Counties in West Virginia by covered employment (QCEW)

Kanawha County had the highest covered employment (QCEW) of 55 counties in 2015, at 102,811 jobs. Wirt County had the lowest, at 559 jobs. The median was 5,744 jobs and the figure for West Virginia was 696,195 jobs. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest102,811Kanawha County
Lowest559Wirt County
Median5,74455 counties
West Virginia696,195History

Map of counties, 2015

Barbour County: 3,347 jobsBerkeley County: 32,295 jobsBoone County: 5,942 jobsBraxton County: 4,017 jobsBrooke County: 8,150 jobsCabell County: 51,605 jobsCalhoun County: 1,294 jobsClay County: 1,386 jobsDoddridge County: 1,401 jobsFayette County: 10,886 jobsGilmer County: 2,184 jobsGrant County: 3,408 jobsGreenbrier County: 13,226 jobsHampshire County: 3,995 jobsHancock County: 10,035 jobsHardy County: 5,744 jobsHarrison County: 35,103 jobsJackson County: 7,764 jobsJefferson County: 15,341 jobsKanawha County: 102,811 jobsLewis County: 6,650 jobsLincoln County: 2,577 jobsLogan County: 10,227 jobsMcDowell County: 4,797 jobsMarion County: 19,143 jobsMarshall County: 10,601 jobsMason County: 5,621 jobsMercer County: 19,793 jobsMineral County: 7,727 jobsMingo County: 5,563 jobsMonongalia County: 55,109 jobsMonroe County: 1,924 jobsMorgan County: 2,693 jobsNicholas County: 7,785 jobsOhio County: 29,100 jobsPendleton County: 1,536 jobsPleasants County: 2,911 jobsPocahontas County: 3,003 jobsPreston County: 7,294 jobsPutnam County: 20,272 jobsRaleigh County: 32,291 jobsRandolph County: 11,448 jobsRitchie County: 3,309 jobsRoane County: 2,968 jobsSummers County: 2,228 jobsTaylor County: 3,269 jobsTucker County: 2,713 jobsTyler County: 2,366 jobsUpshur County: 7,609 jobsWayne County: 8,718 jobsWebster County: 1,998 jobsWetzel County: 4,590 jobsWirt County: 559 jobsWood County: 37,459 jobsWyoming County: 4,735 jobs
  • Under 2,000
  • 2,000 to 3,000
  • 3,000 to 6,000
  • 6,000 to 9,000
  • 9,000 to 20K
  • 20K and over
jobs, 2015. 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, 2015

Kanawha County: 102,811 jobsKanawha County102,811Monongalia County: 55,109 jobsMonongalia County55,109Cabell County: 51,605 jobsCabell County51,605Wood County: 37,459 jobsWood County37,459Harrison County: 35,103 jobsHarrison County35,103Berkeley County: 32,295 jobsBerkeley County32,295Raleigh County: 32,291 jobsRaleigh County32,291Ohio County: 29,100 jobsOhio County29,100Putnam County: 20,272 jobsPutnam County20,272Mercer County: 19,793 jobsMercer County19,793Marion County: 19,143 jobsMarion County19,143Jefferson County: 15,341 jobsJefferson County15,341Greenbrier County: 13,226 jobsGreenbrier County13,226Randolph County: 11,448 jobsRandolph County11,448Fayette County: 10,886 jobsFayette County10,886Marshall County: 10,601 jobsMarshall County10,601Logan County: 10,227 jobsLogan County10,227Hancock County: 10,035 jobsHancock County10,035Wayne County: 8,718 jobsWayne County8,718Brooke County: 8,150 jobsBrooke County8,150Nicholas County: 7,785 jobsNicholas County7,785Jackson County: 7,764 jobsJackson County7,764Mineral County: 7,727 jobsMineral County7,727Upshur County: 7,609 jobsUpshur County7,609Preston County: 7,294 jobsPreston County7,294Lewis County: 6,650 jobsLewis County6,650Boone County: 5,942 jobsBoone County5,942Hardy County: 5,744 jobsHardy County5,744Mason County: 5,621 jobsMason County5,621Mingo County: 5,563 jobsMingo County5,563McDowell County: 4,797 jobsMcDowell County4,797Wyoming County: 4,735 jobsWyoming County4,735Wetzel County: 4,590 jobsWetzel County4,590Braxton County: 4,017 jobsBraxton County4,017Hampshire County: 3,995 jobsHampshire County3,995Grant County: 3,408 jobsGrant County3,408Barbour County: 3,347 jobsBarbour County3,347Ritchie County: 3,309 jobsRitchie County3,309Taylor County: 3,269 jobsTaylor County3,269Pocahontas County: 3,003 jobsPocahontas County3,003Roane County: 2,968 jobsRoane County2,968Pleasants County: 2,911 jobsPleasants County2,911Tucker County: 2,713 jobsTucker County2,713Morgan County: 2,693 jobsMorgan County2,693Lincoln County: 2,577 jobsLincoln County2,577Tyler County: 2,366 jobsTyler County2,366Summers County: 2,228 jobsSummers County2,228Gilmer County: 2,184 jobsGilmer County2,184Webster County: 1,998 jobsWebster County1,998Monroe County: 1,924 jobsMonroe County1,924Pendleton County: 1,536 jobsPendleton County1,536Doddridge County: 1,401 jobsDoddridge County1,401Clay County: 1,386 jobsClay County1,386Calhoun County: 1,294 jobsCalhoun County1,294Wirt County: 559 jobsWirt County559Kanawha County: 102,811 jobsKanawha County102,811Monongalia County: 55,109 jobsMonongalia County55,109Cabell County: 51,605 jobsCabell County51,605Wood County: 37,459 jobsWood County37,459Harrison County: 35,103 jobsHarrison County35,103Berkeley County: 32,295 jobsBerkeley County32,295Raleigh County: 32,291 jobsRaleigh County32,291Ohio County: 29,100 jobsOhio County29,100Putnam County: 20,272 jobsPutnam County20,272Mercer County: 19,793 jobsMercer County19,793Marion County: 19,143 jobsMarion County19,143Jefferson County: 15,341 jobsJefferson County15,341Greenbrier County: 13,226 jobsGreenbrier County13,226Randolph County: 11,448 jobsRandolph County11,448Fayette County: 10,886 jobsFayette County10,886Marshall County: 10,601 jobsMarshall County10,601Logan County: 10,227 jobsLogan County10,227Hancock County: 10,035 jobsHancock County10,035Wayne County: 8,718 jobsWayne County8,718Brooke County: 8,150 jobsBrooke County8,150Nicholas County: 7,785 jobsNicholas County7,785Jackson County: 7,764 jobsJackson County7,764Mineral County: 7,727 jobsMineral County7,727Upshur County: 7,609 jobsUpshur County7,609Preston County: 7,294 jobsPreston County7,294Lewis County: 6,650 jobsLewis County6,650Boone County: 5,942 jobsBoone County5,942Hardy County: 5,744 jobsHardy County5,744Mason County: 5,621 jobsMason County5,621Mingo County: 5,563 jobsMingo County5,563McDowell County: 4,797 jobsMcDowell County4,797Wyoming County: 4,735 jobsWyoming County4,735Wetzel County: 4,590 jobsWetzel County4,590Braxton County: 4,017 jobsBraxton County4,017Hampshire County: 3,995 jobsHampshire County3,995Grant County: 3,408 jobsGrant County3,408Barbour County: 3,347 jobsBarbour County3,347Ritchie County: 3,309 jobsRitchie County3,309Taylor County: 3,269 jobsTaylor County3,269Pocahontas County: 3,003 jobsPocahontas County3,003Roane County: 2,968 jobsRoane County2,968Pleasants County: 2,911 jobsPleasants County2,911Tucker County: 2,713 jobsTucker County2,713Morgan County: 2,693 jobsMorgan County2,693Lincoln County: 2,577 jobsLincoln County2,577Tyler County: 2,366 jobsTyler County2,366Summers County: 2,228 jobsSummers County2,228Gilmer County: 2,184 jobsGilmer County2,184Webster County: 1,998 jobsWebster County1,998Monroe County: 1,924 jobsMonroe County1,924Pendleton County: 1,536 jobsPendleton County1,536Doddridge County: 1,401 jobsDoddridge County1,401Clay County: 1,386 jobsClay County1,386Calhoun County: 1,294 jobsCalhoun County1,294Wirt County: 559 jobsWirt County559
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

