKingfisher County: 6,815 jobsKiowa County: 1,859 jobsLatimer County: 2,405 jobsLe Flore County: 12,535 jobsLincoln County: 6,643 jobsLogan County: 7,511 jobsLove County: 6,157 jobsMcClain County: 9,734 jobsMcCurtain County: 10,874 jobsMcIntosh County: 3,931 jobsMajor County: 2,550 jobsMarshall County: 4,205 jobsMayes County: 13,093 jobsMurray County: 5,743 jobsMuskogee County: 29,457 jobsNoble County: 4,709 jobsNowata County: 1,769 jobsOkfuskee County: 2,374 jobsOklahoma County: 456,678 jobsOkmulgee County: 9,558 jobsOsage County: 6,553 jobsOttawa County: 12,290 jobsPawnee County: 3,547 jobsPayne County: 33,553 jobsPittsburg County: 16,816 jobsPontotoc County: 18,548 jobsPottawatomie County: 22,391 jobsPushmataha County: 2,549 jobsRoger Mills County: 883 jobsRogers County: 27,188 jobsSeminole County: 7,369 jobsSequoyah County: 8,855 jobsStephens County: 14,382 jobsTexas County: 9,778 jobsTillman County: 1,794 jobsTulsa County: 356,691 jobsWagoner County: 9,093 jobsWashington County: 19,288 jobsWashita County: 1,973 jobsWoods County: 3,400 jobsWoodward County: 8,801 jobs
  • Under 2,000
  • 2,000 to 3,000
  • 3,000 to 7,000
  • 7,000 to 10K
  • 10K to 19K
  • 19K and over
jobs, 2018. 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, 2018

Oklahoma County: 456,678 jobsOklahoma County456,678Tulsa County: 356,691 jobsTulsa County356,691Cleveland County: 81,487 jobsCleveland County81,487Comanche County: 41,909 jobsComanche County41,909Canadian County: 36,684 jobsCanadian County36,684Payne County: 33,553 jobsPayne County33,553Muskogee County: 29,457 jobsMuskogee County29,457Rogers County: 27,188 jobsRogers County27,188Garfield County: 24,297 jobsGarfield County24,297Carter County: 23,712 jobsCarter County23,712Pottawatomie County: 22,391 jobsPottawatomie County22,391Washington County: 19,288 jobsWashington County19,288Creek County: 18,756 jobsCreek County18,756Pontotoc County: 18,548 jobsPontotoc County18,548Bryan County: 18,310 jobsBryan County18,310Kay County: 17,931 jobsKay County17,931Pittsburg County: 16,816 jobsPittsburg County16,816Cherokee County: 15,516 jobsCherokee County15,516Stephens County: 14,382 jobsStephens County14,382Grady County: 13,125 jobsGrady County13,125Mayes County: 13,093 jobsMayes County13,093Custer County: 12,879 jobsCuster County12,879Le Flore County: 12,535 jobsLe Flore County12,535Ottawa County: 12,290 jobsOttawa County12,290McCurtain County: 10,874 jobsMcCurtain County10,874Beckham County: 10,423 jobsBeckham County10,423Garvin County: 9,825 jobsGarvin County9,825Texas County: 9,778 jobsTexas County9,778McClain County: 9,734 jobsMcClain County9,734Okmulgee County: 9,558 jobsOkmulgee County9,558Jackson County: 9,470 jobsJackson County9,470Wagoner County: 9,093 jobsWagoner County9,093Sequoyah County: 8,855 jobsSequoyah County8,855Woodward County: 8,801 jobsWoodward County8,801Delaware County: 8,788 jobsDelaware County8,788Caddo County: 7,650 jobsCaddo County7,650Logan County: 7,511 jobsLogan County7,511Seminole County: 7,369 jobsSeminole County7,369Kingfisher County: 6,815 jobsKingfisher County6,815Lincoln County: 6,643 jobsLincoln County6,643Oklahoma County: 456,678 jobsOklahoma County456,678Tulsa County: 356,691 jobsTulsa County356,691Cleveland County: 81,487 jobsCleveland County81,487Comanche County: 41,909 jobsComanche County41,909Canadian County: 36,684 jobsCanadian County36,684Payne County: 33,553 jobsPayne County33,553Muskogee County: 29,457 jobsMuskogee County29,457Rogers County: 27,188 jobsRogers County27,188Garfield County: 24,297 jobsGarfield County24,297Carter County: 23,712 jobsCarter County23,712Pottawatomie County: 22,391 jobsPottawatomie County22,391Washington County: 19,288 jobsWashington County19,288Creek County: 18,756 jobsCreek County18,756Pontotoc County: 18,548 jobsPontotoc County18,548Bryan County: 18,310 jobsBryan County18,310Kay County: 17,931 jobsKay County17,931Pittsburg County: 16,816 jobsPittsburg County16,816Cherokee County: 15,516 jobsCherokee County15,516Stephens County: 14,382 jobsStephens County14,382Grady County: 13,125 jobsGrady County13,125Mayes County: 13,093 jobsMayes County13,093Custer County: 12,879 jobsCuster County12,879Le Flore County: 12,535 jobsLe Flore County12,535Ottawa County: 12,290 jobsOttawa County12,290McCurtain County: 10,874 jobsMcCurtain County10,874Beckham County: 10,423 jobsBeckham County10,423Garvin County: 9,825 jobsGarvin County9,825Texas County: 9,778 jobsTexas County9,778McClain County: 9,734 jobsMcClain County9,734Okmulgee County: 9,558 jobsOkmulgee County9,558Jackson County: 9,470 jobsJackson County9,470Wagoner County: 9,093 jobsWagoner County9,093Sequoyah County: 8,855 jobsSequoyah County8,855Woodward County: 8,801 jobsWoodward County8,801Delaware County: 8,788 jobsDelaware County8,788Caddo County: 7,650 jobsCaddo County7,650Logan County: 7,511 jobsLogan County7,511Seminole County: 7,369 jobsSeminole County7,369Kingfisher County: 6,815 jobsKingfisher County6,815Lincoln County: 6,643 jobsLincoln County6,643
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

