Who are Bucks County's largest employers? The first one may surprise you

The state labor department compiled a list of the 50 companies who employed the most Bucks County residents at the end of 2023.

Here's a look at who made the list:

Two public institutions — Central Bucks School District and Bucks County government — ranked high on the list, at No. 2 and No. 3 respectively.

But the grocery chain Giant Food Stores LLC topped the list of largest employers in the county. Giant has added new locations and space in recent years, including a store in Richboro in 2022 and a larger Doylestown store the previous year.

Rounding out the top five are Walmart Associates Inc, at No. 4 with stores in Levittown, Bensalem, Warminster, Warrington and Quakertown, and Doylestown Hospital at No. 5. Walmart has repeatedly ranked as the largest employer in the nation.

St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown and Grand View Health, in Upper Bucks, helped round out the Top 10 at spots No. 6 and 8 respectively.

Which industries employ the most Bucks County residents?

Grocery chains, education, government and health care dominated the list of Bucks County's largest employers. Nine of the county's 13 school districts made the list. They include: Central Bucks, Pennsbury, Council Rock, Neshaminy, Bensalem, Pennridge, Centennial, Bristol Township and Quakertown.

Woods Services and the Bucks County Intermediate Unit both made the list as No. 10 and No. 20 respectively.

Nearly half of the 50 employers were hospitals, medical centers, outpatient facilities, nursing homes, or home care companies.

Who else made the list in Bucks County?

Northtec LLC, a subsidiary of cosmetics manufacturer The Estee Lauder Companies, has a manufacturing plant, warehouse and a corporate office in Bristol Township, and ranked No. 7 on the list of largest employers for the fourth quarter of 2023.

Tourism also was represented as Parx in Bensalem ranked No. 26 and Sesame Place in Middletown ranked No. 49.

Top 50 employers in Bucks County

1. Giant Food Stores LLC2. Central Bucks School District3. Bucks County4. Wal-Mart Associates Inc5. Doylestown Hospital6. Saint Mary Medical Center7. Northtec LLC8. Grand View Health9. Pennsbury School District10. Woods Services11. Council Rock School District12. Wawa Inc13. Bucks County Community College14. State Government15. Federal Government16. Neshaminy School District17. Bensalem Township School District18. Pennridge School District19. Adwa Home Care Inc20. Bucks County Intermediate Unit 2221. Aurora Home Care Inc22. Centennial School District23. Home Depot USA Inc24. Bristol Township School District25. Caresense Health LLC26. Parx Casino27 Saint Luke's Hospital28 Ann's Choice Inc29. Target Corporation30. ACME Markets Inc31. Central Bucks Family YMCA32. Pennsylvania CVS Pharmacy LLC33. Lowe's Home Centers LLC34. Quakertown Community School Dist35. Care and Help Home Care36. A-Team Home Care Inc37. Marmaxx Operating Corporation38. VitaCare Home Health Inc39. Fidelity Home Health Care40. Lower Bucks Hospital41. Aria Health42. Vertical Screen Inc43. Always Best Care44. All American Home Care LLC45. Wegmans Food Markets Inc46. Oliver Healthcare Packaging Company47. A+ Home Care48. Kohl's Department Stores Inc49. Sesame Place50. U-Haul Co of Pennsylvania