Counties in Minnesota by wages and salaries paid

Hennepin County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 87 counties in 2018, at $70.93 billion. Red Lake County had the lowest, at $40.98 million. The median was $369.4 million and the figure for Minnesota was $172.89 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest70,934.8Hennepin County
Median369.487 counties
Minnesota172,885.5History

Map of counties, 2018

Aitkin County: 158.7 USD millionAnoka County: 7,181.3 USD millionBecker County: 596.1 USD millionBeltrami County: 888.7 USD millionBenton County: 787.2 USD millionBig Stone County: 72.8 USD millionBlue Earth County: 1,876.8 USD millionBrown County: 595.2 USD millionCarlton County: 628.3 USD millionCarver County: 2,356.9 USD millionCass County: 374.3 USD millionChippewa County: 258.6 USD millionChisago County: 737.8 USD millionClay County: 901.1 USD millionClearwater County: 117.1 USD millionCook County: 99.4 USD millionCottonwood County: 199.8 USD millionCrow Wing County: 1,299.1 USD millionDakota County: 11,624.2 USD millionDodge County: 308.4 USD millionDouglas County: 872 USD millionFaribault County: 180.1 USD millionFillmore County: 222.2 USD millionFreeborn County: 530.1 USD millionGoodhue County: 1,092.4 USD millionGrant County: 83.2 USD millionHennepin County: 70,934.8 USD millionHouston County: 200.9 USD millionHubbard County: 243.4 USD millionIsanti County: 484 USD millionItasca County: 717.9 USD millionJackson County: 219.9 USD millionKanabec County: 163.6 USD millionKandiyohi County: 1,035.9 USD millionKittson County: 65.2 USD millionKoochiching County: 209.1 USD millionLac qui Parle County: 85 USD millionLake County: 200.4 USD millionLake of the Woods County: 62.9 USD millionLe Sueur County: 408.7 USD millionLincoln County: 66.3 USD millionLyon County: 645.5 USD millionMcLeod County: 791.4 USD millionMahnomen County: 72.8 USD millionMarshall County: 108.9 USD millionMartin County: 396.5 USD millionMeeker County: 308.8 USD millionMille Lacs County: 369.4 USD millionMorrison County: 432.5 USD millionMower County: 857.8 USD millionMurray County: 123.4 USD millionNicollet County: 721.2 USD millionNobles County: 470.9 USD millionNorman County: 72.8 USD millionOlmsted County: 6,546.9 USD millionOtter Tail County: 973.7 USD millionPennington County: 531.2 USD millionPine County: 295.2 USD millionPipestone County: 185.8 USD millionPolk County: 532.8 USD millionPope County: 216.2 USD millionRamsey County: 22,507.1 USD millionRed Lake County: 41 USD millionRedwood County: 252.3 USD millionRenville County: 261.7 USD millionRice County: 1,255 USD millionRock County: 152.5 USD millionRoseau County: 391.1 USD millionSt. Louis County: 4,909.1 USD millionScott County: 2,928.1 USD millionSherburne County: 1,257.6 USD millionSibley County: 164.3 USD millionStearns County: 4,392.1 USD millionSteele County: 1,038.6 USD millionStevens County: 235.6 USD millionSwift County: 167 USD millionTodd County: 282.6 USD millionTraverse County: 50.9 USD millionWabasha County: 272.8 USD millionWadena County: 228.6 USD millionWaseca County: 267.7 USD millionWashington County: 4,490.2 USD millionWatonwan County: 176.4 USD millionWilkin County: 89.9 USD millionWinona County: 1,106.5 USD millionWright County: 2,014.4 USD millionYellow Medicine County: 159.1 USD million
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
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  • 1,200 and over
USD million, 2018. 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, 2018

