Counties in Minnesota by employer firm births, 2023

Hennepin County had the highest employer firm births of 86 counties in 2023, at 1,992. Red Lake County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 23 and the figure for Minnesota was 7,296. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,992Hennepin County
Median2386 counties
Minnesota7,296History

Map of counties, 2023

Aitkin County: 15 countAnoka County: 521 countBecker County: 36 countBeltrami County: 50 countBenton County: 47 countBig Stone County: 5 countBlue Earth County: 81 countBrown County: 25 countCarlton County: 36 countCarver County: 143 countCass County: 47 countChippewa County: 7 countChisago County: 62 countClay County: 56 countClearwater County: 7 countCook County: 13 countCottonwood County: 4 countCrow Wing County: 105 countDakota County: 543 countDodge County: 23 countDouglas County: 60 countFaribault County: 14 countFillmore County: 21 countFreeborn County: 27 countGoodhue County: 67 countGrant County: 6 countHennepin County: 1,992 countHouston County: 16 countHubbard County: 39 countIsanti County: 48 countItasca County: 43 countJackson County: 17 countKanabec County: 11 countKandiyohi County: 55 countKittson County: 4 countKoochiching County: 21 countLac qui Parle County: 7 countLake County: 18 countLake of the Woods County: 6 countLe Sueur County: 28 countLincoln County: 8 countLyon County: 22 countMcLeod County: 24 countMahnomen County: 6 countMarshall County: 12 countMartin County: 19 countMeeker County: 30 countMille Lacs County: 41 countMorrison County: 43 countMower County: 19 countMurray County: 13 countNicollet County: 19 countNobles County: 16 countNorman County: 7 countOlmsted County: 172 countOtter Tail County: 67 countPennington County: 7 countPine County: 31 countPipestone County: 10 countPolk County: 27 countPope County: 14 countRamsey County: 712 countRed Lake County: 0 countRedwood County: 19 countRenville County: 19 countRice County: 75 countRock County: 10 countRoseau County: 23 countSt. Louis County: 231 countScott County: 208 countSherburne County: 116 countSibley County: 11 countStearns County: 189 countSteele County: 40 countStevens County: 12 countSwift County: 10 countTodd County: 35 countWabasha County: 22 countWadena County: 13 countWaseca County: 20 countWashington County: 358 countWatonwan County: 8 countWilkin County: 7 countWinona County: 47 countWright County: 176 countYellow Medicine County: 13 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 40
  • 40 to 70
  • 70 and over
  • No data
count, 2023. Hatched areas have no value for this period. 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, 2023

Hennepin County: 1,992 countHennepin County1,992Ramsey County: 712 countRamsey County712Dakota County: 543 countDakota County543Anoka County: 521 countAnoka County521Washington County: 358 countWashington County358St. Louis County: 231 countSt. Louis County231Scott County: 208 countScott County208Stearns County: 189 countStearns County189Wright County: 176 countWright County176Olmsted County: 172 countOlmsted County172Carver County: 143 countCarver County143Sherburne County: 116 countSherburne County116Crow Wing County: 105 countCrow Wing County105Blue Earth County: 81 countBlue Earth County81Rice County: 75 countRice County75Goodhue County: 67 countGoodhue County67Otter Tail County: 67 countOtter Tail County67Chisago County: 62 countChisago County62Douglas County: 60 countDouglas County60Clay County: 56 countClay County56Kandiyohi County: 55 countKandiyohi County55Beltrami County: 50 countBeltrami County50Isanti County: 48 countIsanti County48Benton County: 47 countBenton County47Cass County: 47 countCass County47Winona County: 47 countWinona County47Itasca County: 43 countItasca County43Morrison County: 43 countMorrison County43Mille Lacs County: 41 countMille Lacs County41Steele County: 40 countSteele County40Hubbard County: 39 countHubbard County39Becker County: 36 countBecker County36Carlton County: 36 countCarlton County36Todd County: 35 countTodd County35Pine County: 31 countPine County31Meeker County: 30 countMeeker County30Le Sueur County: 28 countLe Sueur County28Freeborn County: 27 countFreeborn County27Polk County: 27 countPolk County27Brown County: 25 countBrown County25Hennepin County: 1,992 countHennepin County1,992Ramsey County: 712 countRamsey County712Dakota County: 543 countDakota County543Anoka County: 521 countAnoka County521Washington County: 358 countWashington County358St. Louis County: 231 countSt. Louis County231Scott County: 208 countScott County208Stearns County: 189 countStearns County189Wright County: 176 countWright County176Olmsted County: 172 countOlmsted County172Carver County: 143 countCarver County143Sherburne County: 116 countSherburne County116Crow Wing County: 105 countCrow Wing County105Blue Earth County: 81 countBlue Earth County81Rice County: 75 countRice County75Goodhue County: 67 countGoodhue County67Otter Tail County: 67 countOtter Tail County67Chisago County: 62 countChisago County62Douglas County: 60 countDouglas County60Clay County: 56 countClay County56Kandiyohi County: 55 countKandiyohi County55Beltrami County: 50 countBeltrami County50Isanti County: 48 countIsanti County48Benton County: 47 countBenton County47Cass County: 47 countCass County47Winona County: 47 countWinona County47Itasca County: 43 countItasca County43Morrison County: 43 countMorrison County43Mille Lacs County: 41 countMille Lacs County41Steele County: 40 countSteele County40Hubbard County: 39 countHubbard County39Becker County: 36 countBecker County36Carlton County: 36 countCarlton County36Todd County: 35 countTodd County35Pine County: 31 countPine County31Meeker County: 30 countMeeker County30Le Sueur County: 28 countLe Sueur County28Freeborn County: 27 countFreeborn County27Polk County: 27 countPolk County27Brown County: 25 countBrown County25
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

