Counties in Minnesota by wages and salaries paid

Hennepin County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 87 counties in 2016, at $64.84 billion. Red Lake County had the lowest, at $39.12 million. The median was $335.25 million and the figure for Minnesota was $158.15 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest64,840.3Hennepin County
Lowest39.1Red Lake County
Median335.287 counties
Minnesota158,151.1History

Map of counties, 2016

Aitkin County: 143.4 USD millionAnoka County: 6,540.8 USD millionBecker County: 561.4 USD millionBeltrami County: 799.5 USD millionBenton County: 726.3 USD millionBig Stone County: 75.6 USD millionBlue Earth County: 1,715 USD millionBrown County: 556.2 USD millionCarlton County: 594.7 USD millionCarver County: 2,063.2 USD millionCass County: 335.2 USD millionChippewa County: 231.2 USD millionChisago County: 688.7 USD millionClay County: 818.5 USD millionClearwater County: 120.4 USD millionCook County: 94.2 USD millionCottonwood County: 169 USD millionCrow Wing County: 1,200.3 USD millionDakota County: 10,484.8 USD millionDodge County: 274.7 USD millionDouglas County: 790.9 USD millionFaribault County: 178.2 USD millionFillmore County: 220.6 USD millionFreeborn County: 511.2 USD millionGoodhue County: 1,013.8 USD millionGrant County: 76.7 USD millionHennepin County: 64,840.3 USD millionHouston County: 184.2 USD millionHubbard County: 220.8 USD millionIsanti County: 448.3 USD millionItasca County: 666.7 USD millionJackson County: 209.8 USD millionKanabec County: 152.6 USD millionKandiyohi County: 928.4 USD millionKittson County: 61.9 USD millionKoochiching County: 189.5 USD millionLac qui Parle County: 81.2 USD millionLake County: 169.8 USD millionLake of the Woods County: 55.9 USD millionLe Sueur County: 393.4 USD millionLincoln County: 66 USD millionLyon County: 631 USD millionMcLeod County: 763.6 USD millionMahnomen County: 69.8 USD millionMarshall County: 102.9 USD millionMartin County: 363.4 USD millionMeeker County: 284 USD millionMille Lacs County: 341.1 USD millionMorrison County: 407.6 USD millionMower County: 857.8 USD millionMurray County: 114.5 USD millionNicollet County: 636.8 USD millionNobles County: 446.3 USD millionNorman County: 69.2 USD millionOlmsted County: 5,729.5 USD millionOtter Tail County: 905 USD millionPennington County: 483.4 USD millionPine County: 274.9 USD millionPipestone County: 165.4 USD millionPolk County: 502 USD millionPope County: 194.1 USD millionRamsey County: 21,105.2 USD millionRed Lake County: 39.1 USD millionRedwood County: 235 USD millionRenville County: 252.6 USD millionRice County: 1,138.8 USD millionRock County: 142.4 USD millionRoseau County: 349.2 USD millionSt. Louis County: 4,474.9 USD millionScott County: 2,448.7 USD millionSherburne County: 1,159.9 USD millionSibley County: 157.7 USD millionStearns County: 4,046.7 USD millionSteele County: 956.9 USD millionStevens County: 225.2 USD millionSwift County: 145.2 USD millionTodd County: 256.2 USD millionTraverse County: 49.4 USD millionWabasha County: 256.4 USD millionWadena County: 217.1 USD millionWaseca County: 268.3 USD millionWashington County: 3,955.5 USD millionWatonwan County: 156.6 USD millionWilkin County: 90.4 USD millionWinona County: 1,042.4 USD millionWright County: 1,832.3 USD millionYellow Medicine County: 153.2 USD million
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 600
  • 600 to 1,100
  • 1,100 and over