Hennepin County: 70,934.8 USD millionHennepin County70,934.8Ramsey County: 22,507.1 USD millionRamsey County22,507.1Dakota County: 11,624.2 USD millionDakota County11,624.2Anoka County: 7,181.3 USD millionAnoka County7,181.3Olmsted County: 6,546.9 USD millionOlmsted County6,546.9St. Louis County: 4,909.1 USD millionSt. Louis County4,909.1Washington County: 4,490.2 USD millionWashington County4,490.2Stearns County: 4,392.1 USD millionStearns County4,392.1Scott County: 2,928.1 USD millionScott County2,928.1Carver County: 2,356.9 USD millionCarver County2,356.9Wright County: 2,014.4 USD millionWright County2,014.4Blue Earth County: 1,876.8 USD millionBlue Earth County1,876.8Crow Wing County: 1,299.1 USD millionCrow Wing County1,299.1Sherburne County: 1,257.6 USD millionSherburne County1,257.6Rice County: 1,255 USD millionRice County1,255Winona County: 1,106.5 USD millionWinona County1,106.5Goodhue County: 1,092.4 USD millionGoodhue County1,092.4Steele County: 1,038.6 USD millionSteele County1,038.6Kandiyohi County: 1,035.9 USD millionKandiyohi County1,035.9Otter Tail County: 973.7 USD millionOtter Tail County973.7Clay County: 901.1 USD millionClay County901.1Beltrami County: 888.7 USD millionBeltrami County888.7Douglas County: 872 USD millionDouglas County872Mower County: 857.8 USD millionMower County857.8McLeod County: 791.4 USD millionMcLeod County791.4Benton County: 787.2 USD millionBenton County787.2Chisago County: 737.8 USD millionChisago County737.8Nicollet County: 721.2 USD millionNicollet County721.2Itasca County: 717.9 USD millionItasca County717.9Lyon County: 645.5 USD millionLyon County645.5Carlton County: 628.3 USD millionCarlton County628.3Becker County: 596.1 USD millionBecker County596.1Brown County: 595.2 USD millionBrown County595.2Polk County: 532.8 USD millionPolk County532.8Pennington County: 531.2 USD millionPennington County531.2Freeborn County: 530.1 USD millionFreeborn County530.1Isanti County: 484 USD millionIsanti County484Nobles County: 470.9 USD millionNobles County470.9Morrison County: 432.5 USD millionMorrison County432.5Le Sueur County: 408.7 USD millionLe Sueur County408.7Hennepin County: 70,934.8 USD millionHennepin County70,934.8Ramsey County: 22,507.1 USD millionRamsey County22,507.1Dakota County: 11,624.2 USD millionDakota County11,624.2Anoka County: 7,181.3 USD millionAnoka County7,181.3Olmsted County: 6,546.9 USD millionOlmsted County6,546.9St. Louis County: 4,909.1 USD millionSt. Louis County4,909.1Washington County: 4,490.2 USD millionWashington County4,490.2Stearns County: 4,392.1 USD millionStearns County4,392.1Scott County: 2,928.1 USD millionScott County2,928.1Carver County: 2,356.9 USD millionCarver County2,356.9Wright County: 2,014.4 USD millionWright County2,014.4Blue Earth County: 1,876.8 USD millionBlue Earth County1,876.8Crow Wing County: 1,299.1 USD millionCrow Wing County1,299.1Sherburne County: 1,257.6 USD millionSherburne County1,257.6Rice County: 1,255 USD millionRice County1,255Winona County: 1,106.5 USD millionWinona County1,106.5Goodhue County: 1,092.4 USD millionGoodhue County1,092.4Steele County: 1,038.6 USD millionSteele County1,038.6Kandiyohi County: 1,035.9 USD millionKandiyohi County1,035.9Otter Tail County: 973.7 USD millionOtter Tail County973.7Clay County: 901.1 USD millionClay County901.1Beltrami County: 888.7 USD millionBeltrami County888.7Douglas County: 872 USD millionDouglas County872Mower County: 857.8 USD millionMower County857.8McLeod County: 791.4 USD millionMcLeod County791.4Benton County: 787.2 USD millionBenton County787.2Chisago County: 737.8 USD millionChisago County737.8Nicollet County: 721.2 USD millionNicollet County721.2Itasca County: 717.9 USD millionItasca County717.9Lyon County: 645.5 USD millionLyon County645.5Carlton County: 628.3 USD millionCarlton County628.3Becker County: 596.1 USD millionBecker County596.1Brown County: 595.2 USD millionBrown County595.2Polk County: 532.8 USD millionPolk County532.8Pennington County: 531.2 USD millionPennington County531.2Freeborn County: 530.1 USD millionFreeborn County530.1Isanti County: 484 USD millionIsanti County484Nobles County: 470.9 USD millionNobles County470.9Morrison County: 432.5 USD millionMorrison County432.5Le Sueur County: 408.7 USD millionLe Sueur County408.7
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

