Which county has the lowest labor force participation?

Forest County, Pennsylvania ranks #1 with 21.5% (2020 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 counties by labor force participation?

Forest County, Pennsylvania, East Carroll Parish, Louisiana, Sumter County, Florida, Issaquena County, Mississippi, Catron County, New Mexico.

How many counties are in this ranking?

3,135 counties qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2020 ACS 5-year data.

How is labor force participation measured?

Share of residents 16+ in the labor force. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020).

RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 135 SHOWN OF 3,135

Lowest labor force participation, US counties · 2020

US counties with the smallest share of adults 16+ in the civilian labor force (2023 ACS).

Flip the list · Highest labor force participation, US counties →

All statesAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPLABOR FORCE PARTICIPATIONVS 2000

3001Lyon County, IAIA12,35470.1%–

3002Routt County, COCO25,32970.2%–

3003Dawson County, NENE24,45270.2%–

3004Hall County, NENE63,63370.2%–

3005Nantucket County, MAMA14,75870.2%–

3006Hillsborough County, NHNH433,41570.2%–

3007King County, WAWA2,344,93970.3%–

3008Pulaski County, MOMO54,44270.3%–

3009Blaine County, NENE45870.3%–

3010Outagamie County, WIWI195,89470.3%–

3011Colfax County, NENE10,93470.4%–

3012Le Sueur County, MNMN29,45370.4%–

3013Codington County, SDSD29,56270.4%–

3014Wake County, NCNC1,257,23570.4%–

3015McHenry County, ILIL317,75170.4%–

3016Virginia Beach, VAVA453,73770.5%–

3017Davis County, UTUT381,22770.5%–

3018Yakutat, AKAK67270.5%–

3019Boone County, ININ80,68970.5%–

3020Rockingham County, NHNH324,07770.5%–

3021Fairfax, VAVA26,77270.5%–

3022Hendricks County, ININ193,51070.5%–

3023Douglas County, KSKS120,92070.6%–

3024District of Columbia, DCDC693,64570.7%–

3025Douglas County, NENE606,46070.7%–

3026Collin County, TXTX1,297,17970.7%–

3027Lancaster County, NENE334,04970.8%–

3028Lake and Peninsula, AKAK1,35770.8%–

3029Norfolk, VAVA231,01370.8%–

3030Clay County, MNMN67,73470.8%–

3031Ford County, KSKS33,99370.9%–

3032Onslow County, NCNC217,17570.9%–

3033Montgomery County, MDMD1,074,58271.0%–

3034Platte County, MOMO114,40071.0%–

3035Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38371.0%–

3036Howard County, MDMD339,18371.0%–

3037Perkins County, SDSD2,85371.1%–

3038Stearns County, MNMN164,11071.1%–

3039Fairbanks North Star, AKAK93,97271.1%–

3040Delaware County, IAIA17,67471.1%–

3041Harding County, SDSD1,33171.1%–

3042Summit County, UTUT43,14171.1%–

3043Sanborn County, SDSD2,38871.2%–

3044San Francisco County, CACA826,07971.2%–

3045Anchorage, AKAK287,15571.2%–

3046Sitka, AKAK8,31971.2%–

3047Riley County, KSKS72,59871.2%–

3048Rutherford County, TNTN386,35271.2%–

3049Adams County, COCO554,66871.2%–

3050Blue Earth County, MNMN70,63471.2%–

3051Prince George's County, MDMD970,37471.3%–

3052Arapahoe County, COCO673,82071.3%–

3053Calumet County, WIWI53,98271.3%–

3054Olmsted County, MNMN166,73171.4%–

3055Fairfax County, VAVA1,167,87371.4%–

3056Holt County, NENE10,06771.4%–

