Counties in Minnesota by wages and salaries paid

Hennepin County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 87 counties in 2017, at $68.16 billion. Red Lake County had the lowest, at $40.31 million. The median was $354.03 million and the figure for Minnesota was $165.81 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest68,159.5Hennepin County
Lowest40.3Red Lake County
Median35487 counties
Minnesota165,806.4History

Map of counties, 2017

Aitkin County: 151.9 USD millionAnoka County: 6,792.8 USD millionBecker County: 586.3 USD millionBeltrami County: 841.3 USD millionBenton County: 757.7 USD millionBig Stone County: 73.4 USD millionBlue Earth County: 1,822.6 USD millionBrown County: 579.8 USD millionCarlton County: 621.6 USD millionCarver County: 2,254.4 USD millionCass County: 354 USD millionChippewa County: 239 USD millionChisago County: 714.2 USD millionClay County: 865.6 USD millionClearwater County: 119.8 USD millionCook County: 95.5 USD millionCottonwood County: 187.8 USD millionCrow Wing County: 1,250.8 USD millionDakota County: 10,843.5 USD millionDodge County: 285.9 USD millionDouglas County: 817.4 USD millionFaribault County: 173.7 USD millionFillmore County: 220.7 USD millionFreeborn County: 516.1 USD millionGoodhue County: 1,056.5 USD millionGrant County: 81.2 USD millionHennepin County: 68,159.5 USD millionHouston County: 191 USD millionHubbard County: 232.3 USD millionIsanti County: 463.9 USD millionItasca County: 672.3 USD millionJackson County: 208.7 USD millionKanabec County: 157.7 USD millionKandiyohi County: 991.7 USD millionKittson County: 63.7 USD millionKoochiching County: 193.5 USD millionLac qui Parle County: 81.8 USD millionLake County: 188.9 USD millionLake of the Woods County: 59.1 USD millionLe Sueur County: 399.7 USD millionLincoln County: 66.9 USD millionLyon County: 655.6 USD millionMcLeod County: 778.2 USD millionMahnomen County: 72.4 USD millionMarshall County: 102.3 USD millionMartin County: 380 USD millionMeeker County: 299.2 USD millionMille Lacs County: 358.3 USD millionMorrison County: 420.3 USD millionMower County: 827.5 USD millionMurray County: 117.9 USD millionNicollet County: 674.6 USD millionNobles County: 456.3 USD millionNorman County: 71.2 USD millionOlmsted County: 6,046.3 USD millionOtter Tail County: 949.4 USD millionPennington County: 500.5 USD millionPine County: 284.8 USD millionPipestone County: 177 USD millionPolk County: 509.8 USD millionPope County: 202.3 USD millionRamsey County: 22,084.8 USD millionRed Lake County: 40.3 USD millionRedwood County: 242.1 USD millionRenville County: 255.5 USD millionRice County: 1,189.2 USD millionRock County: 156.3 USD millionRoseau County: 374.7 USD millionSt. Louis County: 4,658.6 USD millionScott County: 2,738.3 USD millionSherburne County: 1,197 USD millionSibley County: 160.4 USD millionStearns County: 4,256.7 USD millionSteele County: 1,007.7 USD millionStevens County: 227.1 USD millionSwift County: 158.1 USD millionTodd County: 273.3 USD millionTraverse County: 50.7 USD millionWabasha County: 261.7 USD millionWadena County: 217.5 USD millionWaseca County: 278.6 USD millionWashington County: 4,246.3 USD millionWatonwan County: 164.3 USD millionWilkin County: 90 USD millionWinona County: 1,071.5 USD millionWright County: 1,932.7 USD millionYellow Medicine County: 155.1 USD million
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
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  • 700 to 1,100
  • 1,100 and over
USD million, 2017. 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, 2017

