Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Mid-Atlantic
Question 1
Where are you right now?
Why we ask: a laid-off week and a thinking-about-a-move week look nothing alike. No résumé, no account.
Key facts
- #1 Arlington County, VA: 74%
- #2 District of Columbia, DC: 71%
- #3 Howard County, MD: 66%
- 100 counties ranked in the Mid-Atlantic
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: 42% across the typical large county.
- 1Arlington County VA74%
- 2District of Columbia DC71%
- 3Howard County MD66%
- 4New York County NY65%
- 5Loudoun County VA63%
- 6Alexandria city VA62%
- 7Fairfax County VA62%
- 8Charlottesville city VA62%
- 9Montgomery County MD60%
- 10Tompkins County NY59%
What stands out
- The top ten is tightly packed: Arlington County leads on 74%, and #10 Tompkins County is at 59%.
- Charlottesville city reaches #8 on a sample of 24,867 people in the labor force, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- New York County is the largest market in the top ten, with 963,288 people in the labor force behind its figure.
- Counties with fewer than 20,000 people in the labor force are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
The share of working people in management, business, financial and professional occupations shows where the economy is built around professional work.
How to use it
If your work is professional, counties near the top have more peers, more employers who hire for it, and more local networks.
The top 25
- 1
Arlington County VA
74%
- Median household income
- $140,160
- People in the labor force
- 149,311
- Unemployment
- 2.9%
Based on 149,311 people in the labor force.
- 2
District of Columbia DC
71%
- Median household income
- $106,287
- People in the labor force
- 401,751
- Unemployment
- 5.3%
Based on 401,751 people in the labor force.
- 3
Howard County MD
66%
- Median household income
- $146,982
- People in the labor force
- 185,084
- Unemployment
- 3.0%
Based on 185,084 people in the labor force.
- 4
New York County NY
65%
- Median household income
- $104,553
- People in the labor force
- 963,288
- Unemployment
- 4.7%
Based on 963,288 people in the labor force.
- 5
Loudoun County VA
63%
- Median household income
- $178,707
- People in the labor force
- 244,202
- Unemployment
- 3.4%
Based on 244,202 people in the labor force.
- 6
Alexandria city VA
62%
- Median household income
- $113,638
- People in the labor force
- 97,772
- Unemployment
- 3.2%
Based on 97,772 people in the labor force.
- 7
Fairfax County VA
62%
- Median household income
- $150,113
- People in the labor force
- 624,457
- Unemployment
- 3.4%
Based on 624,457 people in the labor force.
- 8
Charlottesville city VA
62%
- Median household income
- $69,829
- People in the labor force
- 24,867
- Unemployment
- 3.0%
Based on 24,867 people in the labor force.
- 9
Montgomery County MD
60%
- Median household income
- $128,733
- People in the labor force
- 560,766
- Unemployment
- 3.2%
Based on 560,766 people in the labor force.
- 10
Tompkins County NY
59%
- Median household income
- $73,012
- People in the labor force
- 49,562
- Unemployment
- 4.4%
Based on 49,562 people in the labor force.
- 11
Albemarle County VA
58%
- Median household income
- $102,617
- People in the labor force
- 61,963
- Unemployment
- 3.3%
Based on 61,963 people in the labor force.
- 12
Hunterdon County NJ
58%
- Median household income
- $139,453
- People in the labor force
- 68,579
- Unemployment
- 3.3%
Based on 68,579 people in the labor force.
- 13
Somerset County NJ
57%
- Median household income
- $135,960
- People in the labor force
- 195,616
- Unemployment
- 3.7%
Based on 195,616 people in the labor force.
- 14
Chester County PA
56%
- Median household income
- $123,041
- People in the labor force
- 307,859
- Unemployment
- 2.6%
Based on 307,859 people in the labor force.
- 15
York County VA
56%
- Median household income
- $108,326
- People in the labor force
- 33,289
- Unemployment
- 3.5%
Based on 33,289 people in the labor force.
- 16
Morris County NJ
56%
- Median household income
- $134,929
- People in the labor force
- 276,643
- Unemployment
- 3.5%
Based on 276,643 people in the labor force.
- 17
Montgomery County PA
54%
- Median household income
- $111,521
- People in the labor force
- 482,355
- Unemployment
- 2.7%
Based on 482,355 people in the labor force.
- 18
Bergen County NJ
53%
- Median household income
- $123,715
- People in the labor force
- 540,988
- Unemployment
- 3.5%
Based on 540,988 people in the labor force.
- 19
Westchester County NY
53%
- Median household income
- $118,411
- People in the labor force
- 541,409
- Unemployment
- 3.8%
Based on 541,409 people in the labor force.
- 20
Anne Arundel County MD
52%
- Median household income
- $120,324
- People in the labor force
- 321,951
- Unemployment
- 3.0%
Based on 321,951 people in the labor force.
- 21
Monmouth County NJ
52%
- Median household income
- $122,727
- People in the labor force
- 336,779
- Unemployment
- 3.7%
Based on 336,779 people in the labor force.
- 22
Montgomery County VA
51%
- Median household income
- $70,769
- People in the labor force
- 48,358
- Unemployment
- 3.9%
Based on 48,358 people in the labor force.
- 23
Frederick County MD
51%
- Median household income
- $120,458
- People in the labor force
- 154,555
- Unemployment
- 3.1%
Based on 154,555 people in the labor force.
- 24
Centre County PA
51%
- Median household income
- $72,748
- People in the labor force
- 78,787
- Unemployment
- 2.6%
Based on 78,787 people in the labor force.
- 25
Allegheny County PA
51%
- Median household income
- $76,393
- People in the labor force
- 651,551
- Unemployment
- 3.0%
Based on 651,551 people in the labor force.
Full ranking
All 100 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
How this ranking works
A county's score is the share of its employed residents in management, business, financial and professional occupations, from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Only counties with at least 20,000 people in the labor force are ranked. The figure describes where residents work by occupation, not where their employers are.
Sample bar: counties with fewer than 20,000 people in the labor force are not ranked.
Sources: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (occupation by county). 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 highest share of white-collar workers in the mid-atlantic?
- Arlington County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Mid-Atlantic: 74% of its workers are in management, business, financial or professional occupations, against 42% in the typical large county.
- How many counties are ranked?
- 100 counties have at least 20,000 people in the labor force, so the list has 100 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- A county's score is the share of its employed residents in management, business, financial and professional occupations, from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Only counties with at least 20,000 people in the labor force are ranked. The figure describes where residents work by occupation, not where their employers are.
- 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
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in the Mid-Atlantic
- Best college towns for junior jobs in the Mid-Atlantic
- Counties with the lowest unemployment in the Mid-Atlantic
- Counties where unemployment fell the most in the Mid-Atlantic
- Counties with the most jobs in AI-exposed sectors in the Mid-Atlantic
- Best cities for junior jobs in the Mid-Atlantic
- Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Mid-Atlantic,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-white-collar-workers-in-the-mid-atlantic
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-white-collar-workers-in-the-mid-atlantic">Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Mid-Atlantic (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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