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Fastest-growing job markets in the Midwest

Sarpy County leads the Midwest for job growth: private-sector jobs are +14.5% since 2022, against +1.8% across all large counties.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

Key facts

  • #1 Sarpy County, NE: +14.5%
  • #2 Dallas County, IA: +12.4%
  • #3 Fairfield County, OH: +9.7%
  • 100 counties ranked in the Midwest
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: +1.8% across all large counties.

  1. 1Sarpy County NE+14.5%
  2. 2Dallas County IA+12.4%
  3. 3Fairfield County OH+9.7%
  4. 4Allegan County MI+9.6%
  5. 5Delaware County OH+8.7%
  6. 6Walworth County WI+8.4%
  7. 7Kenosha County WI+8.3%
  8. 8Lake County OH+7.5%
  9. 9Greene County OH+7.3%
  10. 10Scott County MN+7.0%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Sarpy County (+14.5%) is well clear of Scott County at #10 (+7.0%).
  • Delaware County is the largest market in the top ten, with 90,800 jobs behind its figure.
  • Counties with fewer than 20,000 jobs are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Sarpy County NE

    +14.5%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    72,470
    Jobs added since 2022
    +9,173
    Population since 2020
    +9.0%

    Based on 72,470 jobs.

  2. 2

    Dallas County IA

    +12.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    50,982
    Jobs added since 2022
    +5,624
    Population since 2020
    +17.8%

    Based on 50,982 jobs.

  3. 3

    Fairfield County OH

    +9.7%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    40,916
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,628
    Population since 2020
    +6.5%

    Based on 40,916 jobs.

  4. 4

    Allegan County MI

    +9.6%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    37,785
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,300
    Population since 2020
    +2.1%

    Based on 37,785 jobs.

  5. 5

    Delaware County OH

    +8.7%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    90,800
    Jobs added since 2022
    +7,233
    Population since 2020
    +12.5%

    Based on 90,800 jobs.

  6. 6

    Walworth County WI

    +8.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    39,342
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,058
    Population since 2020
    +0.8%

    Based on 39,342 jobs.

  7. 7

    Kenosha County WI

    +8.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    67,693
    Jobs added since 2022
    +5,162
    Population since 2020
    −0.4%

    Based on 67,693 jobs.

  8. 8

    Lake County OH

    +7.5%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    89,248
    Jobs added since 2022
    +6,216
    Population since 2020
    −0.1%

    Based on 89,248 jobs.

  9. 9

    Greene County OH

    +7.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    56,792
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,882
    Population since 2020
    +3.7%

    Based on 56,792 jobs.

  10. 10

    Scott County MN

    +7.0%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    53,752
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,531
    Population since 2020
    +5.1%

    Based on 53,752 jobs.

  11. 11

    Butler County OH

    +6.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    146,248
    Jobs added since 2022
    +9,436
    Population since 2020
    +2.4%

    Based on 146,248 jobs.

  12. 12

    Eaton County MI

    +6.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    39,598
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,548
    Population since 2020
    +0.4%

    Based on 39,598 jobs.

  13. 13

    Johnson County IN

    +6.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    58,288
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,748
    Population since 2020
    +7.4%

    Based on 58,288 jobs.

  14. 14

    Wright County MN

    +6.6%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    42,450
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,634
    Population since 2020
    +11.1%

    Based on 42,450 jobs.

  15. 15

    Clark County IN

    +6.6%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    54,970
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,390
    Population since 2020
    +7.5%

    Based on 54,970 jobs.

  16. 16

    Hamilton County IN

    +6.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    151,962
    Jobs added since 2022
    +9,164
    Population since 2020
    +10.9%

    Based on 151,962 jobs.

  17. 17

    Cass County MO

    +6.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    26,203
    Jobs added since 2022
    +1,568
    Population since 2020
    +7.1%

    Based on 26,203 jobs.

  18. 18

    Licking County OH

    +6.1%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    66,539
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,842
    Population since 2020
    +3.8%

    Based on 66,539 jobs.

  19. 19

    Rock County WI

    +6.0%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    61,757
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,516
    Population since 2020
    +1.7%

    Based on 61,757 jobs.

  20. 20

    Madison County IL

    +5.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    92,904
    Jobs added since 2022
    +5,207
    Population since 2020
    −1.0%

    Based on 92,904 jobs.

  21. 21

    Minnehaha County SD

    +5.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    126,579
    Jobs added since 2022
    +7,087
    Population since 2020
    +7.6%

    Based on 126,579 jobs.

  22. 22

    Shawnee County KS

    +5.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    80,989
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,160
    Population since 2020
    −0.1%

    Based on 80,989 jobs.

  23. 23

    Scott County IA

    +5.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    84,134
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,320
    Population since 2020
    +0.4%

    Based on 84,134 jobs.

  24. 24

    Portage County OH

    +5.1%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    46,406
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,254
    Population since 2020
    +1.0%

    Based on 46,406 jobs.

  25. 25

    Washington County MN

    +5.0%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    85,447
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,090
    Population since 2020
    +6.9%

    Based on 85,447 jobs.

