Counties in Missouri by employer firm births

St. Louis County had the highest employer firm births of 113 counties in 2020, at 1,735. Putnam County had the lowest, at 3. The median was 21 and the figure for Missouri was 8,036. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,735St. Louis County
Median21113 counties
Missouri8,036History

Map of counties, 2020

Adair County: 17 countAndrew County: 18 countAtchison County: 6 countAudrain County: 22 countBarry County: 35 countBarton County: 13 countBates County: 17 countBenton County: 26 countBollinger County: 15 countBoone County: 230 countBuchanan County: 80 countButler County: 44 countCaldwell County: 15 countCallaway County: 32 countCamden County: 84 countCape Girardeau County: 89 countCarroll County: 7 countCarter County: 8 countCass County: 121 countCedar County: 14 countChariton County: 9 countChristian County: 144 countClark County: 5 countClay County: 291 countClinton County: 23 countCole County: 111 countCooper County: 12 countCrawford County: 21 countDade County: 6 countDallas County: 24 countDaviess County: 12 countDeKalb County: 4 countDent County: 25 countDouglas County: 17 countDunklin County: 51 countFranklin County: 128 countGasconade County: 23 countGentry County: 5 countGreene County: 454 countGrundy County: 6 countHarrison County: 11 countHenry County: 24 countHickory County: 10 countHolt County: 5 countHoward County: 9 countHowell County: 61 countIron County: 6 countJackson County: 1,024 countJasper County: 122 countJefferson County: 214 countJohnson County: 67 countKnox County: 4 countLaclede County: 32 countLafayette County: 27 countLawrence County: 42 countLewis County: 10 countLincoln County: 57 countLinn County: 16 countLivingston County: 14 countMcDonald County: 21 countMacon County: 6 countMadison County: 14 countMaries County: 7 countMarion County: 38 countMercer County: 4 countMiller County: 46 countMississippi County: 7 countMoniteau County: 20 countMonroe County: 9 countMontgomery County: 8 countMorgan County: 32 countNew Madrid County: 22 countNewton County: 53 countNodaway County: 20 countOregon County: 9 countOsage County: 16 countOzark County: 11 countPemiscot County: 20 countPerry County: 22 countPettis County: 39 countPhelps County: 37 countPike County: 26 countPlatte County: 133 countPolk County: 39 countPulaski County: 24 countPutnam County: 3 countRalls County: 11 countRandolph County: 23 countRay County: 21 countReynolds County: 7 countRipley County: 20 countSt. Charles County: 485 countSt. Clair County: 6 countSte. Genevieve County: 17 countSt. Francois County: 71 countSt. Louis County: 1,735 countSaline County: 15 countSchuyler County: 5 countScotland County: 9 countScott County: 41 countShannon County: 7 countShelby County: 7 countStoddard County: 28 countStone County: 44 countTaney County: 113 countTexas County: 16 countVernon County: 20 countWarren County: 27 countWashington County: 19 countWayne County: 9 countWebster County: 51 countWright County: 27 countSt. Louis city: 560 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 70
  • 70 and over
  • No data
count, 2020. 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, 2020

St. Louis County: 1,735 countSt. Louis County1,735Jackson County: 1,024 countJackson County1,024St. Louis city: 560 countSt. Louis city560St. Charles County: 485 countSt. Charles County485Greene County: 454 countGreene County454Clay County: 291 countClay County291Boone County: 230 countBoone County230Jefferson County: 214 countJefferson County214Christian County: 144 countChristian County144Platte County: 133 countPlatte County133Franklin County: 128 countFranklin County128Jasper County: 122 countJasper County122Cass County: 121 countCass County121Taney County: 113 countTaney County113Cole County: 111 countCole County111Cape Girardeau County: 89 countCape Girardeau County89Camden County: 84 countCamden County84Buchanan County: 80 countBuchanan County80St. Francois County: 71 countSt. Francois County71Johnson County: 67 countJohnson County67Howell County: 61 countHowell County61Lincoln County: 57 countLincoln County57Newton County: 53 countNewton County53Dunklin County: 51 countDunklin County51Webster County: 51 countWebster County51Miller County: 46 countMiller County46Butler County: 44 countButler County44Stone County: 44 countStone County44Lawrence County: 42 countLawrence County42Scott County: 41 countScott County41Pettis County: 39 countPettis County39Polk County: 39 countPolk County39Marion County: 38 countMarion County38Phelps County: 37 countPhelps County37Barry County: 35 countBarry County35Callaway County: 32 countCallaway County32Laclede County: 32 countLaclede County32Morgan County: 32 countMorgan County32Stoddard County: 28 countStoddard County28Lafayette County: 27 countLafayette County27St. Louis County: 1,735 countSt. Louis County1,735Jackson County: 1,024 countJackson County1,024St. Louis city: 560 countSt. Louis city560St. Charles County: 485 countSt. Charles County485Greene County: 454 countGreene County454Clay County: 291 countClay County291Boone County: 230 countBoone County230Jefferson County: 214 countJefferson County214Christian County: 144 countChristian County144Platte County: 133 countPlatte County133Franklin County: 128 countFranklin County128Jasper County: 122 countJasper County122Cass County: 121 countCass County121Taney County: 113 countTaney County113Cole County: 111 countCole County111Cape Girardeau County: 89 countCape Girardeau County89Camden County: 84 countCamden County84Buchanan County: 80 countBuchanan County80St. Francois County: 71 countSt. Francois County71Johnson County: 67 countJohnson County67Howell County: 61 countHowell County61Lincoln County: 57 countLincoln County57Newton County: 53 countNewton County53Dunklin County: 51 countDunklin County51Webster County: 51 countWebster County51Miller County: 46 countMiller County46Butler County: 44 countButler County44Stone County: 44 countStone County44Lawrence County: 42 countLawrence County42Scott County: 41 countScott County41Pettis County: 39 countPettis County39Polk County: 39 countPolk County39Marion County: 38 countMarion County38Phelps County: 37 countPhelps County37Barry County: 35 countBarry County35Callaway County: 32 countCallaway County32Laclede County: 32 countLaclede County32Morgan County: 32 countMorgan County32Stoddard County: 28 countStoddard County28Lafayette County: 27 countLafayette County27
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

