NextChapter

Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Great Lakes

Union County has the most professional job openings per unemployed person in the Great Lakes: 23 per 100 unemployed people, against 5 per 100 across all ranked counties.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

Key facts

  • #1 Union County, OH: 23 per 100
  • #2 Pickaway County, OH: 15 per 100
  • #3 Cuyahoga County, OH: 11 per 100
  • 53 counties ranked in the Great Lakes
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 5 per 100 across all ranked counties.

  1. 1Union County OH23 per 100
  2. 2Pickaway County OH15 per 100
  3. 3Cuyahoga County OH11 per 100
  4. 4Hamilton County OH10 per 100
  5. 5Franklin County OH10 per 100
  6. 6DuPage County IL9 per 100
  7. 7Sangamon County IL9 per 100
  8. 8Greene County OH8 per 100
  9. 9La Crosse County WI7 per 100
  10. 10Marion County IN7 per 100

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Union County (23 per 100) is well clear of Marion County at #10 (7 per 100).
  • La Crosse County reaches #9 on a sample of 127 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Franklin County is the largest market in the top ten, with 2,497 openings behind its figure.
  • Counties with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Counties differ in how many professional openings there are for each person looking for work. The ratio is one way to compare how much hiring is happening in a place against how many people need it.

How to use it

Use it to compare places, not to count your own odds. Our openings cover professional roles on the career sites we track, and the unemployed include people in every kind of work.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Union County OH

    23 per 100

    Professional openings
    259
    People unemployed
    1,123
    Unemployment rate
    2.9%

    Based on 259 openings.

    Union County job market

  2. 2

    Pickaway County OH

    15 per 100

    Professional openings
    147
    People unemployed
    973
    Unemployment rate
    3.4%

    Based on 147 openings.

    Pickaway County job market

  3. 3

    Cuyahoga County OH

    11 per 100

    Professional openings
    1,378
    People unemployed
    12,750
    Unemployment rate
    2.0%

    Based on 1,378 openings.

    Cuyahoga County job market

  4. 4

    Hamilton County OH

    10 per 100

    Professional openings
    1,582
    People unemployed
    15,196
    Unemployment rate
    3.5%

    Based on 1,582 openings.

    Hamilton County job market

  5. 5

    Franklin County OH

    10 per 100

    Professional openings
    2,497
    People unemployed
    24,369
    Unemployment rate
    3.4%

    Based on 2,497 openings.

    Franklin County job market

  6. 6

    DuPage County IL

    9 per 100

    Professional openings
    1,762
    People unemployed
    19,455
    Unemployment rate
    3.8%

    Based on 1,762 openings.

    DuPage County job market

  7. 7

    Sangamon County IL

    9 per 100

    Professional openings
    288
    People unemployed
    3,291
    Unemployment rate
    3.6%

    Based on 288 openings.

    Sangamon County job market

  8. 8

    Greene County OH

    8 per 100

    Professional openings
    211
    People unemployed
    2,797
    Unemployment rate
    3.4%

    Based on 211 openings.

    Greene County job market

  9. 9

    La Crosse County WI

    7 per 100

    Professional openings
    127
    People unemployed
    1,742
    Unemployment rate
    2.6%

    Based on 127 openings.

    La Crosse County job market

  10. 10

    Marion County IN

    7 per 100

    Professional openings
    1,388
    People unemployed
    19,178
    Unemployment rate
    3.7%

    Based on 1,388 openings.

    Marion County job market

  11. 11

    Dane County WI

    7 per 100

    Professional openings
    622
    People unemployed
    8,725
    Unemployment rate
    2.5%

    Based on 622 openings.

    Dane County job market

  12. 12

    Cook County IL

    7 per 100

    Professional openings
    8,859
    People unemployed
    127,564
    Unemployment rate
    4.7%

    Based on 8,859 openings.

    Cook County job market

  13. 13

    Hennepin County MN

    7 per 100

    Professional openings
    2,349
    People unemployed
    33,866
    Unemployment rate
    4.7%

    Based on 2,349 openings.

    Hennepin County job market

  14. 14

    Lake County OH

    7 per 100

    Professional openings
    145
    People unemployed
    2,222
    Unemployment rate
    1.8%

    Based on 145 openings.

    Lake County job market

  15. 15

    Outagamie County WI

    6 per 100

    Professional openings
    172
    People unemployed
    2,733
    Unemployment rate
    2.6%

    Based on 172 openings.

    Outagamie County job market

  16. 16

    Lake County IL

    6 per 100

    Professional openings
    772
    People unemployed
    13,324
    Unemployment rate
    3.6%

    Based on 772 openings.

    Lake County job market

  17. 17

    Winnebago County WI

    6 per 100

    Professional openings
    145
    People unemployed
    2,510
    Unemployment rate
    2.7%

    Based on 145 openings.