RankCounties2015
jobs
Change on 2014
1Kanawha County102,811-0.8%
2Monongalia County55,109+1.8%
3Cabell County51,605+0.4%
4Wood County37,459-0.8%
5Harrison County35,103-0.6%
6Berkeley County32,295+1.6%
7Raleigh County32,291-2%
8Ohio County29,100+0.1%
9Putnam County20,272+2.1%
10Mercer County19,793-0.7%
11Marion County19,143-3.7%
12Jefferson County15,341+3.4%
13Greenbrier County13,226-0.8%
14Randolph County11,448-0.1%
15Fayette County10,886-1.3%
16Marshall County10,601-5.1%
17Logan County10,227-5.2%
18Hancock County10,035-1.6%
19Wayne County8,718-1.8%
20Brooke County8,150+0.8%
21Nicholas County7,785-1.6%
22Jackson County7,764+1.4%
23Mineral County7,727+0.7%
24Upshur County7,609-1.1%
25Preston County7,294-0.1%
26Lewis County6,650-4%
27Boone County5,942-11.4%
28Hardy County5,744+0.8%
29Mason County5,621-2.6%
30Mingo County5,563-12.1%
31McDowell County4,797-9%
32Wyoming County4,735-3.5%
33Wetzel County4,590+0.2%
34Braxton County4,017+5%
35Hampshire County3,995+1.6%
36Grant County3,408-4.6%
37Barbour County3,347-2.4%
38Ritchie County3,309-1%
39Taylor County3,269+0.2%
40Pocahontas County3,003-0.9%
41Roane County2,968-3.4%
42Pleasants County2,911-1.2%
43Tucker County2,713+1%
44Morgan County2,693-2.5%
45Lincoln County2,577-8%
46Tyler County2,366+2%
47Summers County2,228+4.7%
48Gilmer County2,184-1.8%
49Webster County1,998-2.3%
50Monroe County1,924+1.5%
51Pendleton County1,536-0.6%
52Doddridge County1,401-0.5%
53Clay County1,386-1.7%
54Calhoun County1,294-8.9%
55Wirt County559+0.5%

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/2015/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), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/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), 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties?period=2015. 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), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties?period=2015.

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), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_west_virginia_2015,
  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), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties?period=2015. 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/2015/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), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/covered-employment/west-virginia-counties?period=2015.
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/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in West Virginia by covered employment (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"covered_employment","level":"province","within":"West Virginia","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=covered_employment&level=province&within=West%20Virginia&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest covered employment (QCEW)?

Kanawha County, with 102,811 jobs in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest covered employment (QCEW)?

Wirt County, with 559 jobs in 2015.

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