NextChapter

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

New York County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Northeast: 65% 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 New York County, NY: 65%
  • #2 Middlesex County, MA: 61%
  • #3 Tompkins County, NY: 59%
  • 100 counties ranked in the Northeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: 41% across the typical large county.

  1. 1New York County NY65%
  2. 2Middlesex County MA61%
  3. 3Tompkins County NY59%
  4. 4Norfolk County MA59%
  5. 5Hunterdon County NJ58%
  6. 6Somerset County NJ57%
  7. 7Chester County PA56%
  8. 8Morris County NJ56%
  9. 9Bristol County RI54%
  10. 10Chittenden County VT54%

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: New York County leads on 65%, and #10 Chittenden County is at 54%.
  • Bristol County reaches #9 on a sample of 26,320 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. 1

    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.

    New York County job market

  2. 2

    Middlesex County MA

    61%

    Median household income
    $126,779
    People in the labor force
    932,913
    Unemployment
    3.8%

    Based on 932,913 people in the labor force.

    Middlesex County job market

  3. 3

    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.

    Tompkins County job market

  4. 4

    Norfolk County MA

    59%

    Median household income
    $126,497
    People in the labor force
    415,556
    Unemployment
    3.9%

    Based on 415,556 people in the labor force.

    Norfolk County job market

  5. 5

    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.

    Hunterdon County job market

  6. 6

    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.

    Somerset County job market

  7. 7

    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.

    Chester County job market

  8. 8

    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.

    Morris County job market

  9. 9

    Bristol County RI

    54%

    Median household income
    $110,926
    People in the labor force
    26,320
    Unemployment
    2.4%

    Based on 26,320 people in the labor force.

    Bristol County job market

  10. 10

    Chittenden County VT

    54%

    Median household income
    $94,310
    People in the labor force
    96,362
    Unemployment
    2.2%

    Based on 96,362 people in the labor force.

    Chittenden County job market

  11. 11

    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.

    Montgomery County job market

  12. 12

    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.

    Bergen County job market

  13. 13

    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.

    Westchester County job market

  14. 14

    Suffolk County MA

    53%

    Median household income
    $92,859
    People in the labor force
    465,838
    Unemployment
    4.2%

    Based on 465,838 people in the labor force.

    Suffolk County job market

  15. 15

    Cumberland County ME

    52%

    Median household income
    $92,983
    People in the labor force
    178,277
    Unemployment
    2.7%

    Based on 178,277 people in the labor force.

    Cumberland County job market

  16. 16

    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.

    Monmouth County job market

  17. 17

    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.

    Centre County job market

  18. 18

    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.

    Allegheny County job market

  19. 19

    Saratoga County NY

    51%

    Median household income
    $99,653
    People in the labor force
    128,127
    Unemployment
    3.2%

    Based on 128,127 people in the labor force.

    Saratoga County job market

  20. 20

    Nassau County NY

    50%

    Median household income
    $143,408
    People in the labor force
    718,633
    Unemployment
    3.7%

    Based on 718,633 people in the labor force.

    Nassau County job market

  21. 21

    Albany County NY

    50%

    Median household income
    $83,149
    People in the labor force
    166,802
    Unemployment
    3.9%

    Based on 166,802 people in the labor force.

    Albany County job market

  22. 22

    Hampshire County MA

    50%

    Median household income
    $86,391
    People in the labor force
    84,724
    Unemployment
    3.8%

    Based on 84,724 people in the labor force.

    Hampshire County job market

  23. 23

    Bucks County PA

    49%

    Median household income
    $111,951
    People in the labor force
    354,013
    Unemployment
    2.9%

    Based on 354,013 people in the labor force.

    Bucks County job market

  24. 24

    Washington County RI

    49%

    Median household income
    $102,478
    People in the labor force
    68,079
    Unemployment
    2.2%

    Based on 68,079 people in the labor force.

    Washington County job market

  25. 25

    Middlesex County NJ

    49%

    Median household income
    $109,028
    People in the labor force
    458,606
    Unemployment
    4.2%

    Based on 458,606 people in the labor force.