RankCounties2023
count
Change on 2022
1Hennepin County1,992-8.6%
2Ramsey County712-3.4%
3Dakota County543-4.6%
4Anoka County521+5.7%
5Washington County358+1.7%
6St. Louis County231+12.7%
7Scott County208-5.5%
8Stearns County189+1.1%
9Wright County176-13.7%
10Olmsted County172-6%
11Carver County143+2.9%
12Sherburne County116-14.1%
13Crow Wing County105-7.9%
14Blue Earth County81-1.2%
15Rice County75+31.6%
16Goodhue County67+31.4%
16Otter Tail County67-17.3%
18Chisago County62-10.1%
19Douglas County60+9.1%
20Clay County56-3.4%
21Kandiyohi County55-11.3%
22Beltrami County50-7.4%
23Isanti County48-28.4%
24Benton County47+38.2%
24Cass County47+4.4%
24Winona County47+9.3%
27Itasca County43+7.5%
27Morrison County43-6.5%
29Mille Lacs County41+5.1%
30Steele County400%
31Hubbard County39+30%
32Becker County36-14.3%
32Carlton County36+33.3%
34Todd County35+16.7%
35Pine County31+3.3%
36Meeker County30-6.3%
37Le Sueur County280%
38Freeborn County27-10%
38Polk County27-15.6%
40Brown County25+31.6%
41McLeod County24-40%
42Dodge County23+35.3%
42Roseau County23+27.8%
44Lyon County22-18.5%
44Wabasha County22-40.5%
46Fillmore County21-25%
46Koochiching County21+425%
48Waseca County20-13%
49Martin County19+58.3%
49Mower County19-29.6%
49Nicollet County19-52.5%
49Redwood County19+18.8%
49Renville County19+18.8%
54Lake County18-21.7%
55Jackson County17+70%
56Houston County16+77.8%
56Nobles County160%
58Aitkin County15-11.8%
59Faribault County14+7.7%
59Pope County14+16.7%
61Cook County13-23.5%
61Murray County13+18.2%
61Wadena County13-13.3%
61Yellow Medicine County13+8.3%
65Marshall County12+20%
65Stevens County12-25%
67Kanabec County11-42.1%
67Sibley County11-52.2%
69Pipestone County10+25%
69Rock County10-23.1%
69Swift County10-9.1%
72Lincoln County8+100%
72Watonwan County8+33.3%
74Chippewa County7-30%
74Clearwater County7+16.7%
74Lac qui Parle County7+75%
74Norman County7+75%
74Pennington County7-36.4%
74Wilkin County7+40%
80Grant County6-45.5%
80Lake of the Woods County6+100%
80Mahnomen County6+50%
83Big Stone County5n/a
84Cottonwood County4-63.6%
84Kittson County4-55.6%
86Red Lake 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. 1 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2023 and are left out rather than filled from another source. 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 Minnesota by employer firm births, 2023) [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 Minnesota by employer firm births, 2023. 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/minnesota-counties. 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 Minnesota by employer firm births, 2023. 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/minnesota-counties.

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 Minnesota by employer firm births, 2023 [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/minnesota-counties (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_minnesota_by_2023,
  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 Minnesota by employer firm births, 2023}},
  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/minnesota-counties. 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 Minnesota by employer firm births, 2023
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/minnesota-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/minnesota-counties.
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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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

Hennepin County, with 1,992 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Red Lake County, with 0 in 2023.

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. 1 counties have no value for 2023 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Minnesota: more rankings