RankCounties2020
count
Change on 2019
1St. Louis County1,735-15.6%
2Jackson County1,024-6.4%
3St. Louis city560-32.4%
4St. Charles County485-3.8%
5Greene County454-16.7%
6Clay County291-15.9%
7Boone County230-9.1%
8Jefferson County214+8.6%
9Christian County144-2.7%
10Platte County133+31.7%
11Franklin County128+20.8%
12Jasper County122-16.4%
13Cass County121-18.8%
14Taney County113+20.2%
15Cole County111+15.6%
16Cape Girardeau County89-23.3%
17Camden County84+16.7%
18Buchanan County80-2.4%
19St. Francois County71+1.4%
20Johnson County67+55.8%
21Howell County61-18.7%
22Lincoln County57-25%
23Newton County53-27.4%
24Dunklin County51+41.7%
24Webster County51-3.8%
26Miller County46+15%
27Butler County44+18.9%
27Stone County44-15.4%
29Lawrence County42+5%
30Scott County41-35.9%
31Pettis County39-17%
31Polk County39-4.9%
33Marion County38+46.2%
34Phelps County37-30.2%
35Barry County35-30%
36Callaway County32+33.3%
36Laclede County32-22%
36Morgan County32-8.6%
39Stoddard County28-9.7%
40Lafayette County27-20.6%
40Warren County27-59.1%
40Wright County270%
43Benton County26+30%
43Pike County26+62.5%
45Dent County25-10.7%
46Dallas County24-7.7%
46Henry County24-25%
46Pulaski County24-25%
49Clinton County23+43.8%
49Gasconade County23+109.1%
49Randolph County23+35.3%
52Audrain County22+29.4%
52New Madrid County22-8.3%
52Perry County22-4.3%
55Crawford County21+40%
55McDonald County21+23.5%
55Ray County21+133.3%
58Moniteau County20+81.8%
58Nodaway County20+25%
58Pemiscot County20+53.8%
58Ripley County20-25.9%
58Vernon County20-16.7%
63Washington County19-36.7%
64Andrew County18-5.3%
65Adair County17-34.6%
65Bates County17-29.2%
65Douglas County17-10.5%
65Ste. Genevieve County17+13.3%
69Linn County16+14.3%
69Osage County16+100%
69Texas County16-30.4%
72Bollinger County15-11.8%
72Caldwell County15+66.7%
72Saline County15+25%
75Cedar County14-22.2%
75Livingston County14-12.5%
75Madison County14+16.7%
78Barton County13-18.8%
79Cooper County12-20%
79Daviess County12-20%
81Harrison County11+120%
81Ozark County11-8.3%
81Ralls County11-26.7%
84Hickory County10+66.7%
84Lewis County10+11.1%
86Chariton County9+50%
86Howard County9+28.6%
86Monroe County9-30.8%
86Oregon County9+12.5%
86Scotland County9+28.6%
86Wayne County9+80%
92Carter County8-20%
92Montgomery County80%
94Carroll County7-12.5%
94Maries County70%
94Mississippi County7-68.2%
94Reynolds County7+133.3%
94Shannon County7-30%
94Shelby County7+133.3%
100Atchison County60%
100Dade County6-45.5%
100Grundy County6-33.3%
100Iron County6-66.7%
100Macon County6-57.1%
100St. Clair County6-25%
106Clark County5-50%
106Gentry County5-37.5%
106Holt County5-16.7%
106Schuyler County50%
110DeKalb County4-50%
110Knox County4n/a
110Mercer County4n/a
113Putnam 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. 2 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2020 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, 2020) [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, 2020. 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=2020. 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, 2020. 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=2020.

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, 2020 [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=2020 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_by_2020,
  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, 2020}},
  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=2020. 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, 2020
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=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/missouri-counties?period=2020.
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 1,735 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Putnam County, with 3 in 2020.

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. 2 counties have no value for 2020 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Missouri: more rankings