Full ranking

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

RankCountyScoreSample
1Sarpy County NE+14.5%72,470
2Dallas County IA+12.4%50,982
3Fairfield County OH+9.7%40,916
4Allegan County MI+9.6%37,785
5Delaware County OH+8.7%90,800
6Walworth County WI+8.4%39,342
7Kenosha County WI+8.3%67,693
8Lake County OH+7.5%89,248
9Greene County OH+7.3%56,792
10Scott County MN+7.0%53,752
11Butler County OH+6.9%146,248
12Eaton County MI+6.9%39,598
13Johnson County IN+6.9%58,288
14Wright County MN+6.6%42,450
15Clark County IN+6.6%54,970
16Hamilton County IN+6.4%151,962
17Cass County MO+6.4%26,203
18Licking County OH+6.1%66,539
19Rock County WI+6.0%61,757
20Madison County IL+5.9%92,904
21Minnehaha County SD+5.9%126,579
22Shawnee County KS+5.4%80,989
23Scott County IA+5.4%84,134
24Portage County OH+5.1%46,406
25Washington County MN+5.0%85,447
26Medina County OH+4.9%56,179
27Jefferson County MO+4.9%40,931
28Trumbull County OH+4.7%56,309
29Pennington County SD+4.7%54,817
30Douglas County KS+4.6%38,058
31Olmsted County MN+4.6%96,322
32Porter County IN+4.6%57,194
33Will County IL+4.5%234,668
34Calhoun County MI+4.5%44,258
35Platte County MO+4.4%42,837
36Sedgwick County KS+4.4%233,272
37Lorain County OH+4.4%84,162
38Clermont County OH+4.3%55,541
39Monroe County MI+4.3%35,197
40DuPage County IL+4.2%580,016
41Lancaster County NE+4.1%142,373
42Clay County MO+4.1%95,376
43Stearns County MN+4.0%76,313
44St. Charles County MO+4.0%144,803
45Franklin County MO+3.9%35,215
46Greene County MO+3.9%159,412
47Cass County ND+3.7%113,894
48Wyandotte County KS+3.7%78,788
49Dane County WI+3.6%279,473
50Wood County OH+3.6%64,771
51Vigo County IN+3.4%39,854
52St. Joseph County IN+3.4%109,856
53Kendall County IL+3.4%24,660
54Kent County MI+3.3%390,596
55Johnson County KS+3.3%338,897
56Livingston County MI+3.2%57,529
57Brown County WI+3.1%143,373
58Genesee County MI+3.1%116,565
59Lake County IN+3.1%169,442
60Franklin County OH+2.8%658,496
61Racine County WI+2.8%67,033
62McLean County IL+2.6%74,167
63Sheboygan County WI+2.5%55,244
64Polk County IA+2.5%275,721
65Madison County IN+2.4%34,036
66La Crosse County WI+2.4%62,282
67Waukesha County WI+2.3%232,020
68Outagamie County WI+2.3%98,408
69Warren County OH+2.3%91,759
70Allen County IN+2.3%181,044
71Montgomery County OH+2.3%221,157
72Washtenaw County MI+2.3%134,542
73Marion County IN+2.2%547,394
74McHenry County IL+2.1%83,397
75Ramsey County MN+2.1%274,775
76St. Louis County MN+2.1%80,266
77Anoka County MN+2.1%117,057
78Stark County OH+2.1%139,782
79Cook County IL+2.0%2,284,919
80Washington County WI+1.9%53,031
81Allen County OH+1.9%44,189
82Jackson County MO+1.8%317,866
83Berrien County MI+1.8%52,215
84Columbiana County OH+1.8%23,738
85Winnebago County WI+1.7%82,680
86Miami County OH+1.6%36,763
87Wayne County OH+1.6%41,610
88Dakota County MN+1.4%166,150
89LaPorte County IN+1.4%34,198
90Boone County MO+1.4%70,914
91Ingham County MI+1.4%108,056
92Kalamazoo County MI+1.4%109,092
93Tazewell County IL+1.3%39,708
94Tippecanoe County IN+1.3%73,149
95Hennepin County MN+1.1%825,100
96Richland County OH+1.0%41,445
97Eau Claire County WI+0.7%51,645
98Delaware County IN+0.7%36,489
99Hendricks County IN+0.6%70,864
100Vanderburgh County IN+0.6%98,074

How this ranking works

A county's score is the change in private-sector jobs from 2022 to 2025, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.

Only counties with at least 20,000 private-sector jobs in 2022 and 100,000 residents are ranked, so small counties do not swing the list. Sectors a county suppresses for confidentiality are left out of that county's total.

Sample bar: counties with fewer than 20,000 jobs are not ranked.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2022 to 2025; Census Bureau population estimates, 2020 to 2025. 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: fastest-growing job markets in the midwest?
Sarpy County leads the Midwest for job growth: private-sector jobs are +14.5% since 2022, against +1.8% across all large counties.
How many counties are ranked?
100 counties have at least 20,000 jobs, so the list has 100 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
A county's score is the change in private-sector jobs from 2022 to 2025, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Only counties with at least 20,000 private-sector jobs in 2022 and 100,000 residents are ranked, so small counties do not swing the list. Sectors a county suppresses for confidentiality are left out of that county's total.
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, “Fastest-growing job markets in the Midwest,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/fastest-growing-job-markets-in-the-midwest

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/fastest-growing-job-markets-in-the-midwest">Fastest-growing job markets in the Midwest (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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

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