Counties in Oklahoma by covered employment (QCEW)

Oklahoma County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 77 counties in 2021, at 453,530 jobs. Harmon County had the lowest, at 615 jobs. The median was 6,730 jobs and the figure for Oklahoma was 1,571,737 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest453,530Oklahoma County
Lowest615Harmon County
Median6,73077 counties
Oklahoma1,571,737History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 4,607 jobsAlfalfa County: 1,263 jobsAtoka County: 3,165 jobsBeaver County: 1,300 jobsBeckham County: 8,342 jobsBlaine County: 2,918 jobsBryan County: 19,117 jobsCaddo County: 7,290 jobsCanadian County: 33,374 jobsCarter County: 22,315 jobsCherokee County: 16,317 jobsChoctaw County: 4,394 jobsCimarron County: 779 jobsCleveland County: 86,620 jobsCoal County: 1,124 jobsComanche County: 39,957 jobsCotton County: 1,591 jobsCraig County: 4,941 jobsCreek County: 18,563 jobsCuster County: 12,147 jobsDelaware County: 9,042 jobsDewey County: 1,609 jobsEllis County: 1,120 jobsGarfield County: 23,206 jobsGarvin County: 9,554 jobsGrady County: 11,915 jobsGrant County: 1,331 jobsGreer County: 867 jobsHarmon County: 615 jobsHarper County: 1,063 jobsHaskell County: 3,297 jobsHughes County: 2,815 jobsJackson County: 9,322 jobsJefferson County: 1,023 jobsJohnston County: 2,731 jobsKay County: 17,256 jobsKingfisher County: 6,312 jobsKiowa County: 1,905 jobsLatimer County: 2,251 jobsLe Flore County: 11,701 jobsLincoln County: 6,730 jobsLogan County: 7,645 jobsLove County: 5,552 jobsMcClain County: 9,743 jobsMcCurtain County: 11,963 jobsMcIntosh County: 4,208 jobsMajor County: 2,035 jobsMarshall County: 4,434 jobsMayes County: 12,478 jobsMurray County: 5,179 jobsMuskogee County: 28,652 jobsNoble County: 4,490 jobsNowata County: 1,812 jobsOkfuskee County: 2,283 jobsOklahoma County: 453,530 jobsOkmulgee County: 9,243 jobsOsage County: 6,189 jobsOttawa County: 12,168 jobsPawnee County: 3,318 jobsPayne County: 32,371 jobsPittsburg County: 14,857 jobsPontotoc County: 18,756 jobsPottawatomie County: 21,934 jobsPushmataha County: 2,665 jobsRoger Mills County: 878 jobsRogers County: 25,295 jobsSeminole County: 6,895 jobsSequoyah County: 9,152 jobsStephens County: 14,227 jobsTexas County: 9,210 jobsTillman County: 1,531 jobsTulsa County: 347,639 jobsWagoner County: 9,378 jobsWashington County: 18,627 jobsWashita County: 1,810 jobsWoods County: 3,395 jobsWoodward County: 7,872 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, 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