Hennepin County: 68,159.5 USD millionHennepin County68,159.5Ramsey County: 22,084.8 USD millionRamsey County22,084.8Dakota County: 10,843.5 USD millionDakota County10,843.5Anoka County: 6,792.8 USD millionAnoka County6,792.8Olmsted County: 6,046.3 USD millionOlmsted County6,046.3St. Louis County: 4,658.6 USD millionSt. Louis County4,658.6Stearns County: 4,256.7 USD millionStearns County4,256.7Washington County: 4,246.3 USD millionWashington County4,246.3Scott County: 2,738.3 USD millionScott County2,738.3Carver County: 2,254.4 USD millionCarver County2,254.4Wright County: 1,932.7 USD millionWright County1,932.7Blue Earth County: 1,822.6 USD millionBlue Earth County1,822.6Crow Wing County: 1,250.8 USD millionCrow Wing County1,250.8Sherburne County: 1,197 USD millionSherburne County1,197Rice County: 1,189.2 USD millionRice County1,189.2Winona County: 1,071.5 USD millionWinona County1,071.5Goodhue County: 1,056.5 USD millionGoodhue County1,056.5Steele County: 1,007.7 USD millionSteele County1,007.7Kandiyohi County: 991.7 USD millionKandiyohi County991.7Otter Tail County: 949.4 USD millionOtter Tail County949.4Clay County: 865.6 USD millionClay County865.6Beltrami County: 841.3 USD millionBeltrami County841.3Mower County: 827.5 USD millionMower County827.5Douglas County: 817.4 USD millionDouglas County817.4McLeod County: 778.2 USD millionMcLeod County778.2Benton County: 757.7 USD millionBenton County757.7Chisago County: 714.2 USD millionChisago County714.2Nicollet County: 674.6 USD millionNicollet County674.6Itasca County: 672.3 USD millionItasca County672.3Lyon County: 655.6 USD millionLyon County655.6Carlton County: 621.6 USD millionCarlton County621.6Becker County: 586.3 USD millionBecker County586.3Brown County: 579.8 USD millionBrown County579.8Freeborn County: 516.1 USD millionFreeborn County516.1Polk County: 509.8 USD millionPolk County509.8Pennington County: 500.5 USD millionPennington County500.5Isanti County: 463.9 USD millionIsanti County463.9Nobles County: 456.3 USD millionNobles County456.3Morrison County: 420.3 USD millionMorrison County420.3Le Sueur County: 399.7 USD millionLe Sueur County399.7Hennepin County: 68,159.5 USD millionHennepin County68,159.5Ramsey County: 22,084.8 USD millionRamsey County22,084.8Dakota County: 10,843.5 USD millionDakota County10,843.5Anoka County: 6,792.8 USD millionAnoka County6,792.8Olmsted County: 6,046.3 USD millionOlmsted County6,046.3St. Louis County: 4,658.6 USD millionSt. Louis County4,658.6Stearns County: 4,256.7 USD millionStearns County4,256.7Washington County: 4,246.3 USD millionWashington County4,246.3Scott County: 2,738.3 USD millionScott County2,738.3Carver County: 2,254.4 USD millionCarver County2,254.4Wright County: 1,932.7 USD millionWright County1,932.7Blue Earth County: 1,822.6 USD millionBlue Earth County1,822.6Crow Wing County: 1,250.8 USD millionCrow Wing County1,250.8Sherburne County: 1,197 USD millionSherburne County1,197Rice County: 1,189.2 USD millionRice County1,189.2Winona County: 1,071.5 USD millionWinona County1,071.5Goodhue County: 1,056.5 USD millionGoodhue County1,056.5Steele County: 1,007.7 USD millionSteele County1,007.7Kandiyohi County: 991.7 USD millionKandiyohi County991.7Otter Tail County: 949.4 USD millionOtter Tail County949.4Clay County: 865.6 USD millionClay County865.6Beltrami County: 841.3 USD millionBeltrami County841.3Mower County: 827.5 USD millionMower County827.5Douglas County: 817.4 USD millionDouglas County817.4McLeod County: 778.2 USD millionMcLeod County778.2Benton County: 757.7 USD millionBenton County757.7Chisago County: 714.2 USD millionChisago County714.2Nicollet County: 674.6 USD millionNicollet County674.6Itasca County: 672.3 USD millionItasca County672.3Lyon County: 655.6 USD millionLyon County655.6Carlton County: 621.6 USD millionCarlton County621.6Becker County: 586.3 USD millionBecker County586.3Brown County: 579.8 USD millionBrown County579.8Freeborn County: 516.1 USD millionFreeborn County516.1Polk County: 509.8 USD millionPolk County509.8Pennington County: 500.5 USD millionPennington County500.5Isanti County: 463.9 USD millionIsanti County463.9Nobles County: 456.3 USD millionNobles County456.3Morrison County: 420.3 USD millionMorrison County420.3Le Sueur County: 399.7 USD millionLe Sueur County399.7
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

