Counties in Missouri by employer firm births

St. Louis County had the highest employer firm births of 113 counties in 2022, at 1,628. Knox County had the lowest, at 3. The median was 21 and the figure for Missouri was 8,852. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,628St. Louis County
Median21113 counties
Missouri8,852History

Map of counties, 2022

Adair County: 22 countAndrew County: 19 countAtchison County: 5 countAudrain County: 20 countBarry County: 46 countBarton County: 12 countBates County: 18 countBenton County: 28 countBollinger County: 12 countBoone County: 230 countBuchanan County: 86 countButler County: 56 countCaldwell County: 11 countCallaway County: 57 countCamden County: 121 countCape Girardeau County: 106 countCarroll County: 7 countCarter County: 5 countCass County: 158 countCedar County: 27 countChariton County: 8 countChristian County: 177 countClark County: 8 countClay County: 367 countClinton County: 23 countCole County: 98 countCooper County: 11 countCrawford County: 28 countDade County: 7 countDallas County: 21 countDaviess County: 11 countDeKalb County: 15 countDent County: 7 countDouglas County: 17 countDunklin County: 36 countFranklin County: 138 countGasconade County: 25 countGentry County: 7 countGreene County: 510 countGrundy County: 6 countHarrison County: 9 countHenry County: 30 countHickory County: 16 countHolt County: 15 countHoward County: 13 countHowell County: 59 countIron County: 8 countJackson County: 1,121 countJasper County: 157 countJefferson County: 216 countJohnson County: 60 countKnox County: 3 countLaclede County: 36 countLafayette County: 53 countLawrence County: 37 countLewis County: 7 countLincoln County: 67 countLinn County: 15 countLivingston County: 18 countMcDonald County: 22 countMacon County: 15 countMadison County: 13 countMaries County: 13 countMarion County: 50 countMercer County: 6 countMiller County: 56 countMississippi County: 14 countMoniteau County: 18 countMonroe County: 8 countMontgomery County: 19 countMorgan County: 36 countNew Madrid County: 21 countNewton County: 71 countNodaway County: 21 countOregon County: 10 countOsage County: 15 countOzark County: 11 countPemiscot County: 18 countPerry County: 17 countPettis County: 69 countPhelps County: 58 countPike County: 20 countPlatte County: 180 countPolk County: 33 countPulaski County: 39 countPutnam County: 6 countRalls County: 13 countRandolph County: 25 countRay County: 27 countReynolds County: 7 countRipley County: 21 countSt. Charles County: 568 countSt. Clair County: 7 countSte. Genevieve County: 21 countSt. Francois County: 97 countSt. Louis County: 1,628 countSaline County: 21 countScotland County: 9 countScott County: 42 countShannon County: 7 countShelby County: 7 countStoddard County: 40 countStone County: 67 countSullivan County: 10 countTaney County: 127 countTexas County: 29 countVernon County: 36 countWarren County: 41 countWashington County: 23 countWayne County: 9 countWebster County: 57 countWright County: 20 countSt. Louis city: 562 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 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

St. Louis County: 1,628 countSt. Louis County1,628Jackson County: 1,121 countJackson County1,121St. Charles County: 568 countSt. Charles County568St. Louis city: 562 countSt. Louis city562Greene County: 510 countGreene County510Clay County: 367 countClay County367Boone County: 230 countBoone County230Jefferson County: 216 countJefferson County216Platte County: 180 countPlatte County180Christian County: 177 countChristian County177Cass County: 158 countCass County158Jasper County: 157 countJasper County157Franklin County: 138 countFranklin County138Taney County: 127 countTaney County127Camden County: 121 countCamden County121Cape Girardeau County: 106 countCape Girardeau County106Cole County: 98 countCole County98St. Francois County: 97 countSt. Francois County97Buchanan County: 86 countBuchanan County86Newton County: 71 countNewton County71Pettis County: 69 countPettis County69Lincoln County: 67 countLincoln County67Stone County: 67 countStone County67Johnson County: 60 countJohnson County60Howell County: 59 countHowell County59Phelps County: 58 countPhelps County58Callaway County: 57 countCallaway County57Webster County: 57 countWebster County57Butler County: 56 countButler County56Miller County: 56 countMiller County56Lafayette County: 53 countLafayette County53Marion County: 50 countMarion County50Barry County: 46 countBarry County46Scott County: 42 countScott County42Warren County: 41 countWarren County41Stoddard County: 40 countStoddard County40Pulaski County: 39 countPulaski County39Lawrence County: 37 countLawrence County37Dunklin County: 36 countDunklin County36Laclede County: 36 countLaclede County36St. Louis County: 1,628 countSt. Louis County1,628Jackson County: 1,121 countJackson County1,121St. Charles County: 568 countSt. Charles County568St. Louis city: 562 countSt. Louis city562Greene County: 510 countGreene County510Clay County: 367 countClay County367Boone County: 230 countBoone County230Jefferson County: 216 countJefferson County216Platte County: 180 countPlatte County180Christian County: 177 countChristian County177Cass County: 158 countCass County158Jasper County: 157 countJasper County157Franklin County: 138 countFranklin County138Taney County: 127 countTaney County127Camden County: 121 countCamden County121Cape Girardeau County: 106 countCape Girardeau County106Cole County: 98 countCole County98St. Francois County: 97 countSt. Francois County97Buchanan County: 86 countBuchanan County86Newton County: 71 countNewton County71Pettis County: 69 countPettis County69Lincoln County: 67 countLincoln County67Stone County: 67 countStone County67Johnson County: 60 countJohnson County60Howell County: 59 countHowell County59Phelps County: 58 countPhelps County58Callaway County: 57 countCallaway County57Webster County: 57 countWebster County57Butler County: 56 countButler County56Miller County: 56 countMiller County56Lafayette County: 53 countLafayette County53Marion County: 50 countMarion County50Barry County: 46 countBarry County46Scott County: 42 countScott County42Warren County: 41 countWarren County41Stoddard County: 40 countStoddard County40Pulaski County: 39 countPulaski County39Lawrence County: 37 countLawrence County37Dunklin County: 36 countDunklin County36Laclede County: 36 countLaclede 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

