NextChapter

Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Midwest

Union County has the most professional job openings per unemployed person in the Midwest: 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 St. Louis city, MO: 16 per 100
  • #3 Pickaway County, OH: 15 per 100
  • 69 counties ranked in the Midwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 5 per 100 across all ranked counties.

  1. 1Union County OH23 per 100
  2. 2St. Louis city MO16 per 100
  3. 3Pickaway County OH15 per 100
  4. 4Cuyahoga County OH11 per 100
  5. 5Hamilton County OH10 per 100
  6. 6Minnehaha County SD10 per 100
  7. 7Franklin County OH10 per 100
  8. 8Cole County MO10 per 100
  9. 9DuPage County IL9 per 100
  10. 10Sangamon County IL9 per 100

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Union County (23 per 100) is well clear of Sangamon County at #10 (9 per 100).
  • Cole County reaches #8 on a sample of 107 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

    St. Louis city MO

    16 per 100

    Professional openings
    1,032
    People unemployed
    6,294
    Unemployment rate
    4.0%

    Based on 1,032 openings.

    St. Louis city job market

  3. 3

    Pickaway County OH

    15 per 100

    Professional openings
    147
    People unemployed
    973
    Unemployment rate
    3.4%

    Based on 147 openings.

    Pickaway County job market

  4. 4

    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

  5. 5

    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

  6. 6

    Minnehaha County SD

    10 per 100

    Professional openings
    201
    People unemployed
    1,939
    Unemployment rate
    1.6%

    Based on 201 openings.

    Minnehaha County job market

  7. 7

    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

  8. 8

    Cole County MO

    10 per 100

    Professional openings
    107
    People unemployed
    1,102
    Unemployment rate
    2.7%

    Based on 107 openings.

    Cole County job market

  9. 9

    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

  10. 10

    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

  11. 11

    Linn County IA

    9 per 100

    Professional openings
    372
    People unemployed
    4,253
    Unemployment rate
    3.5%

    Based on 372 openings.

    Linn County job market

  12. 12

    Johnson County KS

    8 per 100

    Professional openings
    1,047
    People unemployed
    13,186
    Unemployment rate
    3.7%

    Based on 1,047 openings.

    Johnson County job market

  13. 13

    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

  14. 14

    Cass County ND

    7 per 100

    Professional openings
    165
    People unemployed
    2,216
    Unemployment rate
    1.8%

    Based on 165 openings.

    Cass County job market

  15. 15

    Jackson County MO

    7 per 100

    Professional openings
    951
    People unemployed
    13,018
    Unemployment rate
    3.3%

    Based on 951 openings.

    Jackson County job market

  16. 16

    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

  17. 17

    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

  18. 18

    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

  19. 19

    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

  20. 20

    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

  21. 21

    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

  22. 22

    Douglas County NE

    6 per 100

    Professional openings
    547
    People unemployed
    8,559
    Unemployment rate
    2.6%

    Based on 547 openings.

    Douglas County job market

  23. 23

    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

  24. 24

    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

  25. 25

    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

Full ranking

All 69 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1Union County OH23 per 100259
2St. Louis city MO16 per 1001,032
3Pickaway County OH15 per 100147
4Cuyahoga County OH11 per 1001,378
5Hamilton County OH10 per 1001,582
6Minnehaha County SD10 per 100201
7Franklin County OH10 per 1002,497
8Cole County MO10 per 100107
9DuPage County IL9 per 1001,762
10Sangamon County IL9 per 100288
11Linn County IA9 per 100372
12Johnson County KS8 per 1001,047
13Greene County OH8 per 100211
14Cass County ND7 per 100165
15Jackson County MO7 per 100951
16La Crosse County WI7 per 100127
17Marion County IN7 per 1001,388
18Dane County WI7 per 100622
19Cook County IL7 per 1008,859
20Hennepin County MN7 per 1002,349
21Lake County OH7 per 100145
22Douglas County NE6 per 100547
23Outagamie County WI6 per 100172
24Lake County IL6 per 100772
25Winnebago County WI6 per 100145
26Milwaukee County WI6 per 100965
27Washtenaw County MI6 per 100394
28Montgomery County OH6 per 100551
29Olmsted County MN5 per 100185
30Clark County IN5 per 100136
31Wyandotte County KS5 per 100200
32Waukesha County WI5 per 100326
33Polk County IA5 per 100498
34McLean County IL5 per 100156
35Peoria County IL5 per 100178
36Boone County MO5 per 100137
37Lancaster County NE5 per 100206
38Summit County OH5 per 100461
39Warren County OH4 per 100186
40Ingham County MI4 per 100241
41Kent County MI4 per 100489
42Greene County MO4 per 100195
43Allen County IN4 per 100277
44Champaign County IL4 per 100149
45Brown County WI4 per 100144
46Vanderburgh County IN4 per 100118
47Oakland County MI4 per 1001,151
48Lorain County OH3 per 100107
49St. Clair County IL3 per 100160
50Elkhart County IN3 per 100129
51Ramsey County MN3 per 100455
52Lucas County OH3 per 100257
53Hamilton County IN3 per 100203
54Shawnee County KS3 per 100110
55Winnebago County IL3 per 100157
56Kalamazoo County MI3 per 100134
57Madison County IL2 per 100108
58Wayne County MI2 per 1001,251
59St. Louis County MN2 per 100101
60Sedgwick County KS2 per 100239
61Ottawa County MI2 per 100113
62Kane County IL2 per 100195
63St. Louis County MO2 per 100356
64Dakota County MN2 per 100198
65Stark County OH2 per 100108
66McHenry County IL2 per 100107
67Will County IL1 per 100234
68Macomb County MI1 per 100301
69Lake 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 midwest?
Union County has the most professional job openings per unemployed person in the Midwest: 23 per 100 unemployed people, against 5 per 100 across all ranked counties.
How many counties are ranked?
69 counties have at least 100 openings, so the list has 69 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 Midwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-openings-per-unemployed-person-in-the-midwest

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

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

The job market, once a week

One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.

Applying and hearing nothing back?

Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.

Already a member? Log in

Get my Market Reality Assessment

Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?

Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.

See how organizations use it