Oklahoma County: 453,530 jobsOklahoma County453,530Tulsa County: 347,639 jobsTulsa County347,639Cleveland County: 86,620 jobsCleveland County86,620Comanche County: 39,957 jobsComanche County39,957Canadian County: 33,374 jobsCanadian County33,374Payne County: 32,371 jobsPayne County32,371Muskogee County: 28,652 jobsMuskogee County28,652Rogers County: 25,295 jobsRogers County25,295Garfield County: 23,206 jobsGarfield County23,206Carter County: 22,315 jobsCarter County22,315Pottawatomie County: 21,934 jobsPottawatomie County21,934Bryan County: 19,117 jobsBryan County19,117Pontotoc County: 18,756 jobsPontotoc County18,756Washington County: 18,627 jobsWashington County18,627Creek County: 18,563 jobsCreek County18,563Kay County: 17,256 jobsKay County17,256Cherokee County: 16,317 jobsCherokee County16,317Pittsburg County: 14,857 jobsPittsburg County14,857Stephens County: 14,227 jobsStephens County14,227Mayes County: 12,478 jobsMayes County12,478Ottawa County: 12,168 jobsOttawa County12,168Custer County: 12,147 jobsCuster County12,147McCurtain County: 11,963 jobsMcCurtain County11,963Grady County: 11,915 jobsGrady County11,915Le Flore County: 11,701 jobsLe Flore County11,701McClain County: 9,743 jobsMcClain County9,743Garvin County: 9,554 jobsGarvin County9,554Wagoner County: 9,378 jobsWagoner County9,378Jackson County: 9,322 jobsJackson County9,322Okmulgee County: 9,243 jobsOkmulgee County9,243Texas County: 9,210 jobsTexas County9,210Sequoyah County: 9,152 jobsSequoyah County9,152Delaware County: 9,042 jobsDelaware County9,042Beckham County: 8,342 jobsBeckham County8,342Woodward County: 7,872 jobsWoodward County7,872Logan County: 7,645 jobsLogan County7,645Caddo County: 7,290 jobsCaddo County7,290Seminole County: 6,895 jobsSeminole County6,895Lincoln County: 6,730 jobsLincoln County6,730Kingfisher County: 6,312 jobsKingfisher County6,312Oklahoma County: 453,530 jobsOklahoma County453,530Tulsa County: 347,639 jobsTulsa County347,639Cleveland County: 86,620 jobsCleveland County86,620Comanche County: 39,957 jobsComanche County39,957Canadian County: 33,374 jobsCanadian County33,374Payne County: 32,371 jobsPayne County32,371Muskogee County: 28,652 jobsMuskogee County28,652Rogers County: 25,295 jobsRogers County25,295Garfield County: 23,206 jobsGarfield County23,206Carter County: 22,315 jobsCarter County22,315Pottawatomie County: 21,934 jobsPottawatomie County21,934Bryan County: 19,117 jobsBryan County19,117Pontotoc County: 18,756 jobsPontotoc County18,756Washington County: 18,627 jobsWashington County18,627Creek County: 18,563 jobsCreek County18,563Kay County: 17,256 jobsKay County17,256Cherokee County: 16,317 jobsCherokee County16,317Pittsburg County: 14,857 jobsPittsburg County14,857Stephens County: 14,227 jobsStephens County14,227Mayes County: 12,478 jobsMayes County12,478Ottawa County: 12,168 jobsOttawa County12,168Custer County: 12,147 jobsCuster County12,147McCurtain County: 11,963 jobsMcCurtain County11,963Grady County: 11,915 jobsGrady County11,915Le Flore County: 11,701 jobsLe Flore County11,701McClain County: 9,743 jobsMcClain County9,743Garvin County: 9,554 jobsGarvin County9,554Wagoner County: 9,378 jobsWagoner County9,378Jackson County: 9,322 jobsJackson County9,322Okmulgee County: 9,243 jobsOkmulgee County9,243Texas County: 9,210 jobsTexas County9,210Sequoyah County: 9,152 jobsSequoyah County9,152Delaware County: 9,042 jobsDelaware County9,042Beckham County: 8,342 jobsBeckham County8,342Woodward County: 7,872 jobsWoodward County7,872Logan County: 7,645 jobsLogan County7,645Caddo County: 7,290 jobsCaddo County7,290Seminole County: 6,895 jobsSeminole County6,895Lincoln County: 6,730 jobsLincoln County6,730Kingfisher County: 6,312 jobsKingfisher County6,312
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
1Oklahoma County453,530+1.9%
2Tulsa County347,639+1.1%
3Cleveland County86,620+4.4%
4Comanche County39,957-0.2%
5Canadian County33,374+3%
6Payne County32,371+1.2%
7Muskogee County28,652-0.9%
8Rogers County25,295-1.6%
9Garfield County23,206-0.6%
10Carter County22,315+1.6%
11Pottawatomie County21,934+1.5%
12Bryan County19,117-2.2%
13Pontotoc County18,756-0.1%
14Washington County18,627+1.7%
15Creek County18,563+0.7%
16Kay County17,256+1.2%
17Cherokee County16,317+1.8%
18Pittsburg County14,857-1%
19Stephens County14,227+2.8%
20Mayes County12,478-0.1%
21Ottawa County12,168+1.8%
22Custer County12,147+0.9%
23McCurtain County11,963+5.4%
24Grady County11,915-1.6%
25Le Flore County11,701-3%
26McClain County9,743+1.3%
27Garvin County9,554-0.2%
28Wagoner County9,378+0.1%
29Jackson County9,322+0.5%
30Okmulgee County9,243-1.8%
31Texas County9,210-2.4%
32Sequoyah County9,152-0.6%
33Delaware County9,042+2.2%
34Beckham County8,342-1.7%
35Woodward County7,872-2.3%
36Logan County7,645+0.4%
37Caddo County7,290+0.1%
38Seminole County6,895-0.3%
39Lincoln County6,730+0.7%
40Kingfisher County6,312-2%
41Osage County6,189-1.5%
42Love County5,552-11%
43Murray County5,179-0.4%
44Craig County4,941-1.5%
45Adair County4,607+4.9%
46Noble County4,490+1.8%
47Marshall County4,434+5.9%
48Choctaw County4,394+8.3%
49McIntosh County4,208+1.4%
50Woods County3,395+2.3%
51Pawnee County3,318+0.9%
52Haskell County3,297+0.2%
53Atoka County3,165-2.8%
54Blaine County2,918+0.9%
55Hughes County2,815-3.4%
56Johnston County2,731-1.1%
57Pushmataha County2,665+6.4%
58Okfuskee County2,283+0.8%
59Latimer County2,251-1.1%
60Major County2,035-6.1%
61Kiowa County1,905+1.8%
62Nowata County1,812-0.1%
63Washita County1,810-4.4%
64Dewey County1,609-1.3%
65Cotton County1,591+2.5%
66Tillman County1,531-6.5%
67Grant County1,331-2.1%
68Beaver County1,300-0.2%
69Alfalfa County1,263-7.3%
70Coal County1,124+0.3%
71Ellis County1,120-2.9%
72Harper County1,063-2.2%
73Jefferson County1,023-6.5%
74Roger Mills County878+1.7%
75Greer County867-3.9%
76Cimarron County779+3.7%
77Harmon County615-2.8%

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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma 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/oklahoma-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 Oklahoma 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/oklahoma-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 Oklahoma 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/oklahoma-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

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

Oklahoma County, with 453,530 jobs in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Harmon County, with 615 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 Oklahoma: more rankings