RankCounties2022
count
Change on 2021
1St. Louis County1,628-5.2%
2Jackson County1,121+4.6%
3St. Charles County568+15.2%
4St. Louis city562+2.6%
5Greene County510+8.1%
6Clay County367+4.9%
7Boone County230+0.4%
8Jefferson County216+10.2%
9Platte County180+26.8%
10Christian County177+9.9%
11Cass County158+1.9%
12Jasper County157+13.8%
13Franklin County138+13.1%
14Taney County127+10.4%
15Camden County121+27.4%
16Cape Girardeau County106-14.5%
17Cole County98+11.4%
18St. Francois County97+40.6%
19Buchanan County86-6.5%
20Newton County71+7.6%
21Pettis County69+35.3%
22Lincoln County67+6.3%
22Stone County67+34%
24Johnson County60+25%
25Howell County59+5.4%
26Phelps County58+31.8%
27Callaway County57+58.3%
27Webster County57+23.9%
29Butler County56+55.6%
29Miller County56+5.7%
31Lafayette County53+10.4%
32Marion County50+6.4%
33Barry County46+53.3%
34Scott County42-2.3%
35Warren County41-8.9%
36Stoddard County40+2.6%
37Pulaski County39+18.2%
38Lawrence County37+19.4%
39Dunklin County36-12.2%
39Laclede County36-29.4%
39Morgan County36-5.3%
39Vernon County36+44%
43Polk County33-21.4%
44Henry County30+20%
45Texas County29+20.8%
46Benton County28+12%
46Crawford County28+16.7%
48Cedar County27+58.8%
48Ray County27+50%
50Gasconade County25+66.7%
50Randolph County25+4.2%
52Clinton County23-4.2%
52Washington County230%
54Adair County220%
54McDonald County220%
56Dallas County210%
56New Madrid County21-25%
56Nodaway County21-4.5%
56Ripley County21+31.3%
56Saline County21+31.3%
56Ste. Genevieve County21-16%
62Audrain County20-9.1%
62Pike County20+5.3%
62Wright County20-41.2%
65Andrew County19+26.7%
65Montgomery County19+72.7%
67Bates County180%
67Livingston County18+100%
67Moniteau County18+20%
67Pemiscot County18+12.5%
71Douglas County17+112.5%
71Perry County17-32%
73Hickory County16+128.6%
74DeKalb County15+66.7%
74Holt County15+275%
74Linn County150%
74Macon County15-21.1%
74Osage County15+36.4%
79Mississippi County14+16.7%
80Howard County130%
80Madison County13+160%
80Maries County13+30%
80Ralls County13+8.3%
84Barton County12+71.4%
84Bollinger County12-20%
86Caldwell County11+37.5%
86Cooper County11-42.1%
86Daviess County11-26.7%
86Ozark County11+83.3%
90Oregon County10+100%
90Sullivan County10+100%
92Harrison County9+125%
92Scotland County9+125%
92Wayne County9+12.5%
95Chariton County8+100%
95Clark County8+60%
95Iron County8-11.1%
95Monroe County8+14.3%
99Carroll County7-36.4%
99Dade County7-22.2%
99Dent County7-63.2%
99Gentry County7-30%
99Lewis County7-30%
99Reynolds County7+75%
99Shannon County7-12.5%
99Shelby County7+16.7%
99St. Clair County7-12.5%
108Grundy County6-60%
108Mercer County6+20%
108Putnam County6n/a
111Atchison County5-28.6%
111Carter County5-37.5%
113Knox County3-40%

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 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 Missouri 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 Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_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 Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/missouri-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  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Missouri by employer firm births using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"employer_firm_births","level":"province","within":"Missouri","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=employer_firm_births&level=province&within=Missouri&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

St. Louis County, with 1,628 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Knox 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. 2 counties have no value for 2022 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Missouri: more rankings