Data / Rankings / Business establishments (QCEW) / Counties in Tennessee

Counties in Tennessee by business establishments (QCEW)

Davidson County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 95 counties in 2015, at 20,533. Van Buren County had the lowest, at 54. The median was 530 and the figure for Tennessee was 150,237. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest20,533Davidson County
Lowest54Van Buren County
Median53095 counties
Tennessee150,237History

Map of counties, 2015

Anderson County: 1,635 countBedford County: 812 countBenton County: 300 countBledsoe County: 150 countBlount County: 2,272 countBradley County: 1,855 countCampbell County: 598 countCannon County: 194 countCarroll County: 458 countCarter County: 694 countCheatham County: 608 countChester County: 252 countClaiborne County: 470 countClay County: 137 countCocke County: 473 countCoffee County: 1,268 countCrockett County: 260 countCumberland County: 1,083 countDavidson County: 20,533 countDecatur County: 218 countDeKalb County: 294 countDickson County: 949 countDyer County: 807 countFayette County: 571 countFentress County: 281 countFranklin County: 736 countGibson County: 958 countGiles County: 587 countGrainger County: 255 countGreene County: 1,113 countGrundy County: 175 countHamblen County: 1,303 countHamilton County: 9,114 countHancock County: 64 countHardeman County: 374 countHardin County: 530 countHawkins County: 644 countHaywood County: 330 countHenderson County: 501 countHenry County: 736 countHickman County: 280 countHouston County: 113 countHumphreys County: 335 countJackson County: 120 countJefferson County: 693 countJohnson County: 253 countKnox County: 11,559 countLake County: 114 countLauderdale County: 350 countLawrence County: 725 countLewis County: 218 countLincoln County: 593 countLoudon County: 933 countMcMinn County: 871 countMcNairy County: 433 countMacon County: 328 countMadison County: 2,424 countMarion County: 467 countMarshall County: 530 countMaury County: 1,771 countMeigs County: 125 countMonroe County: 715 countMontgomery County: 2,852 countMoore County: 74 countMorgan County: 179 countObion County: 674 countOverton County: 308 countPerry County: 121 countPickett County: 106 countPolk County: 241 countPutnam County: 1,822 countRhea County: 481 countRoane County: 738 countRobertson County: 1,093 countRutherford County: 5,053 countScott County: 332 countSequatchie County: 210 countSevier County: 2,601 countShelby County: 19,833 countSmith County: 318 countStewart County: 183 countSullivan County: 3,298 countSumner County: 3,331 countTipton County: 760 countTrousdale County: 136 countUnicoi County: 251 countUnion County: 215 countVan Buren County: 54 countWarren County: 795 countWashington County: 2,824 countWayne County: 215 countWeakley County: 544 countWhite County: 422 countWilliamson County: 7,692 countWilson County: 2,547 count
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 500
  • 500 to 700
  • 700 to 1,800
  • 1,800 and over
count, 2015. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2015

