NextChapter

Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Midwest

Dallas County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Midwest: 44% of its private-sector jobs, against 15% 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 Dallas County, IA: 44%
  • #2 Hennepin County, MN: 33%
  • #3 Hamilton County, IN: 32%
  • 100 counties ranked in the Midwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 15% across all large counties.

  1. 1Dallas County IA44%
  2. 2Hennepin County MN33%
  3. 3Hamilton County IN32%
  4. 4Oakland County MI31%
  5. 5Johnson County KS31%
  6. 6Delaware County OH30%
  7. 7Polk County IA30%
  8. 8Dane County WI29%
  9. 9Union County OH29%
  10. 10Cook County IL29%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Dallas County leads on 44%, and #10 Cook County is at 29%.
  • Union County reaches #9 on a sample of 32,516 jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Cook County is the largest market in the top ten, with 2,284,919 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

    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

  2. 2

    Hennepin County MN

    33%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    825,100
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.1%

    Based on 825,100 jobs.

    Hennepin County job market

  3. 3

    Hamilton County IN

    32%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    151,962
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (10% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +6.4%

    Based on 151,962 jobs.

    Hamilton County job market

  4. 4

    Oakland County MI

    31%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    673,280
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (13% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.1%

    Based on 673,280 jobs.

    Oakland County job market

  5. 5

    Johnson County KS

    31%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    338,897
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.3%

    Based on 338,897 jobs.

    Johnson County job market

  6. 6

    Delaware County OH

    30%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    90,800
    Largest exposed sector
    Management of companies (15% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +8.7%

    Based on 90,800 jobs.

    Delaware County job market

  7. 7

    Polk County IA

    30%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    275,721
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.5%

    Based on 275,721 jobs.

    Polk County job market

  8. 8

    Dane County WI

    29%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    279,473
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (10% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.6%

    Based on 279,473 jobs.

    Dane County job market

  9. 9

    Union County OH

    29%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    32,516
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (15% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +10.9%

    Based on 32,516 jobs.

    Union County job market

  10. 10

    Cook County IL

    29%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    2,284,919
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (10% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.0%

    Based on 2,284,919 jobs.

    Cook County job market

  11. 11

    Douglas County NE

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    298,127
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.4%

    Based on 298,127 jobs.

    Douglas County job market

  12. 12

    Hamilton County OH

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    459,152
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.1%

    Based on 459,152 jobs.

    Hamilton County job market

  13. 13

    McLean County IL

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    74,167
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (23% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.6%

    Based on 74,167 jobs.

    McLean County job market

  14. 14

    Franklin County OH

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    658,496
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.8%

    Based on 658,496 jobs.

    Franklin County job market

  15. 15

    St. Louis County MO

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    538,707
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −0.4%

    Based on 538,707 jobs.

    St. Louis County job market

  16. 16

    DuPage County IL

    27%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    580,016
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +4.2%

    Based on 580,016 jobs.

    DuPage County job market

  17. 17

    Greene County OH

    27%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    56,792
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (21% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +7.3%

    Based on 56,792 jobs.

    Greene County job market

  18. 18

    Jackson County MO

    27%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    317,866
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.8%

    Based on 317,866 jobs.

    Jackson County job market

  19. 19

    Cuyahoga County OH

    25%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    601,105
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −2.5%

    Based on 601,105 jobs.

    Cuyahoga County job market

  20. 20

    Marion County IN

    25%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    547,394
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.2%

    Based on 547,394 jobs.

    Marion County job market

  21. 21

    Lincoln County SD

    24%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    28,316
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +8.6%

    Based on 28,316 jobs.

    Lincoln County job market

  22. 22

    Midland County MI

    24%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    35,189
    Largest exposed sector
    Management of companies (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +6.2%

    Based on 35,189 jobs.

    Midland County job market

  23. 23

    Washtenaw County MI

    24%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    134,542
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (13% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.3%

    Based on 134,542 jobs.

    Washtenaw County job market

  24. 24

    St. Louis city MO

    24%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    195,292
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −0.5%

    Based on 195,292 jobs.