RankCounties2018
jobs
Change on 2017
1Oklahoma County456,678+1.8%
2Tulsa County356,691+1.5%
3Cleveland County81,487+1.5%
4Comanche County41,909-0.9%
5Canadian County36,684+9.7%
6Payne County33,553+0.4%
7Muskogee County29,457-0%
8Rogers County27,188+3.1%
9Garfield County24,297-1.2%
10Carter County23,712-0.1%
11Pottawatomie County22,391-2.1%
12Washington County19,288-1%
13Creek County18,756+4.2%
14Pontotoc County18,548+1.4%
15Bryan County18,310+4.2%
16Kay County17,931-0.3%
17Pittsburg County16,816+3.3%
18Cherokee County15,516-0.1%
19Stephens County14,382+5%
20Grady County13,125+5.8%
21Mayes County13,093+6.6%
22Custer County12,879+3.1%
23Le Flore County12,535+2.4%
24Ottawa County12,290+0.9%
25McCurtain County10,874-2.8%
26Beckham County10,423+3.3%
27Garvin County9,825+2.3%
28Texas County9,778+0.1%
29McClain County9,734+5.7%
30Okmulgee County9,558-1.1%
31Jackson County9,470+0.6%
32Wagoner County9,093+2.6%
33Sequoyah County8,855-1.5%
34Woodward County8,801+0.2%
35Delaware County8,788-5.3%
36Caddo County7,650-0.6%
37Logan County7,511+0.9%
38Seminole County7,369+3.3%
39Kingfisher County6,815+5.4%
40Lincoln County6,643+1.8%
41Osage County6,553-0.2%
42Love County6,157-1.3%
43Murray County5,743+2.7%
44Craig County5,425+1.9%
45Noble County4,709+0.8%
46Adair County4,502+1.3%
47Johnston County4,468+6.3%
48Choctaw County4,261+2.2%
49Marshall County4,205+5%
50McIntosh County3,931+1.6%
51Pawnee County3,547+0.9%
52Woods County3,400-4.7%
53Atoka County3,377-1.9%
54Haskell County3,324-2.2%
55Blaine County3,127-1.3%
56Hughes County3,081+2.3%
57Major County2,550+4%
58Pushmataha County2,549-4.6%
59Latimer County2,405-5.5%
60Okfuskee County2,374+4.3%
61Washita County1,973-1%
62Kiowa County1,859-9.7%
63Tillman County1,794-4.3%
64Nowata County1,769+4.7%
65Dewey County1,763+16.2%
66Beaver County1,732+3.3%
67Cotton County1,564-0.8%
68Alfalfa County1,511+1.7%
69Grant County1,378-3.9%
70Ellis County1,214+1.8%
71Coal County1,189+5%
72Jefferson County1,135+13.3%
73Greer County1,080-3.4%
73Harper County1,080-3.6%
75Roger Mills County883+4.5%
76Cimarron County734+1.2%
77Harmon County646-0.9%

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/2018/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 Oklahoma by covered employment (QCEW), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/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 Oklahoma by covered employment (QCEW), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/oklahoma-counties?period=2018. 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 Oklahoma by covered employment (QCEW), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/oklahoma-counties?period=2018.

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 Oklahoma by covered employment (QCEW), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/oklahoma-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_oklahoma_by_2018,
  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 Oklahoma by covered employment (QCEW), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/oklahoma-counties?period=2018. 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/2018/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 Oklahoma by covered employment (QCEW), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/oklahoma-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/oklahoma-counties?period=2018.
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/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Oklahoma County, with 456,678 jobs in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Harmon County, with 646 jobs in 2018.

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 Oklahoma: more rankings