Counties in Minnesota by employer firm births

Hennepin County had the highest employer firm births of 86 counties in 2022, at 2,180. Red Lake County had the lowest, at 3. The median was 27 and the figure for Minnesota was 7,551. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest2,180Hennepin County
Median2786 counties
Minnesota7,551History

Map of counties, 2022

Aitkin County: 17 countAnoka County: 493 countBecker County: 42 countBeltrami County: 54 countBenton County: 34 countBlue Earth County: 82 countBrown County: 19 countCarlton County: 27 countCarver County: 139 countCass County: 45 countChippewa County: 10 countChisago County: 69 countClay County: 58 countClearwater County: 6 countCook County: 17 countCottonwood County: 11 countCrow Wing County: 114 countDakota County: 569 countDodge County: 17 countDouglas County: 55 countFaribault County: 13 countFillmore County: 28 countFreeborn County: 30 countGoodhue County: 51 countGrant County: 11 countHennepin County: 2,180 countHouston County: 9 countHubbard County: 30 countIsanti County: 67 countItasca County: 40 countJackson County: 10 countKanabec County: 19 countKandiyohi County: 62 countKittson County: 9 countKoochiching County: 4 countLac qui Parle County: 4 countLake County: 23 countLake of the Woods County: 3 countLe Sueur County: 28 countLincoln County: 4 countLyon County: 27 countMcLeod County: 40 countMahnomen County: 4 countMarshall County: 10 countMartin County: 12 countMeeker County: 32 countMille Lacs County: 39 countMorrison County: 46 countMower County: 27 countMurray County: 11 countNicollet County: 40 countNobles County: 16 countNorman County: 4 countOlmsted County: 183 countOtter Tail County: 81 countPennington County: 11 countPine County: 30 countPipestone County: 8 countPolk County: 32 countPope County: 12 countRamsey County: 737 countRed Lake County: 3 countRedwood County: 16 countRenville County: 16 countRice County: 57 countRock County: 13 countRoseau County: 18 countSt. Louis County: 205 countScott County: 220 countSherburne County: 135 countSibley County: 23 countStearns County: 187 countSteele County: 40 countStevens County: 16 countSwift County: 11 countTodd County: 30 countTraverse County: 6 countWabasha County: 37 countWadena County: 15 countWaseca County: 23 countWashington County: 352 countWatonwan County: 6 countWilkin County: 5 countWinona County: 43 countWright County: 204 countYellow Medicine County: 12 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 40
  • 40 to 80
  • 80 and over
  • No data
count, 2022. 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, 2022

Hennepin County: 2,180 countHennepin County2,180Ramsey County: 737 countRamsey County737Dakota County: 569 countDakota County569Anoka County: 493 countAnoka County493Washington County: 352 countWashington County352Scott County: 220 countScott County220St. Louis County: 205 countSt. Louis County205Wright County: 204 countWright County204Stearns County: 187 countStearns County187Olmsted County: 183 countOlmsted County183Carver County: 139 countCarver County139Sherburne County: 135 countSherburne County135Crow Wing County: 114 countCrow Wing County114Blue Earth County: 82 countBlue Earth County82Otter Tail County: 81 countOtter Tail County81Chisago County: 69 countChisago County69Isanti County: 67 countIsanti County67Kandiyohi County: 62 countKandiyohi County62Clay County: 58 countClay County58Rice County: 57 countRice County57Douglas County: 55 countDouglas County55Beltrami County: 54 countBeltrami County54Goodhue County: 51 countGoodhue County51Morrison County: 46 countMorrison County46Cass County: 45 countCass County45Winona County: 43 countWinona County43Becker County: 42 countBecker County42Itasca County: 40 countItasca County40McLeod County: 40 countMcLeod County40Nicollet County: 40 countNicollet County40Steele County: 40 countSteele County40Mille Lacs County: 39 countMille Lacs County39Wabasha County: 37 countWabasha County37Benton County: 34 countBenton County34Meeker County: 32 countMeeker County32Polk County: 32 countPolk County32Freeborn County: 30 countFreeborn County30Hubbard County: 30 countHubbard County30Pine County: 30 countPine County30Todd County: 30 countTodd County30Hennepin County: 2,180 countHennepin County2,180Ramsey County: 737 countRamsey County737Dakota County: 569 countDakota County569Anoka County: 493 countAnoka County493Washington County: 352 countWashington County352Scott County: 220 countScott County220St. Louis County: 205 countSt. Louis County205Wright County: 204 countWright County204Stearns County: 187 countStearns County187Olmsted County: 183 countOlmsted County183Carver County: 139 countCarver County139Sherburne County: 135 countSherburne County135Crow Wing County: 114 countCrow Wing County114Blue Earth County: 82 countBlue Earth County82Otter Tail County: 81 countOtter Tail County81Chisago County: 69 countChisago County69Isanti County: 67 countIsanti County67Kandiyohi County: 62 countKandiyohi County62Clay County: 58 countClay County58Rice County: 57 countRice County57Douglas County: 55 countDouglas County55Beltrami County: 54 countBeltrami County54Goodhue County: 51 countGoodhue County51Morrison County: 46 countMorrison County46Cass County: 45 countCass County45Winona County: 43 countWinona County43Becker County: 42 countBecker County42Itasca County: 40 countItasca County40McLeod County: 40 countMcLeod County40Nicollet County: 40 countNicollet County40Steele County: 40 countSteele County40Mille Lacs County: 39 countMille Lacs County39Wabasha County: 37 countWabasha County37Benton County: 34 countBenton County34Meeker County: 32 countMeeker County32Polk County: 32 countPolk County32Freeborn County: 30 countFreeborn County30Hubbard County: 30 countHubbard County30Pine County: 30 countPine County30Todd County: 30 countTodd County30
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

RankCounties2022
count
Change on 2021
1Hennepin County2,180+1.4%
2Ramsey County737+9.3%
3Dakota County569+4%
4Anoka County493+13.6%
5Washington County352+3.2%
6Scott County220+11.1%
7St. Louis County205+15.2%
8Wright County204+1.5%
9Stearns County187+29.9%
10Olmsted County183+8.3%
11Carver County139-16.8%
12Sherburne County135-3.6%
13Crow Wing County114+3.6%
14Blue Earth County82+46.4%
15Otter Tail County81+12.5%
16Chisago County69-13.8%
17Isanti County67+19.6%
18Kandiyohi County62+26.5%
19Clay County58-15.9%
20Rice County57-12.3%
21Douglas County55-8.3%
22Beltrami County54-10%
23Goodhue County51+8.5%
24Morrison County46+12.2%
25Cass County45-16.7%
26Winona County43+22.9%
27Becker County42-17.6%
28Itasca County40-2.4%
28McLeod County40+14.3%
28Nicollet County40+53.8%
28Steele County40-4.8%
32Mille Lacs County39+44.4%
33Wabasha County37+42.3%
34Benton County34+6.3%
35Meeker County32+45.5%
35Polk County32+28%
37Freeborn County30+30.4%
37Hubbard County30+15.4%
37Pine County30+36.4%
37Todd County30+50%
41Fillmore County28+27.3%
41Le Sueur County28-9.7%
43Carlton County27-15.6%
43Lyon County27-15.6%
43Mower County27+17.4%
46Lake County23+21.1%
46Sibley County23+91.7%
46Waseca County23+130%
49Brown County19-26.9%
49Kanabec County19+58.3%
51Roseau County18+12.5%
52Aitkin County17+54.5%
52Cook County17+21.4%
52Dodge County17+6.3%
55Nobles County16+23.1%
55Redwood County160%
55Renville County16-15.8%
55Stevens County16+77.8%
59Wadena County150%
60Faribault County13-13.3%
60Rock County13+30%
62Martin County12-33.3%
62Pope County12-36.8%
62Yellow Medicine County12+71.4%
65Cottonwood County11-31.3%
65Grant County11+83.3%
65Murray County11+175%
65Pennington County11+10%
65Swift County11+22.2%
70Chippewa County10+42.9%
70Jackson County10-9.1%
70Marshall County10+11.1%
73Houston County9-52.6%
73Kittson County9+80%
75Pipestone County8-27.3%
76Clearwater County6-14.3%
76Traverse County6+20%
76Watonwan County6-50%
79Wilkin County50%
80Koochiching County4-71.4%
80Lac qui Parle County4-20%
80Lincoln County4+33.3%
80Mahnomen County4+33.3%
80Norman County4-33.3%
85Lake of the Woods County3-50%
85Red Lake County3-25%

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 2022 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, 2022) [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, 2022. 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=2022. 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, 2022. 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=2022.

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, 2022 [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=2022 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_minnesota_by_2022,
  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, 2022}},
  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=2022. 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, 2022
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=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/minnesota-counties?period=2022.
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 Minnesota by employer firm births using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

Hennepin County, with 2,180 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Red Lake County, with 3 in 2022.

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 2022 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Minnesota: more rankings