    St. Louis city job market

  25. 25

    Shawnee County KS

    24%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    80,989
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.4%

    Based on 80,989 jobs.

    Shawnee County job market

Full ranking

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

RankCountyScoreSample
1Dallas County IA44%50,982
2Hennepin County MN33%825,100
3Hamilton County IN32%151,962
4Oakland County MI31%673,280
5Johnson County KS31%338,897
6Delaware County OH30%90,800
7Polk County IA30%275,721
8Dane County WI29%279,473
9Union County OH29%32,516
10Cook County IL29%2,284,919
11Douglas County NE28%298,127
12Hamilton County OH28%459,152
13McLean County IL28%74,167
14Franklin County OH28%658,496
15St. Louis County MO28%538,707
16DuPage County IL27%580,016
17Greene County OH27%56,792
18Jackson County MO27%317,866
19Cuyahoga County OH25%601,105
20Marion County IN25%547,394
21Lincoln County SD24%28,316
22Midland County MI24%35,189
23Washtenaw County MI24%134,542
24St. Louis city MO24%195,292
25Shawnee County KS24%80,989
26Lake County IL24%285,312
27Portage County WI24%29,280
28Kent County MI23%390,596
29Ramsey County MN23%274,775
30Warren County OH23%91,759
31Ingham County MI22%108,056
32Wayne County MI22%636,226
33Winnebago County WI22%82,680
34Lancaster County NE22%142,373
35Boone County MO22%70,914
36Milwaukee County WI22%414,860
37Linn County IA22%111,917
38Summit County OH21%232,747
39Waukesha County WI21%232,020
40Macomb County MI20%296,284
41Kane County IL20%181,324
42Cass County ND20%113,894
43Cole County MO20%33,738
44Dakota County MN20%166,150
45Burleigh County ND19%47,329
46St. Charles County MO19%144,803
47Story County IA19%32,621
48Riley County KS19%21,847
49Minnehaha County SD19%126,579
50Sangamon County IL19%74,414
51Clark County OH19%38,739
52Brown County WI18%143,373
53Montgomery County OH18%221,157
54Vanderburgh County IN18%98,074
55Genesee County MI18%116,565
56Reno County KS18%21,638
57Lake County OH18%89,248
58Dubuque County IA18%53,012
59Scott County IA18%84,134
60Sarpy County NE17%72,470
61Clermont County OH17%55,541
62Douglas County KS17%38,058
63Eau Claire County WI17%51,645
64Pennington County SD17%54,817
65Greene County MO17%159,412
66Saline County KS17%26,203
67Sedgwick County KS17%233,272
68Lucas County OH17%167,792
69Rock Island County IL17%57,392
70Livingston County MI17%57,529
71Butler County OH17%146,248
72Saginaw County MI16%69,804
73Clay County MO16%95,376
74Outagamie County WI16%98,408
75Champaign County IL16%67,040
76Delaware County IN16%36,489
77Eaton County MI16%39,598
78Allen County IN16%181,044
79Johnson County IA16%51,863
80Medina County OH16%56,179
81Ozaukee County WI16%37,057
82Kenosha County WI15%67,693
83Geauga County OH15%33,535
84Licking County OH15%66,539
85Jackson County MI15%47,479
86Platte County MO15%42,837
87McHenry County IL15%83,397
88St. Clair County IL15%71,602
89St. Joseph County IN15%109,856
90Buffalo County NE15%23,670
91Williamson County IL15%24,425
92Kalamazoo County MI14%109,092
93Madison County IL14%92,904
94Wyandotte County KS14%78,788
95Calhoun County MI14%44,258
96Lake County IN14%169,442
97Stark County OH14%139,782
98Black Hawk County IA14%61,492
99Floyd County IN14%29,045
100Washington County MN14%85,447

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 in the midwest?
Dallas County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Midwest: 44% of its private-sector jobs, against 15% 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 in the Midwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-ai-exposed-jobs-in-the-midwest

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

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

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