RankCounties2017
USD million
Change on 2016
1Hennepin County68,159.5+5.1%
2Ramsey County22,084.8+4.6%
3Dakota County10,843.5+3.4%
4Anoka County6,792.8+3.9%
5Olmsted County6,046.3+5.5%
6St. Louis County4,658.6+4.1%
7Stearns County4,256.7+5.2%
8Washington County4,246.3+7.4%
9Scott County2,738.3+11.8%
10Carver County2,254.4+9.3%
11Wright County1,932.7+5.5%
12Blue Earth County1,822.6+6.3%
13Crow Wing County1,250.8+4.2%
14Sherburne County1,197+3.2%
15Rice County1,189.2+4.4%
16Winona County1,071.5+2.8%
17Goodhue County1,056.5+4.2%
18Steele County1,007.7+5.3%
19Kandiyohi County991.7+6.8%
20Otter Tail County949.4+4.9%
21Clay County865.6+5.8%
22Beltrami County841.3+5.2%
23Mower County827.5-3.5%
24Douglas County817.4+3.4%
25McLeod County778.2+1.9%
26Benton County757.7+4.3%
27Chisago County714.2+3.7%
28Nicollet County674.6+5.9%
29Itasca County672.3+0.8%
30Lyon County655.6+3.9%
31Carlton County621.6+4.5%
32Becker County586.3+4.4%
33Brown County579.8+4.2%
34Freeborn County516.1+1%
35Polk County509.8+1.6%
36Pennington County500.5+3.5%
37Isanti County463.9+3.5%
38Nobles County456.3+2.2%
39Morrison County420.3+3.1%
40Le Sueur County399.7+1.6%
41Martin County380+4.6%
42Roseau County374.7+7.3%
43Mille Lacs County358.3+5%
44Cass County354+5.6%
45Meeker County299.2+5.3%
46Dodge County285.9+4.1%
47Pine County284.8+3.6%
48Waseca County278.6+3.8%
49Todd County273.3+6.6%
50Wabasha County261.7+2.1%
51Renville County255.5+1.2%
52Redwood County242.1+3%
53Chippewa County239+3.4%
54Hubbard County232.3+5.2%
55Stevens County227.1+0.8%
56Fillmore County220.7+0.1%
57Wadena County217.5+0.2%
58Jackson County208.7-0.5%
59Pope County202.3+4.2%
60Koochiching County193.5+2.1%
61Houston County191+3.7%
62Lake County188.9+11.3%
63Cottonwood County187.8+11.1%
64Pipestone County177+7%
65Faribault County173.7-2.5%
66Watonwan County164.3+4.9%
67Sibley County160.4+1.7%
68Swift County158.1+8.9%
69Kanabec County157.7+3.3%
70Rock County156.3+9.8%
71Yellow Medicine County155.1+1.2%
72Aitkin County151.9+5.9%
73Clearwater County119.8-0.5%
74Murray County117.9+2.9%
75Marshall County102.3-0.6%
76Cook County95.5+1.4%
77Wilkin County90-0.4%
78Lac qui Parle County81.8+0.7%
79Grant County81.2+5.8%
80Big Stone County73.4-2.9%
81Mahnomen County72.4+3.6%
82Norman County71.2+2.8%
83Lincoln County66.9+1.4%
84Kittson County63.7+3%
85Lake of the Woods County59.1+5.7%
86Traverse County50.7+2.7%
87Red Lake County40.3+3%

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, 2017) [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, 2017. 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=2017. 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, 2017. 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=2017.

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, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/minnesota-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_by_2017,
  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, 2017}},
  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=2017. 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, 2017
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=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/minnesota-counties?period=2017.
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 $68.16 billion in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Red Lake County, with $40.31 million in 2017.

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