Counties in Minnesota by employer firm births

Hennepin County had the highest employer firm births of 86 counties in 2016, at 2,085. Red Lake County had the lowest, at 5. The median was 23 and the figure for Minnesota was 7,024. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest2,085Hennepin County
Median2386 counties
Minnesota7,024History

Map of counties, 2016

Aitkin County: 15 countAnoka County: 399 countBecker County: 31 countBeltrami County: 47 countBenton County: 31 countBig Stone County: 8 countBlue Earth County: 77 countBrown County: 32 countCarlton County: 28 countCarver County: 139 countCass County: 37 countChippewa County: 8 countChisago County: 72 countClay County: 58 countClearwater County: 13 countCook County: 11 countCottonwood County: 11 countCrow Wing County: 98 countDakota County: 529 countDodge County: 21 countDouglas County: 51 countFaribault County: 17 countFillmore County: 31 countFreeborn County: 26 countGoodhue County: 50 countGrant County: 6 countHennepin County: 2,085 countHouston County: 17 countHubbard County: 24 countIsanti County: 47 countItasca County: 39 countJackson County: 9 countKanabec County: 18 countKandiyohi County: 58 countKittson County: 5 countKoochiching County: 20 countLac qui Parle County: 5 countLake County: 20 countLake of the Woods County: 8 countLe Sueur County: 30 countLincoln County: 8 countLyon County: 21 countMcLeod County: 34 countMahnomen County: 7 countMarshall County: 8 countMartin County: 23 countMeeker County: 19 countMille Lacs County: 33 countMorrison County: 28 countMower County: 27 countMurray County: 8 countNicollet County: 23 countNobles County: 25 countNorman County: 10 countOlmsted County: 171 countOtter Tail County: 66 countPennington County: 10 countPine County: 21 countPipestone County: 16 countPolk County: 18 countPope County: 17 countRamsey County: 652 countRed Lake County: 5 countRedwood County: 19 countRenville County: 13 countRice County: 76 countRock County: 7 countRoseau County: 22 countSt. Louis County: 183 countScott County: 196 countSherburne County: 114 countSibley County: 23 countStearns County: 195 countSteele County: 28 countStevens County: 11 countSwift County: 9 countTodd County: 23 countWabasha County: 21 countWadena County: 17 countWaseca County: 21 countWashington County: 349 countWatonwan County: 11 countWilkin County: 7 countWinona County: 29 countWright County: 173 countYellow Medicine County: 10 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 80
  • 80 and over
  • No data
count, 2016. 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, 2016

Hennepin County: 2,085 countHennepin County2,085Ramsey County: 652 countRamsey County652Dakota County: 529 countDakota County529Anoka County: 399 countAnoka County399Washington County: 349 countWashington County349Scott County: 196 countScott County196Stearns County: 195 countStearns County195St. Louis County: 183 countSt. Louis County183Wright County: 173 countWright County173Olmsted County: 171 countOlmsted County171Carver County: 139 countCarver County139Sherburne County: 114 countSherburne County114Crow Wing County: 98 countCrow Wing County98Blue Earth County: 77 countBlue Earth County77Rice County: 76 countRice County76Chisago County: 72 countChisago County72Otter Tail County: 66 countOtter Tail County66Clay County: 58 countClay County58Kandiyohi County: 58 countKandiyohi County58Douglas County: 51 countDouglas County51Goodhue County: 50 countGoodhue County50Beltrami County: 47 countBeltrami County47Isanti County: 47 countIsanti County47Itasca County: 39 countItasca County39Cass County: 37 countCass County37McLeod County: 34 countMcLeod County34Mille Lacs County: 33 countMille Lacs County33Brown County: 32 countBrown County32Becker County: 31 countBecker County31Benton County: 31 countBenton County31Fillmore County: 31 countFillmore County31Le Sueur County: 30 countLe Sueur County30Winona County: 29 countWinona County29Carlton County: 28 countCarlton County28Morrison County: 28 countMorrison County28Steele County: 28 countSteele County28Mower County: 27 countMower County27Freeborn County: 26 countFreeborn County26Nobles County: 25 countNobles County25Hubbard County: 24 countHubbard County24Hennepin County: 2,085 countHennepin County2,085Ramsey County: 652 countRamsey County652Dakota County: 529 countDakota County529Anoka County: 399 countAnoka County399Washington County: 349 countWashington County349Scott County: 196 countScott County196Stearns County: 195 countStearns County195St. Louis County: 183 countSt. Louis County183Wright County: 173 countWright County173Olmsted County: 171 countOlmsted County171Carver County: 139 countCarver County139Sherburne County: 114 countSherburne County114Crow Wing County: 98 countCrow Wing County98Blue Earth County: 77 countBlue Earth County77Rice County: 76 countRice County76Chisago County: 72 countChisago County72Otter Tail County: 66 countOtter Tail County66Clay County: 58 countClay County58Kandiyohi County: 58 countKandiyohi County58Douglas County: 51 countDouglas County51Goodhue County: 50 countGoodhue County50Beltrami County: 47 countBeltrami County47Isanti County: 47 countIsanti County47Itasca County: 39 countItasca County39Cass County: 37 countCass County37McLeod County: 34 countMcLeod County34Mille Lacs County: 33 countMille Lacs County33Brown County: 32 countBrown County32Becker County: 31 countBecker County31Benton County: 31 countBenton County31Fillmore County: 31 countFillmore County31Le Sueur County: 30 countLe Sueur County30Winona County: 29 countWinona County29Carlton County: 28 countCarlton County28Morrison County: 28 countMorrison County28Steele County: 28 countSteele County28Mower County: 27 countMower County27Freeborn County: 26 countFreeborn County26Nobles County: 25 countNobles County25Hubbard County: 24 countHubbard County24
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

