NextChapter

Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Midwest

Delaware County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Midwest: 58% of its workers are in management, business, financial or professional occupations, against 38% 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 Delaware County, OH: 58%
  • #2 Hamilton County, IN: 58%
  • #3 Washtenaw County, MI: 57%
  • 100 counties ranked in the Midwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 38% across the typical large county.

  1. 1Delaware County OH58%
  2. 2Hamilton County IN58%
  3. 3Washtenaw County MI57%
  4. 4Johnson County KS56%
  5. 5Dane County WI55%
  6. 6Hennepin County MN55%
  7. 7Dallas County IA55%
  8. 8Olmsted County MN55%
  9. 9Oakland County MI54%
  10. 10Boone County IN53%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Delaware County leads on 58%, and #10 Boone County is at 53%.
  • Boone County reaches #10 on a sample of 43,372 people in the labor force, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Hennepin County is the largest market in the top ten, with 721,820 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. 1

    Delaware County OH

    58%

    Median household income
    $130,088
    People in the labor force
    127,769
    Unemployment
    3.1%

    Based on 127,769 people in the labor force.

    Delaware County job market

  2. 2

    Hamilton County IN

    58%

    Median household income
    $117,957
    People in the labor force
    213,172
    Unemployment
    3.1%

    Based on 213,172 people in the labor force.

    Hamilton County job market

  3. 3

    Washtenaw County MI

    57%

    Median household income
    $87,156
    People in the labor force
    189,854
    Unemployment
    3.7%

    Based on 189,854 people in the labor force.

    Washtenaw County job market

  4. 4

    Johnson County KS

    56%

    Median household income
    $107,261
    People in the labor force
    359,827
    Unemployment
    3.7%

    Based on 359,827 people in the labor force.

    Johnson County job market

  5. 5

    Dane County WI

    55%

    Median household income
    $88,108
    People in the labor force
    347,110
    Unemployment
    2.5%

    Based on 347,110 people in the labor force.

    Dane County job market

  6. 6

    Hennepin County MN

    55%

    Median household income
    $96,339
    People in the labor force
    721,820
    Unemployment
    4.7%

    Based on 721,820 people in the labor force.

    Hennepin County job market

  7. 7

    Dallas County IA

    55%

    Median household income
    $102,349
    People in the labor force
    65,418
    Unemployment
    3.0%

    Based on 65,418 people in the labor force.

    Dallas County job market

  8. 8

    Olmsted County MN

    55%

    Median household income
    $93,494
    People in the labor force
    91,173
    Unemployment
    3.7%

    Based on 91,173 people in the labor force.

    Olmsted County job market

  9. 9

    Oakland County MI

    54%

    Median household income
    $95,296
    People in the labor force
    686,120
    Unemployment
    4.7%

    Based on 686,120 people in the labor force.

    Oakland County job market

  10. 10

    Boone County IN

    53%

    Median household income
    $104,865
    People in the labor force
    43,372
    Unemployment
    3.1%

    Based on 43,372 people in the labor force.

    Boone County job market

  11. 11

    Washington County MN

    52%

    Median household income
    $114,457
    People in the labor force
    152,258
    Unemployment
    4.3%

    Based on 152,258 people in the labor force.

    Washington County job market

  12. 12

    Carver County MN

    52%

    Median household income
    $123,144
    People in the labor force
    63,843
    Unemployment
    3.9%

    Based on 63,843 people in the labor force.

    Carver County job market

  13. 13

    Warren County OH

    51%

    Median household income
    $107,843
    People in the labor force
    132,655
    Unemployment
    3.2%

    Based on 132,655 people in the labor force.

    Warren County job market

  14. 14

    Waukesha County WI

    50%

    Median household income
    $104,100
    People in the labor force
    224,760
    Unemployment
    2.7%

    Based on 224,760 people in the labor force.

    Waukesha County job market

  15. 15

    Johnson County IA

    50%

    Median household income
    $74,721
    People in the labor force
    89,903
    Unemployment
    2.8%

    Based on 89,903 people in the labor force.

    Johnson County job market

  16. 16

    Champaign County IL

    50%

    Median household income
    $63,091
    People in the labor force
    110,798
    Unemployment
    3.6%

    Based on 110,798 people in the labor force.

    Champaign County job market

  17. 17

    St. Louis County MO

    50%

    Median household income
    $81,340
    People in the labor force
    529,673
    Unemployment
    3.6%

    Based on 529,673 people in the labor force.

    St. Louis County job market

  18. 18

    Ozaukee County WI

    50%

    Median household income
    $96,734
    People in the labor force
    50,406
    Unemployment
    2.7%

    Based on 50,406 people in the labor force.

    Ozaukee County job market

  19. 19

    Platte County MO

    50%

    Median household income
    $95,748
    People in the labor force
    63,389
    Unemployment
    2.8%

    Based on 63,389 people in the labor force.