USD million, 2016. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Hennepin County: 64,840.3 USD millionHennepin County64,840.3Ramsey County: 21,105.2 USD millionRamsey County21,105.2Dakota County: 10,484.8 USD millionDakota County10,484.8Anoka County: 6,540.8 USD millionAnoka County6,540.8Olmsted County: 5,729.5 USD millionOlmsted County5,729.5St. Louis County: 4,474.9 USD millionSt. Louis County4,474.9Stearns County: 4,046.7 USD millionStearns County4,046.7Washington County: 3,955.5 USD millionWashington County3,955.5Scott County: 2,448.7 USD millionScott County2,448.7Carver County: 2,063.2 USD millionCarver County2,063.2Wright County: 1,832.3 USD millionWright County1,832.3Blue Earth County: 1,715 USD millionBlue Earth County1,715Crow Wing County: 1,200.3 USD millionCrow Wing County1,200.3Sherburne County: 1,159.9 USD millionSherburne County1,159.9Rice County: 1,138.8 USD millionRice County1,138.8Winona County: 1,042.4 USD millionWinona County1,042.4Goodhue County: 1,013.8 USD millionGoodhue County1,013.8Steele County: 956.9 USD millionSteele County956.9Kandiyohi County: 928.4 USD millionKandiyohi County928.4Otter Tail County: 905 USD millionOtter Tail County905Mower County: 857.8 USD millionMower County857.8Clay County: 818.5 USD millionClay County818.5Beltrami County: 799.5 USD millionBeltrami County799.5Douglas County: 790.9 USD millionDouglas County790.9McLeod County: 763.6 USD millionMcLeod County763.6Benton County: 726.3 USD millionBenton County726.3Chisago County: 688.7 USD millionChisago County688.7Itasca County: 666.7 USD millionItasca County666.7Nicollet County: 636.8 USD millionNicollet County636.8Lyon County: 631 USD millionLyon County631Carlton County: 594.7 USD millionCarlton County594.7Becker County: 561.4 USD millionBecker County561.4Brown County: 556.2 USD millionBrown County556.2Freeborn County: 511.2 USD millionFreeborn County511.2Polk County: 502 USD millionPolk County502Pennington County: 483.4 USD millionPennington County483.4Isanti County: 448.3 USD millionIsanti County448.3Nobles County: 446.3 USD millionNobles County446.3Morrison County: 407.6 USD millionMorrison County407.6Le Sueur County: 393.4 USD millionLe Sueur County393.4Hennepin County: 64,840.3 USD millionHennepin County64,840.3Ramsey County: 21,105.2 USD millionRamsey County21,105.2Dakota County: 10,484.8 USD millionDakota County10,484.8Anoka County: 6,540.8 USD millionAnoka County6,540.8Olmsted County: 5,729.5 USD millionOlmsted County5,729.5St. Louis County: 4,474.9 USD millionSt. Louis County4,474.9Stearns County: 4,046.7 USD millionStearns County4,046.7Washington County: 3,955.5 USD millionWashington County3,955.5Scott County: 2,448.7 USD millionScott County2,448.7Carver County: 2,063.2 USD millionCarver County2,063.2Wright County: 1,832.3 USD millionWright County1,832.3Blue Earth County: 1,715 USD millionBlue Earth County1,715Crow Wing County: 1,200.3 USD millionCrow Wing County1,200.3Sherburne County: 1,159.9 USD millionSherburne County1,159.9Rice County: 1,138.8 USD millionRice County1,138.8Winona County: 1,042.4 USD millionWinona County1,042.4Goodhue County: 1,013.8 USD millionGoodhue County1,013.8Steele County: 956.9 USD millionSteele County956.9Kandiyohi County: 928.4 USD millionKandiyohi County928.4Otter Tail County: 905 USD millionOtter Tail County905Mower County: 857.8 USD millionMower County857.8Clay County: 818.5 USD millionClay County818.5Beltrami County: 799.5 USD millionBeltrami County799.5Douglas County: 790.9 USD millionDouglas County790.9McLeod County: 763.6 USD millionMcLeod County763.6Benton County: 726.3 USD millionBenton County726.3Chisago County: 688.7 USD millionChisago County688.7Itasca County: 666.7 USD millionItasca County666.7Nicollet County: 636.8 USD millionNicollet County636.8Lyon County: 631 USD millionLyon County631Carlton County: 594.7 USD millionCarlton County594.7Becker County: 561.4 USD millionBecker County561.4Brown County: 556.2 USD millionBrown County556.2Freeborn County: 511.2 USD millionFreeborn County511.2Polk County: 502 USD millionPolk County502Pennington County: 483.4 USD millionPennington County483.4Isanti County: 448.3 USD millionIsanti County448.3Nobles County: 446.3 USD millionNobles County446.3Morrison County: 407.6 USD millionMorrison County407.6Le Sueur County: 393.4 USD millionLe Sueur County393.4
