NextChapter

Counties with the highest share of white-collar workers in the Mountain West

Broomfield County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Mountain West: 61% of its workers are in management, business, financial or professional occupations, against 41% 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 Broomfield County, CO: 61%
  • #2 Douglas County, CO: 58%
  • #3 Boulder County, CO: 57%
  • 55 counties ranked in the Mountain West
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 41% across the typical large county.

  1. 1Broomfield County CO61%
  2. 2Douglas County CO58%
  3. 3Boulder County CO57%
  4. 4Denver County CO55%
  5. 5Jefferson County CO53%
  6. 6Albany County WY52%
  7. 7Summit County UT51%
  8. 8Lewis and Clark County MT51%
  9. 9Larimer County CO49%
  10. 10Ada County ID48%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Broomfield County leads on 61%, and #10 Ada County is at 48%.
  • Albany County reaches #6 on a sample of 22,949 people in the labor force, 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 444,028 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

    Broomfield County CO

    61%

    Median household income
    $121,025
    People in the labor force
    45,295
    Unemployment
    4.2%

    Based on 45,295 people in the labor force.

    Broomfield County job market

  2. 2

    Douglas County CO

    58%

    Median household income
    $145,737
    People in the labor force
    222,728
    Unemployment
    4.0%

    Based on 222,728 people in the labor force.

    Douglas County job market

  3. 3

    Boulder County CO

    57%

    Median household income
    $102,772
    People in the labor force
    186,817
    Unemployment
    4.4%

    Based on 186,817 people in the labor force.

    Boulder County job market

  4. 4

    Denver County CO

    55%

    Median household income
    $91,681
    People in the labor force
    444,028
    Unemployment
    4.4%

    Based on 444,028 people in the labor force.

    Denver County job market

  5. 5

    Jefferson County CO

    53%

    Median household income
    $107,800
    People in the labor force
    330,197
    Unemployment
    4.1%

    Based on 330,197 people in the labor force.

    Jefferson County job market

  6. 6

    Albany County WY

    52%

    Median household income
    $59,881
    People in the labor force
    22,949
    Unemployment
    2.2%

    Based on 22,949 people in the labor force.

    Albany County job market

  7. 7

    Summit County UT

    51%

    Median household income
    $137,058
    People in the labor force
    25,454
    Unemployment
    2.6%

    Based on 25,454 people in the labor force.

    Summit County job market

  8. 8

    Lewis and Clark County MT

    51%

    Median household income
    $74,543
    People in the labor force
    37,289
    Unemployment
    2.4%

    Based on 37,289 people in the labor force.

    Lewis and Clark County job market

  9. 9

    Larimer County CO

    49%

    Median household income
    $91,364
    People in the labor force
    204,208
    Unemployment
    4.2%

    Based on 204,208 people in the labor force.

    Larimer County job market

  10. 10

    Ada County ID

    48%

    Median household income
    $88,907
    People in the labor force
    294,713
    Unemployment
    3.1%

    Based on 294,713 people in the labor force.

    Ada County job market

  11. 11

    El Paso County CO

    46%

    Median household income
    $87,470
    People in the labor force
    375,476
    Unemployment
    4.6%

    Based on 375,476 people in the labor force.

    El Paso County job market

  12. 12

    Arapahoe County CO

    46%

    Median household income
    $97,215
    People in the labor force
    371,702
    Unemployment
    4.3%

    Based on 371,702 people in the labor force.

    Arapahoe County job market

  13. 13

    Utah County UT

    46%

    Median household income
    $96,877
    People in the labor force
    369,791
    Unemployment
    3.3%

    Based on 369,791 people in the labor force.

    Utah County job market

  14. 14

    Davis County UT

    46%

    Median household income
    $108,058
    People in the labor force
    196,022
    Unemployment
    3.0%

    Based on 196,022 people in the labor force.

    Davis County job market

  15. 15

    La Plata County CO

    45%

    Median household income
    $85,296
    People in the labor force
    28,509
    Unemployment
    3.9%

    Based on 28,509 people in the labor force.

    La Plata County job market

  16. 16

    Wasatch County UT

    45%

    Median household income
    $115,146
    People in the labor force
    21,074
    Unemployment
    2.8%

    Based on 21,074 people in the labor force.

