Counties in West Virginia by covered employment (QCEW), 2025

Kanawha County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 55 counties in 2025, at 95,946 jobs. Wirt County had the lowest, at 697 jobs. The median was 5,726 jobs and the figure for West Virginia was 695,422 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest95,946Kanawha County
Lowest697Wirt County
Median5,72655 counties
West Virginia695,422History

Map of counties, 2025

Barbour County: 3,990 jobsBerkeley County: 38,558 jobsBoone County: 4,598 jobsBraxton County: 4,975 jobsBrooke County: 7,440 jobsCabell County: 51,765 jobsCalhoun County: 1,206 jobsClay County: 1,572 jobsDoddridge County: 1,632 jobsFayette County: 10,398 jobsGilmer County: 1,784 jobsGrant County: 3,742 jobsGreenbrier County: 12,265 jobsHampshire County: 4,248 jobsHancock County: 8,742 jobsHardy County: 6,072 jobsHarrison County: 37,414 jobsJackson County: 7,732 jobsJefferson County: 17,136 jobsKanawha County: 95,946 jobsLewis County: 5,726 jobsLincoln County: 2,608 jobsLogan County: 11,617 jobsMcDowell County: 3,739 jobsMarion County: 17,374 jobsMarshall County: 10,372 jobsMason County: 6,881 jobsMercer County: 19,507 jobsMineral County: 8,616 jobsMingo County: 4,466 jobsMonongalia County: 59,770 jobsMonroe County: 1,882 jobsMorgan County: 3,110 jobsNicholas County: 6,987 jobsOhio County: 27,052 jobsPendleton County: 1,505 jobsPleasants County: 2,296 jobsPocahontas County: 2,999 jobsPreston County: 7,365 jobsPutnam County: 22,322 jobsRaleigh County: 32,153 jobsRandolph County: 10,309 jobsRitchie County: 2,968 jobsRoane County: 2,749 jobsSummers County: 2,131 jobsTaylor County: 3,475 jobsTucker County: 2,748 jobsTyler County: 1,957 jobsUpshur County: 7,637 jobsWayne County: 8,412 jobsWebster County: 1,473 jobsWetzel County: 4,442 jobsWirt County: 697 jobsWood County: 35,119 jobsWyoming County: 4,303 jobs
  • Under 2,100
  • 2,100 to 3,700
  • 3,700 to 5,700
  • 5,700 to 8,600
  • 8,600 to 20K
  • 20K and over
jobs, 2025. 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, 2025

Kanawha County: 95,946 jobsKanawha County95,946Monongalia County: 59,770 jobsMonongalia County59,770Cabell County: 51,765 jobsCabell County51,765Berkeley County: 38,558 jobsBerkeley County38,558Harrison County: 37,414 jobsHarrison County37,414Wood County: 35,119 jobsWood County35,119Raleigh County: 32,153 jobsRaleigh County32,153Ohio County: 27,052 jobsOhio County27,052Putnam County: 22,322 jobsPutnam County22,322Mercer County: 19,507 jobsMercer County19,507Marion County: 17,374 jobsMarion County17,374Jefferson County: 17,136 jobsJefferson County17,136Greenbrier County: 12,265 jobsGreenbrier County12,265Logan County: 11,617 jobsLogan County11,617Fayette County: 10,398 jobsFayette County10,398Marshall County: 10,372 jobsMarshall County10,372Randolph County: 10,309 jobsRandolph County10,309Hancock County: 8,742 jobsHancock County8,742Mineral County: 8,616 jobsMineral County8,616Wayne County: 8,412 jobsWayne County8,412Jackson County: 7,732 jobsJackson County7,732Upshur County: 7,637 jobsUpshur County7,637Brooke County: 7,440 jobsBrooke County7,440Preston County: 7,365 jobsPreston County7,365Nicholas County: 6,987 jobsNicholas County6,987Mason County: 6,881 jobsMason County6,881Hardy County: 6,072 jobsHardy County6,072Lewis County: 5,726 jobsLewis County5,726Braxton County: 4,975 jobsBraxton County4,975Boone County: 4,598 jobsBoone County4,598Mingo County: 4,466 jobsMingo County4,466Wetzel County: 4,442 jobsWetzel County4,442Wyoming County: 4,303 jobsWyoming County4,303Hampshire County: 4,248 jobsHampshire County4,248Barbour County: 3,990 jobsBarbour County3,990Grant County: 3,742 jobsGrant County3,742McDowell County: 3,739 jobsMcDowell County3,739Taylor County: 3,475 jobsTaylor County3,475Morgan County: 3,110 jobsMorgan County3,110Pocahontas County: 2,999 jobsPocahontas County2,999Ritchie County: 2,968 jobsRitchie County2,968Roane County: 2,749 jobsRoane County2,749Tucker County: 2,748 jobsTucker County2,748Lincoln County: 2,608 jobsLincoln County2,608Pleasants County: 2,296 jobsPleasants County2,296Summers County: 2,131 jobsSummers County2,131Tyler County: 1,957 jobsTyler County1,957Monroe County: 1,882 jobsMonroe County1,882Gilmer County: 1,784 jobsGilmer County1,784Doddridge County: 1,632 jobsDoddridge County1,632Clay County: 1,572 jobsClay County1,572Pendleton County: 1,505 jobsPendleton County1,505Webster County: 1,473 jobsWebster County1,473Calhoun County: 1,206 jobsCalhoun County1,206Wirt County: 697 jobsWirt County697Kanawha County: 95,946 jobsKanawha County95,946Monongalia County: 59,770 jobsMonongalia County59,770Cabell County: 51,765 jobsCabell County51,765Berkeley County: 38,558 jobsBerkeley County38,558Harrison County: 37,414 jobsHarrison County37,414Wood County: 35,119 jobsWood County35,119Raleigh County: 32,153 jobsRaleigh County32,153Ohio County: 27,052 jobsOhio County27,052Putnam County: 22,322 jobsPutnam County22,322Mercer County: 19,507 jobsMercer County19,507Marion County: 17,374 jobsMarion County17,374Jefferson County: 17,136 jobsJefferson County17,136Greenbrier County: 12,265 jobsGreenbrier County12,265Logan County: 11,617 jobsLogan County11,617Fayette County: 10,398 jobsFayette County10,398Marshall County: 10,372 jobsMarshall County10,372Randolph County: 10,309 jobsRandolph County10,309Hancock County: 8,742 jobsHancock County8,742Mineral County: 8,616 jobsMineral County8,616Wayne County: 8,412 jobsWayne County8,412Jackson County: 7,732 jobsJackson County7,732Upshur County: 7,637 jobsUpshur County7,637Brooke County: 7,440 jobsBrooke County7,440Preston County: 7,365 jobsPreston County7,365Nicholas County: 6,987 jobsNicholas County6,987Mason County: 6,881 jobsMason County6,881Hardy County: 6,072 jobsHardy County6,072Lewis County: 5,726 jobsLewis County5,726Braxton County: 4,975 jobsBraxton County4,975Boone County: 4,598 jobsBoone County4,598Mingo County: 4,466 jobsMingo County4,466Wetzel County: 4,442 jobsWetzel County4,442Wyoming County: 4,303 jobsWyoming County4,303Hampshire County: 4,248 jobsHampshire County4,248Barbour County: 3,990 jobsBarbour County3,990Grant County: 3,742 jobsGrant County3,742McDowell County: 3,739 jobsMcDowell County3,739Taylor County: 3,475 jobsTaylor County3,475Morgan County: 3,110 jobsMorgan County3,110Pocahontas County: 2,999 jobsPocahontas County2,999Ritchie County: 2,968 jobsRitchie County2,968Roane County: 2,749 jobsRoane County2,749Tucker County: 2,748 jobsTucker County2,748Lincoln County: 2,608 jobsLincoln County2,608Pleasants County: 2,296 jobsPleasants County2,296Summers County: 2,131 jobsSummers County2,131Tyler County: 1,957 jobsTyler County1,957Monroe County: 1,882 jobsMonroe County1,882Gilmer County: 1,784 jobsGilmer County1,784Doddridge County: 1,632 jobsDoddridge County1,632Clay County: 1,572 jobsClay County1,572Pendleton County: 1,505 jobsPendleton County1,505Webster County: 1,473 jobsWebster County1,473Calhoun County: 1,206 jobsCalhoun County1,206Wirt County: 697 jobsWirt County697
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

RankCounties2025
jobs
Change on 2024
1Kanawha County95,946-1.9%
2Monongalia County59,770+0.6%
3Cabell County51,765-0.5%
4Berkeley County38,558+0.3%
5Harrison County37,414+0.9%
6Wood County35,119-1.1%
7Raleigh County32,153-0.5%
8Ohio County27,052-0.2%
9Putnam County22,322+5.2%
10Mercer County19,507+1%
11Marion County17,374-1.4%
12Jefferson County17,136+0.3%
13Greenbrier County12,265-4.1%
14Logan County11,617+10.6%
15Fayette County10,398+1.3%
16Marshall County10,372-1.6%
17Randolph County10,309-1.5%
18Hancock County8,742-4.4%
19Mineral County8,616-0.9%
20Wayne County8,412-1%
21Jackson County7,732-1%
22Upshur County7,637-0.5%
23Brooke County7,440+5.4%
24Preston County7,365+2.2%
25Nicholas County6,987-4.6%
26Mason County6,881+11.5%
27Hardy County6,072-0.1%
28Lewis County5,726-0.3%
29Braxton County4,975+33.1%
30Boone County4,598-3.3%
31Mingo County4,466-9.8%
32Wetzel County4,442-8.9%
33Wyoming County4,303-1%
34Hampshire County4,248+0.1%
35Barbour County3,990-0.1%
36Grant County3,742+3.4%
37McDowell County3,739-5%
38Taylor County3,475+2.2%
39Morgan County3,110+0.8%
40Pocahontas County2,999+0.8%
41Ritchie County2,968-1.3%
42Roane County2,749-4.7%
43Tucker County2,748-3.1%
44Lincoln County2,608+7.6%
45Pleasants County2,296-8%
46Summers County2,131-1.8%
47Tyler County1,957+2.2%
48Monroe County1,882-8%
49Gilmer County1,784+2.3%
50Doddridge County1,632+4.3%
51Clay County1,572-7.1%
52Pendleton County1,505+0.6%
53Webster County1,473-0.9%
54Calhoun County1,206+2.6%
55Wirt County697-1.6%

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/2025/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 West Virginia by covered employment (QCEW), 2025) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/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 West Virginia by covered employment (QCEW), 2025. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties. 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 West Virginia by covered employment (QCEW), 2025. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties.

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 West Virginia by covered employment (QCEW), 2025 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_west_virginia_2025,
  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 West Virginia by covered employment (QCEW), 2025}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties. 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/2025/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 West Virginia by covered employment (QCEW), 2025
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2025/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties.
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/2025/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Kanawha County, with 95,946 jobs in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Wirt County, with 697 jobs in 2025.

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 West Virginia: more rankings