NextChapter

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

Fairfax County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Southeast: 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 Arlington County, VA: 46%
  • #3 Fulton County, GA: 41%
  • 100 counties ranked in the Southeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 17% across all large counties.

  1. 1Fairfax County VA50%
  2. 2Arlington County VA46%
  3. 3Fulton County GA41%
  4. 4Williamson County TN38%
  5. 5Mecklenburg County NC38%
  6. 6Madison County AL35%
  7. 7Richmond city VA34%
  8. 8Wake County NC34%
  9. 9Hillsborough County FL32%
  10. 10Alexandria city VA31%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Fairfax County leads on 50%, and #10 Alexandria city is at 31%.
  • Alexandria city reaches #10 on a sample of 62,930 jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Fulton County is the largest market in the top ten, with 840,040 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

    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

  3. 3

    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

  4. 4

    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

  5. 5

    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

  6. 6

    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

  7. 7

    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

  8. 8

    Wake County NC

    34%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    576,362
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (14% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +7.3%

    Based on 576,362 jobs.

    Wake County job market

  9. 9

    Hillsborough County FL

    32%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    715,520
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +6.1%

    Based on 715,520 jobs.

    Hillsborough County job market

  10. 10

    Alexandria city VA

    31%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    62,930
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (20% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −1.6%

    Based on 62,930 jobs.

    Alexandria city job market

  11. 11

    Franklin County KY

    31%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    21,575
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (20% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +6.6%

    Based on 21,575 jobs.

    Franklin County job market

  12. 12

    Seminole County FL

    31%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    197,488
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (10% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.7%

    Based on 197,488 jobs.

    Seminole County job market

  13. 13

    Richland County SC

    31%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    175,791
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (12% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.6%

    Based on 175,791 jobs.

    Richland County job market

  14. 14

    Henrico County VA

    31%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    172,145
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (12% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.2%

    Based on 172,145 jobs.

    Henrico County job market

  15. 15

    Loudoun County VA

    30%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    172,509
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (15% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +13.9%

    Based on 172,509 jobs.

    Loudoun County job market

  16. 16

    Durham County NC

    29%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    212,743
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (16% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.0%

    Based on 212,743 jobs.

    Durham County job market

  17. 17

    Shelby County AL

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    75,336
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −2.8%

    Based on 75,336 jobs.

    Shelby County job market

  18. 18

    Davidson County TN

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    498,568
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.7%

    Based on 498,568 jobs.

    Davidson County job market

  19. 19

    Broward County FL

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    754,780
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (10% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.0%

    Based on 754,780 jobs.

    Broward County job market

  20. 20

    Greenville County SC

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    269,409
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (10% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.7%

    Based on 269,409 jobs.

    Greenville County job market

  21. 21

    Aiken County SC

    27%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    59,321
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (18% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +9.0%

    Based on 59,321 jobs.

    Aiken County job market

  22. 22

    Duval County FL

    27%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    508,794
    Largest exposed sector
    Finance & insurance (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.2%

    Based on 508,794 jobs.

    Duval County job market

  23. 23

    Pinellas County FL

    27%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    399,233
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −2.2%

    Based on 399,233 jobs.

    Pinellas County job market

  24. 24

    Charlottesville city VA

    27%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    27,172
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −1.7%

    Based on 27,172 jobs.

    Charlottesville city job market

  25. 25

    DeKalb County GA

    27%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    266,367
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.9%

    Based on 266,367 jobs.

    DeKalb County job market

Full ranking

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

RankCountyScoreSample
1Fairfax County VA50%548,490
2Arlington County VA46%142,571
3Fulton County GA41%840,040
4Williamson County TN38%137,816
5Mecklenburg County NC38%710,336
6Madison County AL35%185,383
7Richmond city VA34%126,164
8Wake County NC34%576,362
9Hillsborough County FL32%715,520
10Alexandria city VA31%62,930
11Franklin County KY31%21,575
12Seminole County FL31%197,488
13Richland County SC31%175,791
14Henrico County VA31%172,145
15Loudoun County VA30%172,509
16Durham County NC29%212,743
17Shelby County AL28%75,336
18Davidson County TN28%498,568
19Broward County FL28%754,780
20Greenville County SC28%269,409
21Aiken County SC27%59,321
22Duval County FL27%508,794
23Pinellas County FL27%399,233
24Charlottesville city VA27%27,172
25DeKalb County GA27%266,367
26Lancaster County SC27%24,085
27Cobb County GA26%346,779
28Palm Beach County FL26%608,243
29Norfolk city VA26%104,299
30Okaloosa County FL26%72,415
31Gwinnett County GA25%348,368
32Jefferson County AL25%303,135
33Leon County FL25%115,582
34Virginia Beach city VA25%151,378
35Orange County FL25%870,276
36Anderson County TN24%41,991
37Charleston County SC24%232,587
38Muscogee County GA24%71,307
39Escambia County FL24%125,550
40Knox County TN24%229,102
41Fayette County KY24%162,167
42Chesapeake city VA23%91,292
43Stafford County VA23%38,021
44Miami-Dade County FL23%1,138,710
45Kenton County KY23%66,272
46Madison County MS23%54,631
47Albemarle County VA23%40,712
48Jefferson County KY23%435,506
49Montgomery County AL23%96,037
50Roanoke County VA22%32,196
51Hinds County MS22%77,191
52Berkeley County SC21%60,097
53Guilford County NC21%260,846
54Brevard County FL21%214,525
55Frederick County VA20%32,692
56Shelby County TN20%410,687
57Hampton city VA20%35,627
58Forsyth County GA20%80,184
59York County SC20%92,018
60Richmond County GA20%81,130
61Sarasota County FL20%178,780
62Polk County FL20%235,344
63Floyd County GA19%39,009
64Orange County NC19%41,282
65Forsyth County NC19%171,929
66Hamilton County TN19%196,986
67New Hanover County NC19%117,274
68Prince William County VA19%114,045
69Martin County FL19%72,055
70Portsmouth city VA19%24,792
71Onslow County NC19%39,045
72Chesterfield County VA19%124,771
73Lee County MS19%46,763
74Houston County GA19%40,138
75Roanoke city VA19%57,758
76Iredell County NC19%71,595
77Clay County FL18%49,744
78Lee County FL18%271,920
79Manassas city VA18%20,756
80Washington County TN18%50,604
81Suffolk city VA18%37,041
82Troup County GA18%38,894
83Georgetown County SC18%20,746
84Cumberland County NC18%85,784
85Sullivan County TN18%63,192
86Lee County AL18%50,806
87Coffee County TN18%22,158
88Flagler County FL18%24,343
89Dougherty County GA18%36,974
90Mobile County AL18%147,879
91Osceola County FL18%103,518
92Montgomery County VA18%29,068
93Laurel County KY18%23,214
94Bay County FL18%69,934
95Sumner County TN17%54,222
96Bibb County GA17%70,151
97Moore County NC17%38,014
98Whitfield County GA17%50,360
99Lynchburg city VA17%43,127
100Collier County FL17%158,646

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 southeast?
Fairfax County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Southeast: 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 in the Southeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-ai-exposed-jobs-in-the-southeast

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

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

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