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Fastest-growing job markets in the Northeast

Bronx County leads the Northeast for job growth: private-sector jobs are +15.3% since 2022, against +3.4% across all large counties.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census data.

Key facts

  • #1 Bronx County, NY: +15.3%
  • #2 Kings County, NY: +13.1%
  • #3 Ocean County, NJ: +9.8%
  • 100 counties ranked in the Northeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: +3.4% across all large counties.

  1. 1Bronx County NY+15.3%
  2. 2Kings County NY+13.1%
  3. 3Ocean County NJ+9.8%
  4. 4Dutchess County NY+8.6%
  5. 5Queens County NY+8.4%
  6. 6Washington County RI+8.3%
  7. 7Warren County NJ+8.3%
  8. 8Rockland County NY+7.1%
  9. 9Saratoga County NY+6.9%
  10. 10Ulster County NY+6.4%

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: Bronx County (+15.3%) is well clear of Ulster County at #10 (+6.4%).
  • Warren County reaches #7 on a sample of 29,187 jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Kings County is the largest market in the top ten, with 801,475 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

    Bronx County NY

    +15.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    276,841
    Jobs added since 2022
    +36,797
    Population since 2020
    −3.8%

    Based on 276,841 jobs.

  2. 2

    Kings County NY

    +13.1%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    801,475
    Jobs added since 2022
    +92,536
    Population since 2020
    −2.5%

    Based on 801,475 jobs.

  3. 3

    Ocean County NJ

    +9.8%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    166,652
    Jobs added since 2022
    +14,810
    Population since 2020
    +5.6%

    Based on 166,652 jobs.

  4. 4

    Dutchess County NY

    +8.6%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    97,834
    Jobs added since 2022
    +7,745
    Population since 2020
    +1.5%

    Based on 97,834 jobs.

  5. 5

    Queens County NY

    +8.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    628,123
    Jobs added since 2022
    +48,583
    Population since 2020
    −1.1%

    Based on 628,123 jobs.

  6. 6

    Washington County RI

    +8.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    51,344
    Jobs added since 2022
    +3,954
    Population since 2020
    +0.0%

    Based on 51,344 jobs.

  7. 7

    Warren County NJ

    +8.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    29,187
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,227
    Population since 2020
    +3.2%

    Based on 29,187 jobs.

  8. 8

    Rockland County NY

    +7.1%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    120,420
    Jobs added since 2022
    +7,943
    Population since 2020
    +5.9%

    Based on 120,420 jobs.

  9. 9

    Saratoga County NY

    +6.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    81,678
    Jobs added since 2022
    +5,289
    Population since 2020
    +2.3%

    Based on 81,678 jobs.

  10. 10

    Ulster County NY

    +6.4%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    47,092
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,833
    Population since 2020
    +1.1%

    Based on 47,092 jobs.

  11. 11

    Monmouth County NJ

    +6.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    248,627
    Jobs added since 2022
    +14,747
    Population since 2020
    +1.3%

    Based on 248,627 jobs.

  12. 12

    Schenectady County NY

    +6.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    49,874
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,957
    Population since 2020
    +3.0%

    Based on 49,874 jobs.

  13. 13

    Suffolk County NY

    +6.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    580,232
    Jobs added since 2022
    +34,173
    Population since 2020
    +1.6%

    Based on 580,232 jobs.

  14. 14

    Gloucester County NJ

    +6.2%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    108,639
    Jobs added since 2022
    +6,315
    Population since 2020
    +3.3%

    Based on 108,639 jobs.

  15. 15

    Philadelphia County PA

    +6.1%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    619,248
    Jobs added since 2022
    +35,580
    Population since 2020
    −1.7%

    Based on 619,248 jobs.

  16. 16

    Hunterdon County NJ

    +5.9%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    40,565
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,252
    Population since 2020
    +2.3%

    Based on 40,565 jobs.

  17. 17

    Essex County NJ

    +5.7%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    281,698
    Jobs added since 2022
    +15,121
    Population since 2020
    +4.2%

    Based on 281,698 jobs.

  18. 18

    Washington County PA

    +5.5%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    81,289
    Jobs added since 2022
    +4,252
    Population since 2020
    +0.7%

    Based on 81,289 jobs.

  19. 19

    Lebanon County PA

    +5.5%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    45,298
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,344
    Population since 2020
    +2.2%

    Based on 45,298 jobs.

  20. 20

    Burlington County NJ

    +5.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    189,388
    Jobs added since 2022
    +9,598
    Population since 2020
    +4.3%

    Based on 189,388 jobs.

  21. 21

    Westchester County NY

    +5.3%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    370,841
    Jobs added since 2022
    +18,733
    Population since 2020
    +1.4%

    Based on 370,841 jobs.

  22. 22

    Passaic County NJ

    +5.2%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    149,128
    Jobs added since 2022
    +7,424
    Population since 2020
    +1.6%

    Based on 149,128 jobs.

  23. 23

    Ontario County NY

    +5.2%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    45,760
    Jobs added since 2022
    +2,273
    Population since 2020
    +0.6%

    Based on 45,760 jobs.