    Middlesex County job market

Full ranking

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

RankCountyScoreSample
1New York County NY65%963,288
2Middlesex County MA61%932,913
3Tompkins County NY59%49,562
4Norfolk County MA59%415,556
5Hunterdon County NJ58%68,579
6Somerset County NJ57%195,616
7Chester County PA56%307,859
8Morris County NJ56%276,643
9Bristol County RI54%26,320
10Chittenden County VT54%96,362
11Montgomery County PA54%482,355
12Bergen County NJ53%540,988
13Westchester County NY53%541,409
14Suffolk County MA53%465,838
15Cumberland County ME52%178,277
16Monmouth County NJ52%336,779
17Centre County PA51%78,787
18Allegheny County PA51%651,551
19Saratoga County NY51%128,127
20Nassau County NY50%718,633
21Albany County NY50%166,802
22Hampshire County MA50%84,724
23Bucks County PA49%354,013
24Washington County RI49%68,079
25Middlesex County NJ49%458,606
26Hudson County NJ49%427,066
27Washington County VT49%31,485
28Mercer County NJ49%197,461
29Burlington County NJ49%252,531
30Rockingham County NH48%187,440
31Rockland County NY48%165,003
32Monroe County NY48%375,739
33Rensselaer County NY48%82,747
34Putnam County NY48%54,341
35Windsor County VT48%28,481
36Newport County RI48%41,772
37Grafton County NH48%49,742
38Kings County NY48%1,332,703
39Delaware County PA47%310,040
40Columbia County NY46%30,937
41Essex County MA46%439,969
42Berkshire County MA46%64,387
43Hillsborough County NH46%238,420
44Onondaga County NY46%233,793
45Dutchess County NY46%155,583
46Cumberland County PA46%142,162
47Sussex County NJ46%79,575
48Worcester County MA46%470,233
49Gloucester County NJ45%168,405
50Franklin County MA45%36,087
51Schenectady County NY45%79,641
52Plymouth County MA45%292,998
53Butler County PA44%101,300
54Barnstable County MA44%123,123
55Ontario County NY44%56,225
56Kent County RI44%94,170
57Suffolk County NY44%811,740
58Addison County VT44%20,527
59Ulster County NY44%90,042
60Philadelphia County PA44%802,034
61Erie County NY44%467,586
62Strafford County NH44%77,884
63Merrimack County NH43%82,494
64Richmond County NY43%245,927
65Windham County VT43%22,905
66Kennebec County ME43%61,561
67Camden County NJ42%279,361
68Warren County NY42%32,009
69Broome County NY42%86,962
70Warren County NJ42%61,186
71Ocean County NJ42%291,859
72Essex County NJ42%427,804
73Northampton County PA42%171,493
74Dauphin County PA42%150,236
75Cape May County NJ41%44,446
76Washington County PA41%105,259
77Providence County RI41%350,743
78Union County NJ41%306,181
79Franklin County VT41%25,954
80Oneida County NY40%102,072
81Carroll County NH40%26,290
82Orange County NY40%192,993
83Westmoreland County PA40%175,059
84Hancock County ME40%29,764
85Steuben County NY40%40,319
86Bristol County MA40%313,254
87Madison County NY40%32,752
88Belknap County NH40%33,358
89York County ME40%119,821
90Penobscot County ME39%74,881
91Cheshire County NH39%40,060
92Cortland County NY39%22,701
93Queens County NY39%1,204,625
94Lehigh County PA39%202,076
95Hampden County MA39%225,875
96Livingston County NY39%30,147
97Otsego County NY38%28,315
98Wayne County NY38%46,006
99Lancaster County PA38%297,770
100Beaver County PA38%82,812

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 northeast?
New York County has the highest share of white-collar workers in the Northeast: 65% of its workers are in management, business, financial or professional occupations, against 41% 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 Northeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/counties-with-the-most-white-collar-workers-in-the-northeast

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

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