NextChapter

Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors

Fairfax County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the United States: 50% of its private-sector jobs, against 17% in the typical large county.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

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Key facts

  • #1 Fairfax County, VA: 50%
  • #2 New York County, NY: 49%
  • #3 San Francisco County, CA: 47%
  • 100 counties ranked in the United States
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 17% across all large counties.

  1. 1Fairfax County VA50%
  2. 2New York County NY49%
  3. 3San Francisco County CA47%
  4. 4Arlington County VA46%
  5. 5Dallas County IA44%
  6. 6Broomfield County CO43%
  7. 7Fulton County GA41%
  8. 8St. Mary's County MD41%
  9. 9Collin County TX40%
  10. 10San Mateo County CA39%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Fairfax County leads on 50%, and #10 San Mateo County is at 39%.
  • St. Mary's County reaches #8 on a sample of 32,304 jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • New York County is the largest market in the top ten, with 2,255,764 jobs behind its figure.
  • Counties with fewer than 20,000 jobs are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Some local economies rely on sectors whose tasks AI can do in principle. The share of private-sector jobs in those sectors shows how exposed a county's job base is.

How to use it

Use it as a prompt to look at which skills your own work depends on. Exposure describes tasks AI could do, not jobs that will disappear.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Fairfax County VA

    50%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    548,490
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (28% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.7%

    Based on 548,490 jobs.

    Fairfax County job market

  2. 2

    New York County NY

    49%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    2,255,764
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (16% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.1%

    Based on 2,255,764 jobs.

    New York County job market

  3. 3

    San Francisco County CA

    47%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    586,454
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (22% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −7.6%

    Based on 586,454 jobs.

    San Francisco County job market

  4. 4

    Arlington County VA

    46%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    142,571
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (34% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +4.6%

    Based on 142,571 jobs.

    Arlington County job market

  5. 5

    Dallas County IA

    44%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    50,982
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (32% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +12.4%

    Based on 50,982 jobs.

    Dallas County job market

  6. 6

    Broomfield County CO

    43%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    38,594
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (17% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −5.1%

    Based on 38,594 jobs.

    Broomfield County job market

  7. 7

    Fulton County GA

    41%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    840,040
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (14% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.0%

    Based on 840,040 jobs.

    Fulton County job market

  8. 8

    St. Mary's County MD

    41%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    32,304
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (33% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.6%

    Based on 32,304 jobs.

    St. Mary's County job market

  9. 9

    Collin County TX

    40%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    500,403
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (14% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +11.0%

    Based on 500,403 jobs.

    Collin County job market

  10. 10

    San Mateo County CA

    39%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    380,332
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (17% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −3.0%

    Based on 380,332 jobs.

    San Mateo County job market

  11. 11

    Williamson County TN

    38%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    137,816
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.3%

    Based on 137,816 jobs.

    Williamson County job market

  12. 12

    Mecklenburg County NC

    38%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    710,336
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (13% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +4.0%

    Based on 710,336 jobs.

    Mecklenburg County job market

  13. 13

    Santa Clara County CA

    38%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    1,021,232
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (15% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −0.4%

    Based on 1,021,232 jobs.

    Santa Clara County job market

  14. 14

    King County WA

    37%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    1,255,504
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (12% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −2.2%

    Based on 1,255,504 jobs.

    King County job market

  15. 15

    Suffolk County MA

    37%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    631,022
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (16% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.2%

    Based on 631,022 jobs.

    Suffolk County job market

  16. 16

    Howard County MD

    37%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    154,406
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (22% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +4.2%

    Based on 154,406 jobs.

    Howard County job market

  17. 17

    Somerset County NJ

    36%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    174,995
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (16% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.0%

    Based on 174,995 jobs.

    Somerset County job market

  18. 18

    Travis County TX

    36%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    794,196
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (16% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.8%

    Based on 794,196 jobs.

    Travis County job market

  19. 19

    Denver County CO

    36%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    486,058
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (16% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −0.1%

    Based on 486,058 jobs.

    Denver County job market

  20. 20

    Arapahoe County CO

    36%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    299,680
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (13% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.2%

    Based on 299,680 jobs.

    Arapahoe County job market

  21. 21

    Morris County NJ

    35%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    272,959
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (14% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.4%

    Based on 272,959 jobs.

    Morris County job market

  22. 22

    Middlesex County MA

    35%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    811,193
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (18% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −2.8%

    Based on 811,193 jobs.

    Middlesex County job market

  23. 23

    Madison County AL

    35%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    185,383
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (24% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +7.8%

    Based on 185,383 jobs.

    Madison County job market

  24. 24

    Richmond city VA

    34%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    126,164
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (10% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +9.0%

    Based on 126,164 jobs.

    Richmond city job market

  25. 25

    Douglas County CO

    34%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    132,547
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (14% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.0%

    Based on 132,547 jobs.