  24. 24

    Cumberland County ME

    +5.1%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    174,459
    Jobs added since 2022
    +8,471
    Population since 2020
    +4.5%

    Based on 174,459 jobs.

  25. 25

    New York County NY

    +5.1%

    Private-sector jobs, 2025
    2,255,764
    Jobs added since 2022
    +109,472
    Population since 2020
    −1.3%

    Based on 2,255,764 jobs.

Full ranking

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

RankCountyScoreSample
1Bronx County NY+15.3%276,841
2Kings County NY+13.1%801,475
3Ocean County NJ+9.8%166,652
4Dutchess County NY+8.6%97,834
5Queens County NY+8.4%628,123
6Washington County RI+8.3%51,344
7Warren County NJ+8.3%29,187
8Rockland County NY+7.1%120,420
9Saratoga County NY+6.9%81,678
10Ulster County NY+6.4%47,092
11Monmouth County NJ+6.3%248,627
12Schenectady County NY+6.3%49,874
13Suffolk County NY+6.3%580,232
14Gloucester County NJ+6.2%108,639
15Philadelphia County PA+6.1%619,248
16Hunterdon County NJ+5.9%40,565
17Essex County NJ+5.7%281,698
18Washington County PA+5.5%81,289
19Lebanon County PA+5.5%45,298
20Burlington County NJ+5.3%189,388
21Westchester County NY+5.3%370,841
22Passaic County NJ+5.2%149,128
23Ontario County NY+5.2%45,760
24Cumberland County ME+5.1%174,459
25New York County NY+5.1%2,255,764
26Butler County PA+5.1%78,630
27Bucks County PA+4.9%252,942
28Monroe County PA+4.6%47,616
29York County ME+4.5%62,524
30Onondaga County NY+4.4%207,803
31Centre County PA+4.4%45,186
32Orange County NY+4.2%128,854
33Broome County NY+4.1%65,865
34Rockingham County NH+4.1%142,978
35Northampton County PA+4.0%108,707
36Franklin County PA+4.0%54,015
37Dauphin County PA+3.9%151,933
38Sussex County NJ+3.5%31,741
39Monroe County NY+3.3%338,718
40Kent County RI+3.3%69,558
41Berks County PA+3.3%156,141
42Lehigh County PA+3.2%186,142
43Schuylkill County PA+3.2%43,357
44Providence County RI+3.1%255,333
45Richmond County NY+3.0%112,307
46Lackawanna County PA+3.0%88,172
47Erie County NY+2.9%392,127
48Nassau County NY+2.8%557,549
49Rensselaer County NY+2.8%45,149
50Blair County PA+2.6%50,756
51Albany County NY+2.6%170,772
52Chester County PA+2.6%229,927
53Lancaster County PA+2.6%235,003
54Plymouth County MA+2.4%167,013
55Morris County NJ+2.4%272,959
56Erie County PA+2.3%105,213
57Camden County NJ+2.2%178,990
58Fayette County PA+2.2%32,172
59Jefferson County NY+2.1%29,528
60Norfolk County MA+2.1%312,340
61Essex County MA+2.1%284,639
62Penobscot County ME+2.0%59,369
63Kennebec County ME+1.9%45,542
64York County PA+1.9%163,668
65Union County NJ+1.8%201,243
66Oneida County NY+1.7%76,827
67Cumberland County PA+1.6%123,075
68Merrimack County NH+1.5%60,473
69Chittenden County VT+1.5%86,118
70Atlantic County NJ+1.4%105,577
71Bergen County NJ+1.4%391,265
72Allegheny County PA+1.4%606,603
73Barnstable County MA+1.4%81,795
74Niagara County NY+1.4%55,551
75Lycoming County PA+1.3%42,489
76Luzerne County PA+1.3%128,546
77Suffolk County MA+1.2%631,022
78Somerset County NJ+1.0%174,995
79St. Lawrence County NY+0.9%24,572
80Worcester County MA+0.9%301,530
81Androscoggin County ME+0.8%42,761
82Cumberland County NJ+0.8%50,644
83Hudson County NJ+0.6%232,842
84Delaware County PA+0.3%195,459
85Mercer County PA+0.3%38,128
86Chautauqua County NY+0.3%36,921
87Tompkins County NY+0.1%41,770
88Montgomery County PA+0.1%468,571
89Oswego County NY+0.1%23,462
90Westmoreland County PA−0.4%115,149
91Middlesex County NJ−0.5%377,539
92Berkshire County MA−0.9%49,984
93Hillsborough County NH−1.3%178,067
94Adams County PA−1.4%29,159
95Mercer County NJ−1.4%185,956
96Bristol County MA−1.4%194,899
97Strafford County NH−1.4%37,972
98Cambria County PA−1.5%39,698
99Hampshire County MA−1.6%47,749
100Beaver County PA−2.1%41,648

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 northeast?
Bronx County leads the Northeast for job growth: private-sector jobs are +15.3% since 2022, against +3.4% 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 Northeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/fastest-growing-job-markets-in-the-northeast

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

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

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