    Winnebago County job market

  18. 18

    Milwaukee County WI

    6 per 100

    Professional openings
    965
    People unemployed
    16,766
    Unemployment rate
    3.7%

    Based on 965 openings.

    Milwaukee County job market

  19. 19

    Washtenaw County MI

    6 per 100

    Professional openings
    394
    People unemployed
    6,980
    Unemployment rate
    3.7%

    Based on 394 openings.

    Washtenaw County job market

  20. 20

    Montgomery County OH

    6 per 100

    Professional openings
    551
    People unemployed
    9,863
    Unemployment rate
    3.9%

    Based on 551 openings.

    Montgomery County job market

  21. 21

    Olmsted County MN

    5 per 100

    Professional openings
    185
    People unemployed
    3,395
    Unemployment rate
    3.7%

    Based on 185 openings.

    Olmsted County job market

  22. 22

    Clark County IN

    5 per 100

    Professional openings
    136
    People unemployed
    2,516
    Unemployment rate
    3.7%

    Based on 136 openings.

    Clark County job market

  23. 23

    Waukesha County WI

    5 per 100

    Professional openings
    326
    People unemployed
    6,118
    Unemployment rate
    2.7%

    Based on 326 openings.

    Waukesha County job market

  24. 24

    McLean County IL

    5 per 100

    Professional openings
    156
    People unemployed
    3,069
    Unemployment rate
    3.3%

    Based on 156 openings.

    McLean County job market

  25. 25

    Peoria County IL

    5 per 100

    Professional openings
    178
    People unemployed
    3,574
    Unemployment rate
    4.2%

    Based on 178 openings.

    Peoria County job market

Full ranking

All 53 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1Union County OH23 per 100259
2Pickaway County OH15 per 100147
3Cuyahoga County OH11 per 1001,378
4Hamilton County OH10 per 1001,582
5Franklin County OH10 per 1002,497
6DuPage County IL9 per 1001,762
7Sangamon County IL9 per 100288
8Greene County OH8 per 100211
9La Crosse County WI7 per 100127
10Marion County IN7 per 1001,388
11Dane County WI7 per 100622
12Cook County IL7 per 1008,859
13Hennepin County MN7 per 1002,349
14Lake County OH7 per 100145
15Outagamie County WI6 per 100172
16Lake County IL6 per 100772
17Winnebago County WI6 per 100145
18Milwaukee County WI6 per 100965
19Washtenaw County MI6 per 100394
20Montgomery County OH6 per 100551
21Olmsted County MN5 per 100185
22Clark County IN5 per 100136
23Waukesha County WI5 per 100326
24McLean County IL5 per 100156
25Peoria County IL5 per 100178
26Summit County OH5 per 100461
27Warren County OH4 per 100186
28Ingham County MI4 per 100241
29Kent County MI4 per 100489
30Allen County IN4 per 100277
31Champaign County IL4 per 100149
32Brown County WI4 per 100144
33Vanderburgh County IN4 per 100118
34Oakland County MI4 per 1001,151
35Lorain County OH3 per 100107
36St. Clair County IL3 per 100160
37Elkhart County IN3 per 100129
38Ramsey County MN3 per 100455
39Lucas County OH3 per 100257
40Hamilton County IN3 per 100203
41Winnebago County IL3 per 100157
42Kalamazoo County MI3 per 100134
43Madison County IL2 per 100108
44Wayne County MI2 per 1001,251
45St. Louis County MN2 per 100101
46Ottawa County MI2 per 100113
47Kane County IL2 per 100195
48Dakota County MN2 per 100198
49Stark County OH2 per 100108
50McHenry County IL2 per 100107
51Will County IL1 per 100234
52Macomb County MI1 per 100301
53Lake County IN1 per 100101

How this ranking works

A county's score is the number of open professional roles in our data, per 100 people unemployed there (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted). Roles are placed in the county of the city their posting names; remote and statewide roles are left out.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, and the unemployed include people in every kind of work, so the figure compares places with one another; it is not a count of the jobs an unemployed person could take. Only counties with at least 100 openings and 500 unemployed people are ranked.

Sample bar: counties with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked.

Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles by county; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (not seasonally adjusted). 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 job openings per unemployed person in the great lakes?
Union County has the most professional job openings per unemployed person in the Great Lakes: 23 per 100 unemployed people, against 5 per 100 across all ranked counties.
How many counties are ranked?
53 counties have at least 100 openings, so the list has 53 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A county's score is the number of open professional roles in our data, per 100 people unemployed there (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted). Roles are placed in the county of the city their posting names; remote and statewide roles are left out. Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, and the unemployed include people in every kind of work, so the figure compares places with one another; it is not a count of the jobs an unemployed person could take. Only counties with at least 100 openings and 500 unemployed people 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 job openings per unemployed person in the Great Lakes,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-openings-per-unemployed-person-in-the-great-lakes

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-openings-per-unemployed-person-in-the-great-lakes">Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Great Lakes (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

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