Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Mountain West
Key facts
- #1 Broomfield County, CO: 15 per 100
- #2 Denver County, CO: 14 per 100
- #3 Boulder County, CO: 8 per 100
- 15 counties ranked in the Mountain West
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 5 per 100 across all ranked counties.
- 1Broomfield County CO15 per 100
- 2Denver County CO14 per 100
- 3Boulder County CO8 per 100
- 4Jefferson County CO6 per 100
- 5Arapahoe County CO6 per 100
- 6Weber County UT6 per 100
- 7Salt Lake County UT5 per 100
- 8Ada County ID5 per 100
- 9Washoe County NV4 per 100
- 10El Paso County CO4 per 100
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Broomfield County (15 per 100) is well clear of El Paso County at #10 (4 per 100).
- Weber County reaches #6 on a sample of 255 openings, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- Denver County is the largest market in the top ten, with 2,833 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
Broomfield County CO
15 per 100
- Professional openings
- 282
- People unemployed
- 1,896
- Unemployment rate
- 4.2%
Based on 282 openings.
- 2
Denver County CO
14 per 100
- Professional openings
- 2,833
- People unemployed
- 19,748
- Unemployment rate
- 4.4%
Based on 2,833 openings.
- 3
Boulder County CO
8 per 100
- Professional openings
- 673
- People unemployed
- 8,193
- Unemployment rate
- 4.4%
Based on 673 openings.
- 4
Jefferson County CO
6 per 100
- Professional openings
- 767
- People unemployed
- 13,591
- Unemployment rate
- 4.1%
Based on 767 openings.
- 5
Arapahoe County CO
6 per 100
- Professional openings
- 893
- People unemployed
- 16,009
- Unemployment rate
- 4.3%
Based on 893 openings.
- 6
Weber County UT
6 per 100
- Professional openings
- 255
- People unemployed
- 4,616
- Unemployment rate
- 3.1%
Based on 255 openings.
- 7
Salt Lake County UT
5 per 100
- Professional openings
- 1,210
- People unemployed
- 22,509
- Unemployment rate
- 3.2%
Based on 1,210 openings.
- 8
Ada County ID
5 per 100
- Professional openings
- 411
- People unemployed
- 9,029
- Unemployment rate
- 3.1%
Based on 411 openings.
- 9
Washoe County NV
4 per 100
- Professional openings
- 416
- People unemployed
- 9,442
- Unemployment rate
- 3.5%
Based on 416 openings.
- 10
El Paso County CO
4 per 100
- Professional openings
- 700
- People unemployed
- 17,129
- Unemployment rate
- 4.6%
Based on 700 openings.
- 11
Utah County UT
3 per 100
- Professional openings
- 425
- People unemployed
- 12,342
- Unemployment rate
- 3.3%
Based on 425 openings.
- 12
Larimer County CO
3 per 100
- Professional openings
- 234
- People unemployed
- 8,537
- Unemployment rate
- 4.2%
Based on 234 openings.
- 13
Weld County CO
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 170
- People unemployed
- 8,365
- Unemployment rate
- 4.7%
Based on 170 openings.
- 14
Clark County NV
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 1,031
- People unemployed
- 59,310
- Unemployment rate
- 4.8%
Based on 1,031 openings.
- 15
Douglas County CO
2 per 100
- Professional openings
- 142
- People unemployed
- 9,017
- Unemployment rate
- 4.0%
Based on 142 openings.
Full ranking
All 15 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | County | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Broomfield County CO | 15 per 100 | 282 |
| 2 | Denver County CO | 14 per 100 | 2,833 |
| 3 | Boulder County CO | 8 per 100 | 673 |
| 4 | Jefferson County CO | 6 per 100 | 767 |
| 5 | Arapahoe County CO | 6 per 100 | 893 |
| 6 | Weber County UT | 6 per 100 | 255 |
| 7 | Salt Lake County UT | 5 per 100 | 1,210 |
| 8 | Ada County ID | 5 per 100 | 411 |
| 9 | Washoe County NV | 4 per 100 | 416 |
| 10 | El Paso County CO | 4 per 100 | 700 |
| 11 | Utah County UT | 3 per 100 | 425 |
| 12 | Larimer County CO | 3 per 100 | 234 |
| 13 | Weld County CO | 2 per 100 | 170 |
| 14 | Clark County NV | 2 per 100 | 1,031 |
| 15 | Douglas County CO | 2 per 100 | 142 |
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 mountain west?
- Broomfield County has the most professional job openings per unemployed person in the Mountain West: 15 per 100 unemployed people, against 5 per 100 across all ranked counties.
- How many counties are ranked?
- 15 counties have at least 100 openings, so the list has 15 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
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- Best college towns for junior jobs in the Mountain West
- Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the Mountain West
- Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Mountain West
- Cities with the most hybrid jobs in the Mountain West
- Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Mountain West
- Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Mountain West,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-openings-per-unemployed-person-in-the-mountain-west
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-openings-per-unemployed-person-in-the-mountain-west">Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Mountain West (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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