    Douglas County job market

Full ranking

All 100 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1Fairfax County VA50%548,490
2New York County NY49%2,255,764
3San Francisco County CA47%586,454
4Arlington County VA46%142,571
5Dallas County IA44%50,982
6Broomfield County CO43%38,594
7Fulton County GA41%840,040
8St. Mary's County MD41%32,304
9Collin County TX40%500,403
10San Mateo County CA39%380,332
11Williamson County TN38%137,816
12Mecklenburg County NC38%710,336
13Santa Clara County CA38%1,021,232
14King County WA37%1,255,504
15Suffolk County MA37%631,022
16Howard County MD37%154,406
17Somerset County NJ36%174,995
18Travis County TX36%794,196
19Denver County CO36%486,058
20Arapahoe County CO36%299,680
21Morris County NJ35%272,959
22Middlesex County MA35%811,193
23Madison County AL35%185,383
24Richmond city VA34%126,164
25Douglas County CO34%132,547
26Wake County NC34%576,362
27Dallas County TX34%1,643,802
28Mercer County NJ34%185,956
29Chester County PA33%229,927
30Boulder County CO33%160,157
31Hennepin County MN33%825,100
32Hillsborough County FL32%715,520
33Hamilton County IN32%151,962
34Salt Lake County UT31%693,564
35Oakland County MI31%673,280
36Alexandria city VA31%62,930
37Franklin County KY31%21,575
38Seminole County FL31%197,488
39Johnson County KS31%338,897
40New Castle County DE31%268,280
41Richland County SC31%175,791
42Henrico County VA31%172,145
43Hudson County NJ31%232,842
44Montgomery County MD30%364,761
45Delaware County OH30%90,800
46Polk County IA30%275,721
47Loudoun County VA30%172,509
48Dane County WI29%279,473
49Union County OH29%32,516
50Montgomery County PA29%468,571
51Durham County NC29%212,743
52Cook County IL29%2,284,919
53Shelby County AL28%75,336
54Douglas County NE28%298,127
55Hamilton County OH28%459,152
56Davidson County TN28%498,568
57McLean County IL28%74,167
58Benton County WA28%86,994
59Franklin County OH28%658,496
60St. Louis County MO28%538,707
61Broward County FL28%754,780
62Greenville County SC28%269,409
63El Paso County CO28%253,988
64Albany County NY27%170,772
65DuPage County IL27%580,016
66Greene County OH27%56,792
67Aiken County SC27%59,321
68Middlesex County NJ27%377,539
69Bernalillo County NM27%283,044
70Duval County FL27%508,794
71Pinellas County FL27%399,233
72Charlottesville city VA27%27,172
73Jefferson County CO27%210,961
74DeKalb County GA27%266,367
75Lancaster County SC27%24,085
76Jackson County MO27%317,866
77Cobb County GA26%346,779
78Allegheny County PA26%606,603
79Norfolk County MA26%312,340
80Orange County CA26%1,501,121
81Utah County UT26%265,684
82Palm Beach County FL26%608,243
83Norfolk city VA26%104,299
84Okaloosa County FL26%72,415
85Bexar County TX26%780,620
86Maricopa County AZ26%2,070,496
87Gwinnett County GA25%348,368
88Multnomah County OR25%415,659
89Jefferson County AL25%303,135
90Leon County FL25%115,582
91Cuyahoga County OH25%601,105
92Williamson County TX25%209,472
93Marion County IN25%547,394
94Virginia Beach city VA25%151,378
95Harris County TX25%2,173,259
96Orange County FL25%870,276
97San Diego County CA24%1,288,378
98Lincoln County SD24%28,316
99Anderson County TN24%41,991
100Burlington County NJ24%189,388

How this ranking works

A county's score is the share of its private-sector jobs in the sectors where much of the work is information handling that AI can already do in part: Information, Finance and insurance, Professional and technical services, Management of companies, and Administrative and staffing services. Jobs come from BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025.

Exposure describes the mix of a local economy, not a forecast of lost jobs. Only counties with at least 20,000 private-sector jobs in 2022 are ranked.

Sample bar: counties with fewer than 20,000 jobs are not ranked.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 (private-sector jobs by sector). Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which county ranks first: counties with the most jobs in ai-exposed sectors?
Fairfax County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the United States: 50% of its private-sector jobs, against 17% in the typical large county.
How many counties are ranked?
100 counties have at least 20,000 jobs, so the list has 100 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A county's score is the share of its private-sector jobs in the sectors where much of the work is information handling that AI can already do in part: Information, Finance and insurance, Professional and technical services, Management of companies, and Administrative and staffing services. Jobs come from BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025. Exposure describes the mix of a local economy, not a forecast of lost jobs. Only counties with at least 20,000 private-sector jobs in 2022 are ranked.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-ai-exposed-jobs

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-ai-exposed-jobs">Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

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