RankCounties2016
count
Change on 2015
1Hennepin County2,085+6.3%
2Ramsey County652+10.1%
3Dakota County529+6.7%
4Anoka County399-2.7%
5Washington County349+5.8%
6Scott County196+5.4%
7Stearns County195+15.4%
8St. Louis County183-0.5%
9Wright County173+16.1%
10Olmsted County171+4.9%
11Carver County139+17.8%
12Sherburne County114-8.1%
13Crow Wing County98+6.5%
14Blue Earth County77-2.5%
15Rice County76+15.2%
16Chisago County72+44%
17Otter Tail County66+11.9%
18Clay County58-14.7%
18Kandiyohi County58+52.6%
20Douglas County51+4.1%
21Goodhue County50-7.4%
22Beltrami County47-23%
22Isanti County47+9.3%
24Itasca County39-7.1%
25Cass County370%
26McLeod County34+41.7%
27Mille Lacs County33+10%
28Brown County32+39.1%
29Becker County31-26.2%
29Benton County31-8.8%
29Fillmore County31+63.2%
32Le Sueur County30+20%
33Winona County29-29.3%
34Carlton County28+3.7%
34Morrison County28-24.3%
34Steele County280%
37Mower County27+35%
38Freeborn County26+62.5%
39Nobles County25+8.7%
40Hubbard County24+4.3%
41Martin County23-4.2%
41Nicollet County23-17.9%
41Sibley County23+187.5%
41Todd County23+4.5%
45Roseau County22+22.2%
46Dodge County21-4.5%
46Lyon County21-19.2%
46Pine County21-12.5%
46Wabasha County21+61.5%
46Waseca County21+40%
51Koochiching County20+66.7%
51Lake County20+53.8%
53Meeker County19+26.7%
53Redwood County19-13.6%
55Kanabec County18+12.5%
55Polk County18-25%
57Faribault County17+41.7%
57Houston County17+41.7%
57Pope County17+30.8%
57Wadena County17-22.7%
61Pipestone County16+14.3%
62Aitkin County15-6.3%
63Clearwater County13-13.3%
63Renville County13-13.3%
65Cook County11+37.5%
65Cottonwood County11+10%
65Stevens County11+10%
65Watonwan County11+22.2%
69Norman County10+66.7%
69Pennington County10-47.4%
69Yellow Medicine County10-9.1%
72Jackson County9-25%
72Swift County9-25%
74Big Stone County8+14.3%
74Chippewa County8-33.3%
74Lake of the Woods County8+60%
74Lincoln County8+14.3%
74Marshall County8+33.3%
74Murray County8-38.5%
80Mahnomen County7+133.3%
80Rock County7-53.3%
80Wilkin County7+40%
83Grant County6+20%
84Kittson County5n/a
84Lac qui Parle County5-16.7%
84Red Lake County5+66.7%

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 2016 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, 2016) [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, 2016. 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?period=2016. 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, 2016. 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?period=2016.

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, 2016 [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?period=2016 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_minnesota_by_2016,
  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, 2016}},
  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?period=2016. 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, 2016
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?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/minnesota-counties?period=2016.
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 2,085 in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Red Lake County, with 5 in 2016.

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 2016 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Minnesota: more rankings