    Platte County job market

  20. 20

    DuPage County IL

    50%

    Median household income
    $110,502
    People in the labor force
    508,755
    Unemployment
    3.8%

    Based on 508,755 people in the labor force.

    DuPage County job market

  21. 21

    Boone County MO

    49%

    Median household income
    $69,913
    People in the labor force
    103,746
    Unemployment
    2.7%

    Based on 103,746 people in the labor force.

    Boone County job market

  22. 22

    Monroe County IN

    49%

    Median household income
    $63,372
    People in the labor force
    72,239
    Unemployment
    3.7%

    Based on 72,239 people in the labor force.

    Monroe County job market

  23. 23

    Greene County OH

    49%

    Median household income
    $85,218
    People in the labor force
    83,492
    Unemployment
    3.4%

    Based on 83,492 people in the labor force.

    Greene County job market

  24. 24

    Douglas County KS

    48%

    Median household income
    $68,756
    People in the labor force
    70,558
    Unemployment
    3.6%

    Based on 70,558 people in the labor force.

    Douglas County job market

  25. 25

    St. Louis city MO

    48%

    Median household income
    $55,279
    People in the labor force
    156,613
    Unemployment
    4.0%

    Based on 156,613 people in the labor force.

    St. Louis city job market

Full ranking

All 100 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1Delaware County OH58%127,769
2Hamilton County IN58%213,172
3Washtenaw County MI57%189,854
4Johnson County KS56%359,827
5Dane County WI55%347,110
6Hennepin County MN55%721,820
7Dallas County IA55%65,418
8Olmsted County MN55%91,173
9Oakland County MI54%686,120
10Boone County IN53%43,372
11Washington County MN52%152,258
12Carver County MN52%63,843
13Warren County OH51%132,655
14Waukesha County WI50%224,760
15Johnson County IA50%89,903
16Champaign County IL50%110,798
17St. Louis County MO50%529,673
18Ozaukee County WI50%50,406
19Platte County MO50%63,389
20DuPage County IL50%508,755
21Boone County MO49%103,746
22Monroe County IN49%72,239
23Greene County OH49%83,492
24Douglas County KS48%70,558
25St. Louis city MO48%156,613
26Union County OH48%38,434
27St. Charles County MO48%241,011
28Ramsey County MN47%290,396
29Lake County IL47%365,784
30McLean County IL47%92,333
31Dakota County MN47%252,001
32Lincoln County SD47%43,069
33Story County IA47%57,132
34Franklin County OH47%725,120
35Hamilton County OH46%430,532
36Hendricks County IN46%105,533
37Douglas County NE46%328,644
38Sarpy County NE46%112,813
39Cook County IL46%2,707,866
40Livingston County MI45%101,150
41Warrick County IN45%33,648
42Sangamon County IL45%91,562
43Scott County MN45%90,683
44Johnson County IN45%90,361
45Polk County IA45%282,996
46Riley County KS45%36,434
47Cass County ND45%120,301
48Medina County OH44%101,039
49Leavenworth County KS44%37,680
50Ingham County MI44%139,224
51Cole County MO44%40,672
52Peoria County IL44%84,412
53St. Croix County WI44%55,536
54Cuyahoga County OH44%629,048
55Burleigh County ND44%53,521
56Tippecanoe County IN44%101,622
57Hancock County IN44%48,913
58Bartholomew County IN43%39,488
59Lancaster County NE43%189,580
60Midland County MI43%38,572
61Wright County MN43%86,163
62Clay County MN43%35,951
63Kalamazoo County MI43%127,605
64Scott County IA42%91,017
65Christian County MO42%48,532
66Washington County WI42%76,937
67Kendall County IL42%76,044
68Clay County MO42%146,989
69Kent County MI42%332,968
70Clinton County MI42%38,465
71Phelps County MO42%21,374
72Butler County KS42%34,510
73Athens County OH42%27,333
74Summit County OH41%269,402
75Geauga County OH41%49,958
76Clermont County OH41%109,926
77McHenry County IL41%174,662
78Grand Traverse County MI41%50,621
79Linn County IA41%119,865
80Floyd County IN41%42,518
81Ottawa County MI41%150,460
82Warren County IA41%30,251
83Fairfield County OH41%83,516
84Jackson County MO40%389,783
85Will County IL40%380,503
86St. Joseph County IN40%130,967
87Madison County IL40%132,941
88Montgomery County OH40%255,117
89Jackson County IL40%24,414
90Wood County OH40%67,973
91Milwaukee County WI40%458,482
92Lake County OH40%126,455
93Anoka County MN40%205,911
94Minnehaha County SD40%118,504
95Marion County IN40%520,621
96La Crosse County WI40%67,180
97Williamson County IL40%31,807
98Shawnee County KS40%90,817
99Butler County OH40%196,312
100Tazewell County IL40%63,830

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 midwest?
Delaware County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Midwest: 58% of its workers are in management, business, financial or professional occupations, against 38% 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

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Midwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-white-collar-workers-in-the-midwest

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-white-collar-workers-in-the-midwest">Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Midwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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