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
USD million
Change on 2015
1Hennepin County64,840.3+3.2%
2Ramsey County21,105.2+1.5%
3Dakota County10,484.8+1.5%
4Anoka County6,540.8+2.8%
5Olmsted County5,729.5+4.6%
6St. Louis County4,474.90%
7Stearns County4,046.7+4.3%
8Washington County3,955.5+6.1%
9Scott County2,448.7+6.3%
10Carver County2,063.2-1.6%
11Wright County1,832.3+5.1%
12Blue Earth County1,715+3.8%
13Crow Wing County1,200.3+5%
14Sherburne County1,159.9+2.6%
15Rice County1,138.8+5.5%
16Winona County1,042.4+1.9%
17Goodhue County1,013.8-1.9%
18Steele County956.9+4%
19Kandiyohi County928.4+4.2%
20Otter Tail County905+3.9%
21Mower County857.8+5.8%
22Clay County818.5+0.8%
23Beltrami County799.5+5.8%
24Douglas County790.9+3.3%
25McLeod County763.6-0.5%
26Benton County726.3+4.4%
27Chisago County688.7+6.1%
28Itasca County666.7-4.6%
29Nicollet County636.8+3.8%
30Lyon County631-1.4%
31Carlton County594.7+4.1%
32Becker County561.4+3.8%
33Brown County556.2+1.3%
34Freeborn County511.2+2.2%
35Polk County502+3.6%
36Pennington County483.4+2.8%
37Isanti County448.3+0.3%
38Nobles County446.3+4.4%
39Morrison County407.6+3.5%
40Le Sueur County393.4+7.7%
41Martin County363.4+3.5%
42Roseau County349.2-2.6%
43Mille Lacs County341.1+2%
44Cass County335.2+7%
45Meeker County284+3.7%
46Pine County274.9+3.4%
47Dodge County274.7+3.9%
48Waseca County268.3-5.1%
49Wabasha County256.4-2.8%
50Todd County256.2+4.5%
51Renville County252.6+1.1%
52Redwood County235+6.7%
53Chippewa County231.2+6.9%
54Stevens County225.2+1.2%
55Hubbard County220.8+3%
56Fillmore County220.6+4.1%
57Wadena County217.1+3.3%
58Jackson County209.8+0.4%
59Pope County194.1-2.3%
60Koochiching County189.5-2.1%
61Houston County184.2+7.5%
62Faribault County178.2-0.2%
63Lake County169.8-13.2%
64Cottonwood County169-7.1%
65Pipestone County165.4+3.6%
66Sibley County157.7+11.6%
67Watonwan County156.6+9.7%
68Yellow Medicine County153.2+0.4%
69Kanabec County152.6+6%
70Swift County145.2+3.7%
71Aitkin County143.4+6.8%
72Rock County142.4+2.1%
73Clearwater County120.4+1%
74Murray County114.5+2.8%
75Marshall County102.9-0.4%
76Cook County94.2+1.9%
77Wilkin County90.4+1.5%
78Lac qui Parle County81.2-5.8%
79Grant County76.7-1.1%
80Big Stone County75.6+7.8%
81Mahnomen County69.8+2.5%
82Norman County69.2+3.4%
83Lincoln County66+5.8%
84Kittson County61.9-0.6%
85Lake of the Woods County55.9+5%
86Traverse County49.4+4%
87Red Lake County39.1+3.2%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

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 Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. 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 Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in Minnesota by wages and salaries paid, 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Minnesota by wages and salaries paid, 2016. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/minnesota-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in Minnesota by wages and salaries paid, 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/minnesota-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Minnesota by wages and salaries paid, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/minnesota-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Minnesota by wages and salaries paid, 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/minnesota-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Minnesota by wages and salaries paid, 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/minnesota-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/minnesota-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Hennepin County, with $64.84 billion in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Red Lake County, with $39.12 million 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 Economic Analysis, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in Minnesota: more rankings