RankCounties2018
USD million
Change on 2017
1Hennepin County70,934.8+4.1%
2Ramsey County22,507.1+1.9%
3Dakota County11,624.2+7.2%
4Anoka County7,181.3+5.7%
5Olmsted County6,546.9+8.3%
6St. Louis County4,909.1+5.4%
7Washington County4,490.2+5.7%
8Stearns County4,392.1+3.2%
9Scott County2,928.1+6.9%
10Carver County2,356.9+4.5%
11Wright County2,014.4+4.2%
12Blue Earth County1,876.8+3%
13Crow Wing County1,299.1+3.9%
14Sherburne County1,257.6+5.1%
15Rice County1,255+5.5%
16Winona County1,106.5+3.3%
17Goodhue County1,092.4+3.4%
18Steele County1,038.6+3.1%
19Kandiyohi County1,035.9+4.4%
20Otter Tail County973.7+2.6%
21Clay County901.1+4.1%
22Beltrami County888.7+5.6%
23Douglas County872+6.7%
24Mower County857.8+3.7%
25McLeod County791.4+1.7%
26Benton County787.2+3.9%
27Chisago County737.8+3.3%
28Nicollet County721.2+6.9%
29Itasca County717.9+6.8%
30Lyon County645.5-1.5%
31Carlton County628.3+1.1%
32Becker County596.1+1.7%
33Brown County595.2+2.7%
34Polk County532.8+4.5%
35Pennington County531.2+6.1%
36Freeborn County530.1+2.7%
37Isanti County484+4.3%
38Nobles County470.9+3.2%
39Morrison County432.5+2.9%
40Le Sueur County408.7+2.3%
41Martin County396.5+4.3%
42Roseau County391.1+4.4%
43Cass County374.3+5.7%
44Mille Lacs County369.4+3.1%
45Meeker County308.8+3.2%
46Dodge County308.4+7.9%
47Pine County295.2+3.6%
48Todd County282.6+3.4%
49Wabasha County272.8+4.2%
50Waseca County267.7-3.9%
51Renville County261.7+2.4%
52Chippewa County258.6+8.2%
53Redwood County252.3+4.2%
54Hubbard County243.4+4.8%
55Stevens County235.6+3.8%
56Wadena County228.6+5.1%
57Fillmore County222.2+0.7%
58Jackson County219.9+5.4%
59Pope County216.2+6.9%
60Koochiching County209.1+8%
61Houston County200.9+5.2%
62Lake County200.4+6.1%
63Cottonwood County199.8+6.4%
64Pipestone County185.8+5%
65Faribault County180.1+3.7%
66Watonwan County176.4+7.4%
67Swift County167+5.6%
68Sibley County164.3+2.5%
69Kanabec County163.6+3.7%
70Yellow Medicine County159.1+2.6%
71Aitkin County158.7+4.4%
72Rock County152.5-2.4%
73Murray County123.4+4.7%
74Clearwater County117.1-2.2%
75Marshall County108.9+6.4%
76Cook County99.4+4.1%
77Wilkin County89.9-0.2%
78Lac qui Parle County85+4%
79Grant County83.2+2.4%
80Big Stone County72.8-0.8%
81Mahnomen County72.8+0.6%
82Norman County72.8+2.2%
83Lincoln County66.3-1%
84Kittson County65.2+2.2%
85Lake of the Woods County62.9+6.4%
86Traverse County50.9+0.4%
87Red Lake County41+1.7%

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, 2018) [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, 2018. 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=2018. 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, 2018. 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=2018.

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, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/minnesota-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_minnesota_by_2018,
  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, 2018}},
  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=2018. 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, 2018
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=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/minnesota-counties?period=2018.
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 $70.93 billion in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Red Lake County, with $40.98 million in 2018.

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