According to the Lake Superior Community Partnership website,[11] the top employers in the county are: *Bolded values have been updated for 2021.

The county government operates Sawyer International Airport, the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services.

The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances.

In Michigan, most local government functions—police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc.—are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

The road commission provides maintenance such as snow removal under contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation for the state trunklines.