NextChapter

Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the West Coast

San Francisco County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the West Coast: 47% of its private-sector jobs, against 16% 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 San Francisco County, CA: 47%
  • #2 San Mateo County, CA: 39%
  • #3 Santa Clara County, CA: 38%
  • 68 counties ranked in the West Coast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 16% across all large counties.

  1. 1San Francisco County CA47%
  2. 2San Mateo County CA39%
  3. 3Santa Clara County CA38%
  4. 4King County WA37%
  5. 5Benton County WA28%
  6. 6Orange County CA26%
  7. 7Multnomah County OR25%
  8. 8San Diego County CA24%
  9. 9Los Angeles County CA24%
  10. 10Alameda County CA23%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: San Francisco County (47%) is well clear of Alameda County at #10 (23%).
  • Benton County reaches #5 on a sample of 86,994 jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Los Angeles County is the largest market in the top ten, with 3,927,366 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

    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

  2. 2

    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

  3. 3

    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

  4. 4

    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

  5. 5

    Benton County WA

    28%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    86,994
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (13% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.9%

    Based on 86,994 jobs.

    Benton County job market

  6. 6

    Orange County CA

    26%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    1,501,121
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.1%

    Based on 1,501,121 jobs.

    Orange County job market

  7. 7

    Multnomah County OR

    25%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    415,659
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −2.8%

    Based on 415,659 jobs.

    Multnomah County job market

  8. 8

    San Diego County CA

    24%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    1,288,378
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.9%

    Based on 1,288,378 jobs.

    San Diego County job market

  9. 9

    Los Angeles County CA

    24%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    3,927,366
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.2%

    Based on 3,927,366 jobs.

    Los Angeles County job market

  10. 10

    Alameda County CA

    23%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    670,154
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (11% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −1.8%

    Based on 670,154 jobs.

    Alameda County job market

  11. 11

    Washington County OR

    22%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    277,540
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    −1.6%

    Based on 277,540 jobs.

    Washington County job market

  12. 12

    Clark County WA

    22%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    154,948
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.3%

    Based on 154,948 jobs.

    Clark County job market

  13. 13

    Sacramento County CA

    22%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    534,092
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.1%

    Based on 534,092 jobs.

    Sacramento County job market

  14. 14

    Thurston County WA

    22%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    85,964
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.4%

    Based on 85,964 jobs.

    Thurston County job market

  15. 15

    Contra Costa County CA

    21%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    324,325
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (8% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.7%

    Based on 324,325 jobs.

    Contra Costa County job market

  16. 16

    Marin County CA

    20%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    94,533
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.0%

    Based on 94,533 jobs.

    Marin County job market

  17. 17

    Kitsap County WA

    20%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    59,140
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +0.1%

    Based on 59,140 jobs.

    Kitsap County job market

  18. 18

    Placer County CA

    19%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    165,925
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +2.5%

    Based on 165,925 jobs.

    Placer County job market

  19. 19

    Ventura County CA

    19%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    288,572
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.7%

    Based on 288,572 jobs.

    Ventura County job market

  20. 20

    Spokane County WA

    19%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    206,384
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.6%

    Based on 206,384 jobs.

    Spokane County job market

  21. 21

    El Dorado County CA

    19%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    48,073
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.5%

    Based on 48,073 jobs.

    El Dorado County job market

  22. 22

    Clackamas County OR

    19%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    157,803
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +1.7%

    Based on 157,803 jobs.

    Clackamas County job market

  23. 23

    Deschutes County OR

    18%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    83,459
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (7% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +5.3%

    Based on 83,459 jobs.

    Deschutes County job market

  24. 24

    Pierce County WA

    18%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    276,587
    Largest exposed sector
    Admin & staffing (9% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +3.3%

    Based on 276,587 jobs.

    Pierce County job market

  25. 25

    Snohomish County WA

    17%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    257,388
    Largest exposed sector
    Professional & technical (6% of jobs)
    Job growth since 2022
    +4.6%

    Based on 257,388 jobs.

    Snohomish County job market

Full ranking

All 68 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1San Francisco County CA47%586,454
2San Mateo County CA39%380,332
3Santa Clara County CA38%1,021,232
4King County WA37%1,255,504
5Benton County WA28%86,994
6Orange County CA26%1,501,121
7Multnomah County OR25%415,659
8San Diego County CA24%1,288,378
9Los Angeles County CA24%3,927,366
10Alameda County CA23%670,154
11Washington County OR22%277,540
12Clark County WA22%154,948
13Sacramento County CA22%534,092
14Thurston County WA22%85,964
15Contra Costa County CA21%324,325
16Marin County CA20%94,533
17Kitsap County WA20%59,140
18Placer County CA19%165,925
19Ventura County CA19%288,572
20Spokane County WA19%206,384
21El Dorado County CA19%48,073
22Clackamas County OR19%157,803
23Deschutes County OR18%83,459
24Pierce County WA18%276,587
25Snohomish County WA17%257,388
26Santa Barbara County CA17%179,411
27Sonoma County CA17%178,346
28Lane County OR17%130,846
29Whatcom County WA16%78,177
30Marion County OR16%136,757
31Shasta County CA15%58,359
32San Bernardino County CA14%710,949
33Santa Cruz County CA14%85,953
34San Luis Obispo County CA14%99,890
35Douglas County OR13%30,893
36Nevada County CA13%27,951
37Riverside County CA13%703,703
38Jackson County OR13%80,868
39Solano County CA13%119,904
40Skagit County WA12%41,382
41Benton County OR12%28,490
42Yolo County CA12%72,900
43Humboldt County CA12%37,775
44Kern County CA12%273,487
45Fresno County CA12%350,378
46Napa County CA12%68,695
47Grant County WA11%33,446
48San Joaquin County CA11%243,606
49Butte County CA11%62,412
50Umatilla County OR11%25,391
51Monterey County CA10%162,967
52Linn County OR10%41,938
53Stanislaus County CA10%166,558
54Yamhill County OR10%35,609
55Mendocino County CA10%24,987
56Josephine County OR10%27,417
57Tulare County CA9%138,234
58Lewis County WA9%22,568
59Chelan County WA9%37,494
60Imperial County CA9%47,209
61Franklin County WA8%30,969
62Madera County CA8%45,303
63Cowlitz County WA7%34,461
64Yakima County WA7%97,163
65Merced County CA7%66,454
66Kings County CA6%36,520
67Sutter County CA6%28,018
68Walla Walla County WA4%22,093

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 west coast?
San Francisco County has the largest share of jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the West Coast: 47% of its private-sector jobs, against 16% in the typical large county.
How many counties are ranked?
68 counties have at least 20,000 jobs, so the list has 68 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 West Coast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-ai-exposed-jobs-in-the-west-coast

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

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

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