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 2019, at 24,511. Van Buren County had the lowest, at 64. The median was 548 and the figure for Tennessee was 166,368. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest24,511Davidson County
Lowest64Van Buren County
Median54895 counties
Tennessee166,368History

Map of counties, 2019

Anderson County: 1,692 countBedford County: 868 countBenton County: 323 countBledsoe County: 151 countBlount County: 2,558 countBradley County: 1,950 countCampbell County: 649 countCannon County: 219 countCarroll County: 472 countCarter County: 702 countCheatham County: 694 countChester County: 274 countClaiborne County: 503 countClay County: 141 countCocke County: 510 countCoffee County: 1,316 countCrockett County: 272 countCumberland County: 1,191 countDavidson County: 24,511 countDecatur County: 233 countDeKalb County: 350 countDickson County: 1,108 countDyer County: 841 countFayette County: 630 countFentress County: 298 countFranklin County: 801 countGibson County: 981 countGiles County: 635 countGrainger County: 284 countGreene County: 1,234 countGrundy County: 191 countHamblen County: 1,347 countHamilton County: 10,243 countHancock County: 71 countHardeman County: 383 countHardin County: 548 countHawkins County: 700 countHaywood County: 337 countHenderson County: 539 countHenry County: 756 countHickman County: 322 countHouston County: 120 countHumphreys County: 357 countJackson County: 127 countJefferson County: 777 countJohnson County: 269 countKnox County: 12,970 countLake County: 111 countLauderdale County: 366 countLawrence County: 754 countLewis County: 219 countLincoln County: 641 countLoudon County: 1,041 countMcMinn County: 933 countMcNairy County: 451 countMacon County: 361 countMadison County: 2,535 countMarion County: 487 countMarshall County: 559 countMaury County: 2,093 countMeigs County: 124 countMonroe County: 753 countMontgomery County: 3,319 countMoore County: 84 countMorgan County: 199 countObion County: 682 countOverton County: 367 countPerry County: 128 countPickett County: 111 countPolk County: 270 countPutnam County: 2,030 countRhea County: 503 countRoane County: 820 countRobertson County: 1,210 countRutherford County: 6,047 countScott County: 345 countSequatchie County: 227 countSevier County: 2,921 countShelby County: 21,075 countSmith County: 333 countStewart County: 197 countSullivan County: 3,526 countSumner County: 3,977 countTipton County: 781 countTrousdale County: 130 countUnicoi County: 263 countUnion County: 253 countVan Buren County: 64 countWarren County: 826 countWashington County: 3,071 countWayne County: 240 countWeakley County: 593 countWhite County: 467 countWilliamson County: 9,597 countWilson County: 3,134 count
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 500
  • 500 to 800
  • 800 to 2,000
  • 2,000 and over
count, 2019. 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, 2019

Davidson County: 24,511 countDavidson County24,511Shelby County: 21,075 countShelby County21,075Knox County: 12,970 countKnox County12,970Hamilton County: 10,243 countHamilton County10,243Williamson County: 9,597 countWilliamson County9,597Rutherford County: 6,047 countRutherford County6,047Sumner County: 3,977 countSumner County3,977Sullivan County: 3,526 countSullivan County3,526Montgomery County: 3,319 countMontgomery County3,319Wilson County: 3,134 countWilson County3,134Washington County: 3,071 countWashington County3,071Sevier County: 2,921 countSevier County2,921Blount County: 2,558 countBlount County2,558Madison County: 2,535 countMadison County2,535Maury County: 2,093 countMaury County2,093Putnam County: 2,030 countPutnam County2,030Bradley County: 1,950 countBradley County1,950Anderson County: 1,692 countAnderson County1,692Hamblen County: 1,347 countHamblen County1,347Coffee County: 1,316 countCoffee County1,316Greene County: 1,234 countGreene County1,234Robertson County: 1,210 countRobertson County1,210Cumberland County: 1,191 countCumberland County1,191Dickson County: 1,108 countDickson County1,108Loudon County: 1,041 countLoudon County1,041Gibson County: 981 countGibson County981McMinn County: 933 countMcMinn County933Bedford County: 868 countBedford County868Dyer County: 841 countDyer County841Warren County: 826 countWarren County826Roane County: 820 countRoane County820Franklin County: 801 countFranklin County801Tipton County: 781 countTipton County781Jefferson County: 777 countJefferson County777Henry County: 756 countHenry County756Lawrence County: 754 countLawrence County754Monroe County: 753 countMonroe County753Carter County: 702 countCarter County702Hawkins County: 700 countHawkins County700Cheatham County: 694 countCheatham County694Davidson County: 24,511 countDavidson County24,511Shelby County: 21,075 countShelby County21,075Knox County: 12,970 countKnox County12,970Hamilton County: 10,243 countHamilton County10,243Williamson County: 9,597 countWilliamson County9,597Rutherford County: 6,047 countRutherford County6,047Sumner County: 3,977 countSumner County3,977Sullivan County: 3,526 countSullivan County3,526Montgomery County: 3,319 countMontgomery County3,319Wilson County: 3,134 countWilson County3,134Washington County: 3,071 countWashington County3,071Sevier County: 2,921 countSevier County2,921Blount County: 2,558 countBlount County2,558Madison County: 2,535 countMadison County2,535Maury County: 2,093 countMaury County2,093Putnam County: 2,030 countPutnam County2,030Bradley County: 1,950 countBradley County1,950Anderson County: 1,692 countAnderson County1,692Hamblen County: 1,347 countHamblen County1,347Coffee County: 1,316 countCoffee County1,316Greene County: 1,234 countGreene County1,234Robertson County: 1,210 countRobertson County1,210Cumberland County: 1,191 countCumberland County1,191Dickson County: 1,108 countDickson County1,108Loudon County: 1,041 countLoudon County1,041Gibson County: 981 countGibson County981McMinn County: 933 countMcMinn County933Bedford County: 868 countBedford County868Dyer County: 841 countDyer County841Warren County: 826 countWarren County826Roane County: 820 countRoane County820Franklin County: 801 countFranklin County801Tipton County: 781 countTipton County781Jefferson County: 777 countJefferson County777Henry County: 756 countHenry County756Lawrence County: 754 countLawrence County754Monroe County: 753 countMonroe County753Carter County: 702 countCarter County702Hawkins County: 700 countHawkins County700Cheatham County: 694 countCheatham County694
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