    Wasatch County job market

  17. 17

    Latah County ID

    45%

    Median household income
    $65,179
    People in the labor force
    21,744
    Unemployment
    2.9%

    Based on 21,744 people in the labor force.

    Latah County job market

  18. 18

    Gallatin County MT

    44%

    Median household income
    $87,454
    People in the labor force
    78,176
    Unemployment
    2.0%

    Based on 78,176 people in the labor force.

    Gallatin County job market

  19. 19

    Salt Lake County UT

    44%

    Median household income
    $94,658
    People in the labor force
    705,101
    Unemployment
    3.2%

    Based on 705,101 people in the labor force.

    Salt Lake County job market

  20. 20

    Eagle County CO

    43%

    Median household income
    $103,174
    People in the labor force
    33,165
    Unemployment
    3.4%

    Based on 33,165 people in the labor force.

    Eagle County job market

  21. 21

    Missoula County MT

    42%

    Median household income
    $71,246
    People in the labor force
    71,518
    Unemployment
    2.3%

    Based on 71,518 people in the labor force.

    Missoula County job market

  22. 22

    Laramie County WY

    41%

    Median household income
    $77,884
    People in the labor force
    46,833
    Unemployment
    3.0%

    Based on 46,833 people in the labor force.

    Laramie County job market

  23. 23

    Cache County UT

    40%

    Median household income
    $78,292
    People in the labor force
    72,739
    Unemployment
    2.7%

    Based on 72,739 people in the labor force.

    Cache County job market

  24. 24

    Flathead County MT

    40%

    Median household income
    $71,327
    People in the labor force
    60,933
    Unemployment
    2.4%

    Based on 60,933 people in the labor force.

    Flathead County job market

  25. 25

    Yellowstone County MT

    40%

    Median household income
    $74,400
    People in the labor force
    87,838
    Unemployment
    2.5%

    Based on 87,838 people in the labor force.

    Yellowstone County job market

Full ranking

All 55 counties that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCountyScoreSample
1Broomfield County CO61%45,295
2Douglas County CO58%222,728
3Boulder County CO57%186,817
4Denver County CO55%444,028
5Jefferson County CO53%330,197
6Albany County WY52%22,949
7Summit County UT51%25,454
8Lewis and Clark County MT51%37,289
9Larimer County CO49%204,208
10Ada County ID48%294,713
11El Paso County CO46%375,476
12Arapahoe County CO46%371,702
13Utah County UT46%369,791
14Davis County UT46%196,022
15La Plata County CO45%28,509
16Wasatch County UT45%21,074
17Latah County ID45%21,744
18Gallatin County MT44%78,176
19Salt Lake County UT44%705,101
20Eagle County CO43%33,165
21Missoula County MT42%71,518
22Laramie County WY41%46,833
23Cache County UT40%72,739
24Flathead County MT40%60,933
25Yellowstone County MT40%87,838
26Weld County CO39%177,666
27Natrona County WY39%39,739
28Bannock County ID39%40,520
29Douglas County NV38%24,177
30Cascade County MT38%38,556
31Bonneville County ID38%65,191
32Mesa County CO38%78,026
33Washoe County NV37%269,799
34Weber County UT37%147,379
35Washington County UT37%97,011
36Kootenai County ID37%89,647
37Pueblo County CO35%71,039
38Tooele County UT35%45,832
39Adams County CO35%298,768
40Nez Perce County ID35%20,322
41Ravalli County MT34%20,799
42Garfield County CO34%32,972
43Madison County ID34%27,267
44Twin Falls County ID34%47,549
45Iron County UT34%33,738
46Box Elder County UT33%28,931
47Bonner County ID33%22,233
48Clark County NV33%1,226,229
49Carson City NV33%28,941
50Bingham County ID32%23,760
51Campbell County WY32%23,416
52Montrose County CO32%20,245
53Canyon County ID31%136,328
54Elko County NV31%27,526
55Lyon County NV28%30,193

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 mountain west?
Broomfield County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Mountain West: 61% of its workers are in management, business, financial or professional occupations, against 41% in the typical large county.
How many counties are ranked?
55 counties have at least 20,000 people in the labor force, so the list has 55 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 Mountain West,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-white-collar-workers-in-the-mountain-west

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

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

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