3057Anoka County, MNMN381,60571.5%–

3058Chugach Census Area, AKAK6,55371.5%–

3059Brule County, SDSD5,27871.6%–

3060Stanton County, NENE5,74471.6%–

3061Mono County, CACA12,50571.6%–

3062Dane County, WIWI590,37571.6%–

3063Wayne County, NENE10,02071.7%–

3064Polk County, IAIA516,54671.7%–

3065Gallatin County, MTMT128,74071.8%–

3066Salt Lake County, UTUT1,220,91671.8%–

3067Davidson County, TNTN745,90471.9%–

3068Garfield County, COCO63,47471.9%–

3069Meade County, SDSD30,71171.9%–

3070Hennepin County, MNMN1,284,78472.0%–

3071Teton County, IDID13,25472.0%–

3072Gunnison County, COCO17,43972.0%–

3073St. Croix County, WIWI98,27672.1%–

3074Hamilton County, ININ387,03672.1%–

3075Buffalo County, NENE51,17272.1%–

3076Johnson County, KSKS636,90672.2%–

3077Grand County, UTUT9,79072.3%–

3078Dallam County, TXTX7,50872.3%–

3079Douglas County, COCO399,39672.3%–

3080Denton County, TXTX1,069,34672.4%–

3081Denver County, COCO740,61372.4%–

3082Benton County, MNMN41,74472.4%–

3083Kendall County, ILIL145,47072.5%–

3084Ellis County, KSKS29,07572.6%–

3085Finney County, KSKS37,50572.6%–

3086Sherburne County, MNMN104,19472.6%–

3087Morton County, NDND34,60172.7%–

3088Dodge County, MNMN21,37672.7%–

3089Sheridan County, KSKS2,42772.7%–

3090Cherry County, NENE5,56172.9%–

3091Broomfield County, COCO79,17472.9%–

3092Nicollet County, MNMN34,27372.9%–

3093Sioux County, IAIA36,77472.9%–

3094Prince William County, VAVA502,96672.9%–

3095Grand Forks County, NDND74,50172.9%–

3096Travis County, TXTX1,389,67073.0%–

3097Dakota County, MNMN457,71073.0%–

3098Kodiak Island, AKAK12,38773.1%–

3099Manassas, VAVA44,33273.3%–

3100Wright County, MNMN157,55973.3%–

3101Madison County, IAIA17,27073.5%–

3102Geary County, KSKS36,33873.6%–

3103Stanley County, SDSD3,01873.7%–

3104Sarpy County, NENE208,30373.7%–

3105Carver County, MNMN114,37974.1%–

3106Gilpin County, COCO6,07374.2%–

3107McKenzie County, NDND15,19274.3%–

3108Bristol Bay, AKAK84774.4%–

3109Williams County, NDND41,76774.4%–

3110Dallas County, IAIA118,45774.4%–

3111Ward County, NDND68,23374.5%–

3112Minnehaha County, SDSD212,69174.5%–

3113Lincoln County, SDSD77,14574.6%–

3114Dakota County, NENE21,68774.6%–

3115Gray County, KSKS5,65274.7%–

3116Falls Church, VAVA15,15975.0%–

3117Loudoun County, VAVA449,74975.4%–

3118Scott County, MNMN159,01776.0%–

3119San Miguel County, COCO7,75376.2%–

3120Cass County, NDND201,79476.4%–

3121Summit County, COCO31,51776.7%–

3122Eagle County, COCO54,29176.7%–

3123Denali, AKAK1,61677.6%–

3124Manassas Park, VAVA16,56077.9%–

3125Teton County, WYWY23,33377.9%–

3126Loving County, TXTX5278.0%–

3127Alexandria, VAVA160,66278.1%–

3128Chattahoochee County, GAGA8,46578.3%–

3129Pitkin County, COCO16,62578.7%–

3130Arlington County, VAVA243,93178.9%–

3131Skagway, AKAK1,10479.6%–

3132North Slope, AKAK10,58279.7%–

3133Aleutians East, AKAK3,47980.3%–

3134Aleutians West Census Area, AKAK5,24084.1%–

3135Kalawao County, HIHI8297.7%–

SHOWING 3,001–3,135 OF 3,135

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Download CSV (full list, 3,135 rows)

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES