Counties in Michigan by employer firm births

Oakland County had the highest employer firm births of 83 counties in 2015, at 2,015. Alcona County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 32 and the figure for Michigan was 10,449. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest2,015Oakland County
Median3283 counties
Michigan10,449History

Map of counties, 2015

Alcona County: 0 countAlger County: 8 countAllegan County: 109 countAlpena County: 21 countAntrim County: 20 countArenac County: 17 countBaraga County: 9 countBarry County: 47 countBay County: 88 countBenzie County: 24 countBerrien County: 155 countBranch County: 21 countCalhoun County: 88 countCass County: 35 countCharlevoix County: 44 countCheboygan County: 26 countChippewa County: 24 countClare County: 33 countClinton County: 61 countCrawford County: 12 countDelta County: 30 countDickinson County: 22 countEaton County: 109 countEmmet County: 49 countGenesee County: 318 countGladwin County: 20 countGogebic County: 7 countGrand Traverse County: 161 countGratiot County: 30 countHillsdale County: 28 countHoughton County: 39 countHuron County: 26 countIngham County: 256 countIonia County: 39 countIosco County: 30 countIron County: 13 countIsabella County: 50 countJackson County: 97 countKalamazoo County: 216 countKalkaska County: 10 countKent County: 780 countKeweenaw County: 4 countLake County: 7 countLapeer County: 105 countLeelanau County: 39 countLenawee County: 63 countLivingston County: 240 countLuce County: 7 countMackinac County: 10 countMacomb County: 1,113 countManistee County: 19 countMarquette County: 63 countMason County: 26 countMecosta County: 32 countMenominee County: 18 countMidland County: 206 countMissaukee County: 10 countMonroe County: 99 countMontcalm County: 50 countMontmorency County: 8 countMuskegon County: 131 countNewaygo County: 39 countOakland County: 2,015 countOceana County: 24 countOgemaw County: 17 countOntonagon County: 9 countOsceola County: 27 countOscoda County: 8 countOtsego County: 30 countOttawa County: 280 countPresque Isle County: 7 countRoscommon County: 13 countSaginaw County: 144 countSt. Clair County: 123 countSt. Joseph County: 50 countSanilac County: 31 countSchoolcraft County: 11 countShiawassee County: 48 countTuscola County: 34 countVan Buren County: 44 countWashtenaw County: 403 countWayne County: 1,702 countWexford County: 30 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 50
  • 50 to 140
  • 140 and over
count, 2015. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2015

Oakland County: 2,015 countOakland County2,015Wayne County: 1,702 countWayne County1,702Macomb County: 1,113 countMacomb County1,113Kent County: 780 countKent County780Washtenaw County: 403 countWashtenaw County403Genesee County: 318 countGenesee County318Ottawa County: 280 countOttawa County280Ingham County: 256 countIngham County256Livingston County: 240 countLivingston County240Kalamazoo County: 216 countKalamazoo County216Midland County: 206 countMidland County206Grand Traverse County: 161 countGrand Traverse County161Berrien County: 155 countBerrien County155Saginaw County: 144 countSaginaw County144Muskegon County: 131 countMuskegon County131St. Clair County: 123 countSt. Clair County123Allegan County: 109 countAllegan County109Eaton County: 109 countEaton County109Lapeer County: 105 countLapeer County105Monroe County: 99 countMonroe County99Jackson County: 97 countJackson County97Bay County: 88 countBay County88Calhoun County: 88 countCalhoun County88Lenawee County: 63 countLenawee County63Marquette County: 63 countMarquette County63Clinton County: 61 countClinton County61Isabella County: 50 countIsabella County50Montcalm County: 50 countMontcalm County50St. Joseph County: 50 countSt. Joseph County50Emmet County: 49 countEmmet County49Shiawassee County: 48 countShiawassee County48Barry County: 47 countBarry County47Charlevoix County: 44 countCharlevoix County44Van Buren County: 44 countVan Buren County44Houghton County: 39 countHoughton County39Ionia County: 39 countIonia County39Leelanau County: 39 countLeelanau County39Newaygo County: 39 countNewaygo County39Cass County: 35 countCass County35Tuscola County: 34 countTuscola County34Oakland County: 2,015 countOakland County2,015Wayne County: 1,702 countWayne County1,702Macomb County: 1,113 countMacomb County1,113Kent County: 780 countKent County780Washtenaw County: 403 countWashtenaw County403Genesee County: 318 countGenesee County318Ottawa County: 280 countOttawa County280Ingham County: 256 countIngham County256Livingston County: 240 countLivingston County240Kalamazoo County: 216 countKalamazoo County216Midland County: 206 countMidland County206Grand Traverse County: 161 countGrand Traverse County161Berrien County: 155 countBerrien County155Saginaw County: 144 countSaginaw County144Muskegon County: 131 countMuskegon County131St. Clair County: 123 countSt. Clair County123Allegan County: 109 countAllegan County109Eaton County: 109 countEaton County109Lapeer County: 105 countLapeer County105Monroe County: 99 countMonroe County99Jackson County: 97 countJackson County97Bay County: 88 countBay County88Calhoun County: 88 countCalhoun County88Lenawee County: 63 countLenawee County63Marquette County: 63 countMarquette County63Clinton County: 61 countClinton County61Isabella County: 50 countIsabella County50Montcalm County: 50 countMontcalm County50St. Joseph County: 50 countSt. Joseph County50Emmet County: 49 countEmmet County49Shiawassee County: 48 countShiawassee County48Barry County: 47 countBarry County47Charlevoix County: 44 countCharlevoix County44Van Buren County: 44 countVan Buren County44Houghton County: 39 countHoughton County39Ionia County: 39 countIonia County39Leelanau County: 39 countLeelanau County39Newaygo County: 39 countNewaygo County39Cass County: 35 countCass County35Tuscola County: 34 countTuscola County34
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. Retrieved 2026-10-22.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
count
Change on 2014
1Oakland County2,015+3.5%
2Wayne County1,702+4.9%
3Macomb County1,113+7%
4Kent County780+16.1%
5Washtenaw County403+3.1%
6Genesee County318-8.9%
7Ottawa County280-2.1%
8Ingham County256-0.4%
9Livingston County240+14.8%
10Kalamazoo County216+4.9%
11Midland County206+43.1%
12Grand Traverse County161+5.9%
13Berrien County155+20.2%
14Saginaw County144-15.3%
15Muskegon County131+22.4%
16St. Clair County123+6%
17Allegan County109+11.2%
17Eaton County109+25.3%
19Lapeer County105+29.6%
20Monroe County99+11.2%
21Jackson County97-25.4%
22Bay County88+18.9%
22Calhoun County88+6%
24Lenawee County63-24.1%
24Marquette County63+5%
26Clinton County61+13%
27Isabella County50+11.1%
27Montcalm County50+13.6%
27St. Joseph County50-12.3%
30Emmet County49+32.4%
31Shiawassee County48-12.7%
32Barry County47+23.7%
33Charlevoix County44+51.7%
33Van Buren County44+7.3%
35Houghton County39+44.4%
35Ionia County39-17%
35Leelanau County39+50%
35Newaygo County39+50%
39Cass County35+25%
40Tuscola County34+6.3%
41Clare County33+94.1%
42Mecosta County320%
43Sanilac County31-20.5%
44Delta County30+7.1%
44Gratiot County300%
44Iosco County30+87.5%
44Otsego County30+30.4%
44Wexford County30-25%
49Hillsdale County28+12%
50Osceola County27+28.6%
51Cheboygan County26-16.1%
51Huron County26-13.3%
51Mason County26+36.8%
54Benzie County24+60%
54Chippewa County24+4.3%
54Oceana County24+26.3%
57Dickinson County22+4.8%
58Alpena County21-30%
58Branch County21-22.2%
60Antrim County20+17.6%
60Gladwin County20+17.6%
62Manistee County190%
63Menominee County18+50%
64Arenac County17+112.5%
64Ogemaw County17+13.3%
66Iron County13-18.8%
66Roscommon County13-43.5%
68Crawford County12-7.7%
69Schoolcraft County11+57.1%
70Kalkaska County10-37.5%
70Mackinac County10-56.5%
70Missaukee County10-44.4%
73Baraga County90%
73Ontonagon County9-10%
75Alger County8+100%
75Montmorency County8-11.1%
75Oscoda County8-33.3%
78Gogebic County7-12.5%
78Lake County70%
78Luce County7n/a
78Presque Isle County7-41.7%
82Keweenaw County4n/a
83Alcona County0-100%

Other periods

About this ranking

New employer firms: firms of age zero in March of the year, meaning that every establishment of the firm had its first employees during the previous twelve months. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics, which calls these firms startups.

A firm counts only when it has employees, so a business without staff is not a birth, and a new branch, merger or change of ownership of an existing firm is not a birth either. Not the same as business_applications (requests for an employer number) or enterprise_births (European business demography). The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

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. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-22.

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. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978 (Counties in Michigan by employer firm births, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978, Counties in Michigan by employer firm births, 2015. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/michigan-counties?period=2015. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. Counties in Michigan by employer firm births, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 22, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/michigan-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978, Counties in Michigan by employer firm births, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/michigan-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_michigan_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978: Counties in Michigan by employer firm births, 2015}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-22},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/michigan-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty\_fac.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-22.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978: Counties in Michigan by employer firm births, 2015
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/michigan-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/michigan-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty_fac.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-22.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Michigan by employer firm births using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

Oakland County, with 2,015 in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Alcona County, with 0 in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics by firm age: employer firms of age zero, all covered industries, nation, states and counties from 1978. Retrieved 2026-10-22.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Michigan: more rankings