Davidson County: 20,533 countDavidson County20,533Shelby County: 19,833 countShelby County19,833Knox County: 11,559 countKnox County11,559Hamilton County: 9,114 countHamilton County9,114Williamson County: 7,692 countWilliamson County7,692Rutherford County: 5,053 countRutherford County5,053Sumner County: 3,331 countSumner County3,331Sullivan County: 3,298 countSullivan County3,298Montgomery County: 2,852 countMontgomery County2,852Washington County: 2,824 countWashington County2,824Sevier County: 2,601 countSevier County2,601Wilson County: 2,547 countWilson County2,547Madison County: 2,424 countMadison County2,424Blount County: 2,272 countBlount County2,272Bradley County: 1,855 countBradley County1,855Putnam County: 1,822 countPutnam County1,822Maury County: 1,771 countMaury County1,771Anderson County: 1,635 countAnderson County1,635Hamblen County: 1,303 countHamblen County1,303Coffee County: 1,268 countCoffee County1,268Greene County: 1,113 countGreene County1,113Robertson County: 1,093 countRobertson County1,093Cumberland County: 1,083 countCumberland County1,083Gibson County: 958 countGibson County958Dickson County: 949 countDickson County949Loudon County: 933 countLoudon County933McMinn County: 871 countMcMinn County871Bedford County: 812 countBedford County812Dyer County: 807 countDyer County807Warren County: 795 countWarren County795Tipton County: 760 countTipton County760Roane County: 738 countRoane County738Franklin County: 736 countFranklin County736Henry County: 736 countHenry County736Lawrence County: 725 countLawrence County725Monroe County: 715 countMonroe County715Carter County: 694 countCarter County694Jefferson County: 693 countJefferson County693Obion County: 674 countObion County674Hawkins County: 644 countHawkins County644Davidson County: 20,533 countDavidson County20,533Shelby County: 19,833 countShelby County19,833Knox County: 11,559 countKnox County11,559Hamilton County: 9,114 countHamilton County9,114Williamson County: 7,692 countWilliamson County7,692Rutherford County: 5,053 countRutherford County5,053Sumner County: 3,331 countSumner County3,331Sullivan County: 3,298 countSullivan County3,298Montgomery County: 2,852 countMontgomery County2,852Washington County: 2,824 countWashington County2,824Sevier County: 2,601 countSevier County2,601Wilson County: 2,547 countWilson County2,547Madison County: 2,424 countMadison County2,424Blount County: 2,272 countBlount County2,272Bradley County: 1,855 countBradley County1,855Putnam County: 1,822 countPutnam County1,822Maury County: 1,771 countMaury County1,771Anderson County: 1,635 countAnderson County1,635Hamblen County: 1,303 countHamblen County1,303Coffee County: 1,268 countCoffee County1,268Greene County: 1,113 countGreene County1,113Robertson County: 1,093 countRobertson County1,093Cumberland County: 1,083 countCumberland County1,083Gibson County: 958 countGibson County958Dickson County: 949 countDickson County949Loudon County: 933 countLoudon County933McMinn County: 871 countMcMinn County871Bedford County: 812 countBedford County812Dyer County: 807 countDyer County807Warren County: 795 countWarren County795Tipton County: 760 countTipton County760Roane County: 738 countRoane County738Franklin County: 736 countFranklin County736Henry County: 736 countHenry County736Lawrence County: 725 countLawrence County725Monroe County: 715 countMonroe County715Carter County: 694 countCarter County694Jefferson County: 693 countJefferson County693Obion County: 674 countObion County674Hawkins County: 644 countHawkins County644
count. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
count		Change on 2014
1Davidson County20,533+4.6%
2Shelby County19,833+1.7%
3Knox County11,559+2.8%
4Hamilton County9,114+3.1%
5Williamson County7,692+7.5%
6Rutherford County5,053+5.8%
7Sumner County3,331+5.7%
8Sullivan County3,298+2.1%
9Montgomery County2,852+5.7%
10Washington County2,824+1.2%
11Sevier County2,601+3.4%
12Wilson County2,547+5.6%
13Madison County2,424+2.1%
14Blount County2,272+2.4%
15Bradley County1,855+2.5%
16Putnam County1,822+3.6%
17Maury County1,771+4.5%
18Anderson County1,635+0.2%
19Hamblen County1,303+1.6%
20Coffee County1,268+2%
21Greene County1,113+1.6%
22Robertson County1,093+3.7%
23Cumberland County1,083+2.8%
24Gibson County958+1.5%
25Dickson County949+3.6%
26Loudon County933+3.4%
27McMinn County871+2.6%
28Bedford County812+1.6%
29Dyer County807+0.4%
30Warren County795+3.1%
31Tipton County760+3.4%
32Roane County738+0.8%
33Franklin County736+5%
33Henry County736+3.1%
35Lawrence County725+2.1%
36Monroe County715+2.9%
37Carter County694+4.5%
38Jefferson County693+5.8%
39Obion County674+1%
40Hawkins County644+3.7%
41Cheatham County608+6.3%
42Campbell County598+1%
43Lincoln County593+2.6%
44Giles County587+1.4%
45Fayette County571+4.4%
46Weakley County544+4.4%
47Hardin County530+1.3%
47Marshall County530+4.5%
49Henderson County501+2.2%
50Rhea County481-0.8%
51Cocke County473-0.6%
52Claiborne County470+2%
53Marion County467+2.2%
54Carroll County458+3.4%
55McNairy County433+1.6%
56White County422+2.4%
57Hardeman County374+1.4%
58Lauderdale County350+2%
59Humphreys County335+4.4%
60Scott County332+1.5%
61Haywood County330+0.3%
62Macon County328+2.2%
63Smith County318+4.3%
64Overton County308+5.1%
65Benton County300+3.1%
66DeKalb County294-1%
67Fentress County281+5.2%
68Hickman County280+4.9%
69Crockett County260+2.8%
70Grainger County255+4.1%
71Johnson County253+6.3%
72Chester County252+6.3%
73Unicoi County251+2.4%
74Polk County241+8.6%
75Decatur County218+5.3%
75Lewis County218+0.5%
77Union County215+7.5%
77Wayne County215+3.9%
79Sequatchie County210+6.1%
80Cannon County194+3.7%
81Stewart County183+4%
82Morgan County179+2.9%
83Grundy County175+0.6%
84Bledsoe County150+7.1%
85Clay County137+9.6%
86Trousdale County136+7.9%
87Meigs County125+10.6%
88Perry County121+6.1%
89Jackson County120+9.1%
90Lake County114+10.7%
91Houston County113-0.9%
92Pickett County106+15.2%
93Moore County74+8.8%
94Hancock County64+12.3%
95Van Buren County54+12.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of establishments with jobs covered by unemployment insurance during the year, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. An establishment is a single place of business, such as a factory, store or office; a company with several locations has several.

Counts places of business, not firms: for firms use employer_firms. Changes in how large employers report their locations can move the count without any change in activity.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Tennessee by business establishments (QCEW), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Tennessee by business establishments (QCEW), 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Tennessee by business establishments (QCEW), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Tennessee by business establishments (QCEW), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_tennessee_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Tennessee by business establishments (QCEW), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Tennessee by business establishments (QCEW), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

Davidson County, with 20,533 in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Van Buren County, with 54 in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Business establishments (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings