Counties in Missouri by employer firm births

St. Louis County had the highest employer firm births of 110 counties in 2018, at 1,873. Schuyler County had the lowest, at 4. The median was 25 and the figure for Missouri was 9,059. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,873St. Louis County
Median25110 counties
Missouri9,059History

Map of counties, 2018

Adair County: 28 countAndrew County: 23 countAtchison County: 4 countAudrain County: 16 countBarry County: 35 countBarton County: 13 countBates County: 11 countBenton County: 26 countBollinger County: 16 countBoone County: 242 countBuchanan County: 89 countButler County: 64 countCaldwell County: 8 countCallaway County: 32 countCamden County: 92 countCape Girardeau County: 104 countCarroll County: 8 countCarter County: 6 countCass County: 120 countCedar County: 20 countChariton County: 9 countChristian County: 141 countClark County: 8 countClay County: 328 countClinton County: 20 countCole County: 99 countCooper County: 12 countCrawford County: 13 countDade County: 4 countDallas County: 29 countDaviess County: 10 countDeKalb County: 10 countDent County: 36 countDouglas County: 11 countDunklin County: 48 countFranklin County: 167 countGasconade County: 23 countGentry County: 6 countGreene County: 533 countGrundy County: 11 countHarrison County: 12 countHenry County: 23 countHickory County: 10 countHolt County: 6 countHowell County: 67 countIron County: 27 countJackson County: 1,127 countJasper County: 151 countJefferson County: 250 countJohnson County: 45 countKnox County: 4 countLaclede County: 39 countLafayette County: 39 countLawrence County: 45 countLewis County: 7 countLincoln County: 60 countLinn County: 9 countLivingston County: 21 countMcDonald County: 20 countMacon County: 16 countMadison County: 16 countMaries County: 11 countMarion County: 35 countMiller County: 32 countMississippi County: 36 countMoniteau County: 14 countMonroe County: 12 countMontgomery County: 14 countMorgan County: 36 countNew Madrid County: 54 countNewton County: 52 countNodaway County: 20 countOregon County: 12 countOsage County: 10 countOzark County: 8 countPemiscot County: 21 countPerry County: 29 countPettis County: 50 countPhelps County: 50 countPike County: 21 countPlatte County: 119 countPolk County: 33 countPulaski County: 33 countPutnam County: 4 countRalls County: 17 countRandolph County: 31 countRay County: 17 countReynolds County: 5 countRipley County: 41 countSt. Charles County: 506 countSte. Genevieve County: 27 countSt. Francois County: 82 countSt. Louis County: 1,873 countSaline County: 17 countSchuyler County: 4 countScotland County: 12 countScott County: 76 countShannon County: 14 countShelby County: 8 countStoddard County: 41 countStone County: 51 countTaney County: 124 countTexas County: 29 countVernon County: 26 countWarren County: 41 countWashington County: 20 countWayne County: 13 countWebster County: 37 countWright County: 23 countSt. Louis city: 766 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 40
  • 40 to 80
  • 80 and over
  • No data
count, 2018. 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, 2018

St. Louis County: 1,873 countSt. Louis County1,873Jackson County: 1,127 countJackson County1,127St. Louis city: 766 countSt. Louis city766Greene County: 533 countGreene County533St. Charles County: 506 countSt. Charles County506Clay County: 328 countClay County328Jefferson County: 250 countJefferson County250Boone County: 242 countBoone County242Franklin County: 167 countFranklin County167Jasper County: 151 countJasper County151Christian County: 141 countChristian County141Taney County: 124 countTaney County124Cass County: 120 countCass County120Platte County: 119 countPlatte County119Cape Girardeau County: 104 countCape Girardeau County104Cole County: 99 countCole County99Camden County: 92 countCamden County92Buchanan County: 89 countBuchanan County89St. Francois County: 82 countSt. Francois County82Scott County: 76 countScott County76Howell County: 67 countHowell County67Butler County: 64 countButler County64Lincoln County: 60 countLincoln County60New Madrid County: 54 countNew Madrid County54Newton County: 52 countNewton County52Stone County: 51 countStone County51Pettis County: 50 countPettis County50Phelps County: 50 countPhelps County50Dunklin County: 48 countDunklin County48Johnson County: 45 countJohnson County45Lawrence County: 45 countLawrence County45Ripley County: 41 countRipley County41Stoddard County: 41 countStoddard County41Warren County: 41 countWarren County41Laclede County: 39 countLaclede County39Lafayette County: 39 countLafayette County39Webster County: 37 countWebster County37Dent County: 36 countDent County36Mississippi County: 36 countMississippi County36Morgan County: 36 countMorgan County36St. Louis County: 1,873 countSt. Louis County1,873Jackson County: 1,127 countJackson County1,127St. Louis city: 766 countSt. Louis city766Greene County: 533 countGreene County533St. Charles County: 506 countSt. Charles County506Clay County: 328 countClay County328Jefferson County: 250 countJefferson County250Boone County: 242 countBoone County242Franklin County: 167 countFranklin County167Jasper County: 151 countJasper County151Christian County: 141 countChristian County141Taney County: 124 countTaney County124Cass County: 120 countCass County120Platte County: 119 countPlatte County119Cape Girardeau County: 104 countCape Girardeau County104Cole County: 99 countCole County99Camden County: 92 countCamden County92Buchanan County: 89 countBuchanan County89St. Francois County: 82 countSt. Francois County82Scott County: 76 countScott County76Howell County: 67 countHowell County67Butler County: 64 countButler County64Lincoln County: 60 countLincoln County60New Madrid County: 54 countNew Madrid County54Newton County: 52 countNewton County52Stone County: 51 countStone County51Pettis County: 50 countPettis County50Phelps County: 50 countPhelps County50Dunklin County: 48 countDunklin County48Johnson County: 45 countJohnson County45Lawrence County: 45 countLawrence County45Ripley County: 41 countRipley County41Stoddard County: 41 countStoddard County41Warren County: 41 countWarren County41Laclede County: 39 countLaclede County39Lafayette County: 39 countLafayette County39Webster County: 37 countWebster County37Dent County: 36 countDent County36Mississippi County: 36 countMississippi County36Morgan County: 36 countMorgan County36
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