RankCounties2019
count		Change on 2018
1Davidson County24,511+5.1%
2Shelby County21,075+1.5%
3Knox County12,970+3.2%
4Hamilton County10,243+3.5%
5Williamson County9,597+5.7%
6Rutherford County6,047+4.3%
7Sumner County3,977+4.5%
8Sullivan County3,526+2%
9Montgomery County3,319+3.3%
10Wilson County3,134+6.1%
11Washington County3,071+2.2%
12Sevier County2,921+2.8%
13Blount County2,558+4.1%
14Madison County2,535+0.8%
15Maury County2,093+5.1%
16Putnam County2,030+2%
17Bradley County1,950+2.3%
18Anderson County1,692+1%
19Hamblen County1,347-0.2%
20Coffee County1,316+0.9%
21Greene County1,234+2.4%
22Robertson County1,210+0.7%
23Cumberland County1,191+3.3%
24Dickson County1,108+6%
25Loudon County1,041+3.6%
26Gibson County981+1.7%
27McMinn County933+1.1%
28Bedford County868+1.5%
29Dyer County841+0.5%
30Warren County826+0.2%
31Roane County820+3.4%
32Franklin County801-1%
33Tipton County781+4.4%
34Jefferson County777+2.8%
35Henry County756+0.8%
36Lawrence County754-0.1%
37Monroe County753+3.7%
38Carter County702+1.2%
39Hawkins County700-1.3%
40Cheatham County694+1.9%
41Obion County6820%
42Campbell County649-0.5%
43Lincoln County641+0.5%
44Giles County635+2.4%
45Fayette County630+1.6%
46Weakley County593+1.2%
47Marshall County559+3.5%
48Hardin County548+2.2%
49Henderson County539+2.9%
50Cocke County510+0.8%
51Claiborne County503-1.2%
51Rhea County503-0.2%
53Marion County487+1.9%
54Carroll County472+2.6%
55White County467+2.2%
56McNairy County451+0.7%
57Hardeman County383+1.3%
58Overton County367+2.2%
59Lauderdale County366+1.1%
60Macon County361+1.1%
61Humphreys County357+1.1%
62DeKalb County350-0.8%
63Scott County345+2.1%
64Haywood County337-0.9%
65Smith County333+0.3%
66Benton County323+0.3%
67Hickman County322+3.2%
68Fentress County298+1%
69Grainger County284+0.4%
70Chester County274+1.5%
71Crockett County272-0.4%
72Polk County270+5.1%
73Johnson County269+2.3%
74Unicoi County263-0.4%
75Union County253+7.7%
76Wayne County240+1.3%
77Decatur County233+2.6%
78Sequatchie County2270%
79Cannon County219+2.8%
79Lewis County219-3.5%
81Morgan County199-2%
82Stewart County197+5.3%
83Grundy County191+5.5%
84Bledsoe County151+5.6%
85Clay County141+6%
86Trousdale County130-2.3%
87Perry County128+2.4%
88Jackson County127-4.5%
89Meigs County1240%
90Houston County120-3.2%
91Lake County111-1.8%
91Pickett County111+1.8%
93Moore County84+1.2%
94Hancock County710%
95Van Buren County64+8.5%

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/2019/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), 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/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), 2019. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2019. 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), 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2019.

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), 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_tennessee_by_2019,
  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), 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2019. 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/2019/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), 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/tennessee-counties?period=2019.
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/2019/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 24,511 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Van Buren County, with 64 in 2019.

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