RankCounties2018
count
Change on 2017
1St. Louis County1,873-12.8%
2Jackson County1,127-7.3%
3St. Louis city766-34.1%
4Greene County533+5.1%
5St. Charles County506+1%
6Clay County328+14.3%
7Jefferson County250-7.4%
8Boone County242-11.7%
9Franklin County167+19.3%
10Jasper County151+13.5%
11Christian County141+10.2%
12Taney County124+5.1%
13Cass County120-8.4%
14Platte County119-10.5%
15Cape Girardeau County104-11.1%
16Cole County99+26.9%
17Camden County92+1.1%
18Buchanan County89-3.3%
19St. Francois County82-26.8%
20Scott County76+16.9%
21Howell County67+9.8%
22Butler County64-7.2%
23Lincoln County60+1.7%
24New Madrid County54+12.5%
25Newton County52-20%
26Stone County51+4.1%
27Pettis County50-24.2%
27Phelps County50-23.1%
29Dunklin County48-26.2%
30Johnson County45-31.8%
30Lawrence County45-4.3%
32Ripley County41-29.3%
32Stoddard County41+36.7%
32Warren County41+10.8%
35Laclede County39+8.3%
35Lafayette County39-9.3%
37Webster County37-26%
38Dent County36+111.8%
38Mississippi County36+200%
38Morgan County36+38.5%
41Barry County35-30%
41Marion County35-22.2%
43Polk County33-2.9%
43Pulaski County33-2.9%
45Callaway County32-5.9%
45Miller County32-15.8%
47Randolph County31-6.1%
48Dallas County29-14.7%
48Perry County29+31.8%
48Texas County29-12.1%
51Adair County28+21.7%
52Iron County27+80%
52Ste. Genevieve County27+50%
54Benton County260%
54Vernon County26-23.5%
56Andrew County23+15%
56Gasconade County23+53.3%
56Henry County23-34.3%
56Wright County23-23.3%
60Livingston County21+40%
60Pemiscot County21-61.8%
60Pike County21+10.5%
63Cedar County200%
63Clinton County20-9.1%
63McDonald County20-9.1%
63Nodaway County20-25.9%
63Washington County20-41.2%
68Ralls County17+21.4%
68Ray County17+13.3%
68Saline County17+6.3%
71Audrain County16-30.4%
71Bollinger County16-11.1%
71Macon County16-5.9%
71Madison County16+45.5%
75Moniteau County14-26.3%
75Montgomery County14+16.7%
75Shannon County14+27.3%
78Barton County13+62.5%
78Crawford County13-40.9%
78Wayne County13-31.6%
81Cooper County12-47.8%
81Harrison County12+300%
81Monroe County12+200%
81Oregon County12-36.8%
81Scotland County12+50%
86Bates County11-54.2%
86Douglas County11-26.7%
86Grundy County11-21.4%
86Maries County11+10%
90Daviess County10+11.1%
90DeKalb County10+100%
90Hickory County10-23.1%
90Osage County10-28.6%
94Chariton County9-18.2%
94Linn County9+50%
96Caldwell County8+14.3%
96Carroll County8-46.7%
96Clark County8+100%
96Ozark County8+100%
96Shelby County8-20%
101Lewis County7-12.5%
102Carter County6-64.7%
102Gentry County6+50%
102Holt County6+20%
105Reynolds County5-28.6%
106Atchison County4-50%
106Dade County4-50%
106Knox County4n/a
106Putnam County4-60%
106Schuyler County4-42.9%

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. 5 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2018 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 Missouri by employer firm births, 2018) [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 Missouri by employer firm births, 2018. 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/missouri-counties?period=2018. 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 Missouri by employer firm births, 2018. 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/missouri-counties?period=2018.

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 Missouri by employer firm births, 2018 [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/missouri-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_by_2018,
  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 Missouri by employer firm births, 2018}},
  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/missouri-counties?period=2018. 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 Missouri by employer firm births, 2018
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/missouri-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/missouri-counties?period=2018.
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 Missouri by employer firm births using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

St. Louis County, with 1,873 in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Schuyler County, with 4 in 2018.

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. 5 counties have no value for 2018 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Missouri: more rankings