Data / Rankings / Employer firm births / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by employer firm births

Mecklenburg County had the highest employer firm births of 100 counties in 2012, at 1,765. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at 3. The median was 46 and the figure for North Carolina was 11,282. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest1,765Mecklenburg County
Lowest3Tyrrell County
Median46100 counties
North Carolina11,282History

Map of counties, 2012

Alamance County: 133 countAlexander County: 25 countAlleghany County: 12 countAnson County: 17 countAshe County: 22 countAvery County: 32 countBeaufort County: 36 countBertie County: 8 countBladen County: 21 countBrunswick County: 142 countBuncombe County: 410 countBurke County: 62 countCabarrus County: 223 countCaldwell County: 58 countCamden County: 4 countCarteret County: 73 countCaswell County: 10 countCatawba County: 188 countChatham County: 67 countCherokee County: 35 countChowan County: 7 countClay County: 10 countCleveland County: 86 countColumbus County: 48 countCraven County: 93 countCumberland County: 281 countCurrituck County: 27 countDare County: 84 countDavidson County: 146 countDavie County: 39 countDuplin County: 31 countDurham County: 384 countEdgecombe County: 36 countForsyth County: 379 countFranklin County: 52 countGaston County: 211 countGates County: 3 countGraham County: 11 countGranville County: 37 countGreene County: 10 countGuilford County: 618 countHalifax County: 32 countHarnett County: 98 countHaywood County: 66 countHenderson County: 116 countHertford County: 12 countHoke County: 28 countHyde County: 8 countIredell County: 228 countJackson County: 57 countJohnston County: 157 countJones County: 8 countLee County: 46 countLenoir County: 51 countLincoln County: 85 countMcDowell County: 37 countMacon County: 40 countMadison County: 26 countMartin County: 17 countMecklenburg County: 1,765 countMitchell County: 12 countMontgomery County: 17 countMoore County: 107 countNash County: 85 countNew Hanover County: 409 countNorthampton County: 14 countOnslow County: 146 countOrange County: 163 countPamlico County: 16 countPasquotank County: 28 countPender County: 65 countPerquimans County: 7 countPerson County: 23 countPitt County: 172 countPolk County: 23 countRandolph County: 107 countRichmond County: 31 countRobeson County: 61 countRockingham County: 70 countRowan County: 124 countRutherford County: 46 countSampson County: 41 countScotland County: 20 countStanly County: 60 countStokes County: 28 countSurry County: 76 countSwain County: 19 countTransylvania County: 37 countTyrrell County: 3 countUnion County: 272 countVance County: 46 countWake County: 1,636 countWarren County: 8 countWashington County: 4 countWatauga County: 74 countWayne County: 84 countWilkes County: 52 countWilson County: 65 countYadkin County: 17 countYancey County: 11 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 30
  • 30 to 50
  • 50 to 70
  • 70 to 150
  • 150 and over
count, 2012. 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, 2012

Mecklenburg County: 1,765 countMecklenburg County1,765Wake County: 1,636 countWake County1,636Guilford County: 618 countGuilford County618Buncombe County: 410 countBuncombe County410New Hanover County: 409 countNew Hanover County409Durham County: 384 countDurham County384Forsyth County: 379 countForsyth County379Cumberland County: 281 countCumberland County281Union County: 272 countUnion County272Iredell County: 228 countIredell County228Cabarrus County: 223 countCabarrus County223Gaston County: 211 countGaston County211Catawba County: 188 countCatawba County188Pitt County: 172 countPitt County172Orange County: 163 countOrange County163Johnston County: 157 countJohnston County157Davidson County: 146 countDavidson County146Onslow County: 146 countOnslow County146Brunswick County: 142 countBrunswick County142Alamance County: 133 countAlamance County133Rowan County: 124 countRowan County124Henderson County: 116 countHenderson County116Moore County: 107 countMoore County107Randolph County: 107 countRandolph County107Harnett County: 98 countHarnett County98Craven County: 93 countCraven County93Cleveland County: 86 countCleveland County86Lincoln County: 85 countLincoln County85Nash County: 85 countNash County85Dare County: 84 countDare County84Wayne County: 84 countWayne County84Surry County: 76 countSurry County76Watauga County: 74 countWatauga County74Carteret County: 73 countCarteret County73Rockingham County: 70 countRockingham County70Chatham County: 67 countChatham County67Haywood County: 66 countHaywood County66Pender County: 65 countPender County65Wilson County: 65 countWilson County65Burke County: 62 countBurke County62Mecklenburg County: 1,765 countMecklenburg County1,765Wake County: 1,636 countWake County1,636Guilford County: 618 countGuilford County618Buncombe County: 410 countBuncombe County410New Hanover County: 409 countNew Hanover County409Durham County: 384 countDurham County384Forsyth County: 379 countForsyth County379Cumberland County: 281 countCumberland County281Union County: 272 countUnion County272Iredell County: 228 countIredell County228Cabarrus County: 223 countCabarrus County223Gaston County: 211 countGaston County211Catawba County: 188 countCatawba County188Pitt County: 172 countPitt County172Orange County: 163 countOrange County163Johnston County: 157 countJohnston County157Davidson County: 146 countDavidson County146Onslow County: 146 countOnslow County146Brunswick County: 142 countBrunswick County142Alamance County: 133 countAlamance County133Rowan County: 124 countRowan County124Henderson County: 116 countHenderson County116Moore County: 107 countMoore County107Randolph County: 107 countRandolph County107Harnett County: 98 countHarnett County98Craven County: 93 countCraven County93Cleveland County: 86 countCleveland County86Lincoln County: 85 countLincoln County85Nash County: 85 countNash County85Dare County: 84 countDare County84Wayne County: 84 countWayne County84Surry County: 76 countSurry County76Watauga County: 74 countWatauga County74Carteret County: 73 countCarteret County73Rockingham County: 70 countRockingham County70Chatham County: 67 countChatham County67Haywood County: 66 countHaywood County66Pender County: 65 countPender County65Wilson County: 65 countWilson County65Burke County: 62 countBurke County62
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

RankCounties2012
count		Change on 2011
1Mecklenburg County1,765+8.1%
2Wake County1,636+1.6%
3Guilford County618+0.8%
4Buncombe County410+4.6%
5New Hanover County409-0.2%
6Durham County384+3.8%
7Forsyth County379-2.3%
8Cumberland County281-2.8%
9Union County272-9.6%
10Iredell County228-9.2%
11Cabarrus County223+1.4%
12Gaston County211+42.6%
13Catawba County188+8.7%
14Pitt County172-8%
15Orange County163-5.8%
16Johnston County157+8.3%
17Davidson County146+18.7%
17Onslow County146+11.5%
19Brunswick County142+8.4%
20Alamance County133-1.5%
21Rowan County124+5.1%
22Henderson County116-3.3%
23Moore County107-1.8%
23Randolph County107-15.7%
25Harnett County98-2%
26Craven County93-6.1%
27Cleveland County86+2.4%
28Lincoln County85+4.9%
28Nash County85+25%
30Dare County84-8.7%
30Wayne County84+6.3%
32Surry County76-5%
33Watauga County74+19.4%
34Carteret County73-24%
35Rockingham County70-7.9%
36Chatham County67-11.8%
37Haywood County66-10.8%
38Pender County650%
38Wilson County65-5.8%
40Burke County62+37.8%
41Robeson County61-28.2%
42Stanly County60+13.2%
43Caldwell County58+5.5%
44Jackson County57+26.7%
45Franklin County52-8.8%
45Wilkes County52+18.2%
47Lenoir County51+4.1%
48Columbus County48+23.1%
49Lee County46-16.4%
49Rutherford County46-40.3%
49Vance County46+53.3%
52Sampson County41-24.1%
53Macon County40-16.7%
54Davie County39-11.4%
55Granville County37-9.8%
55McDowell County37+19.4%
55Transylvania County37-19.6%
58Beaufort County36-29.4%
58Edgecombe County36+28.6%
60Cherokee County35+59.1%
61Avery County32+52.4%
61Halifax County32-17.9%
63Duplin County31-24.4%
63Richmond County31+10.7%
65Hoke County28+21.7%
65Pasquotank County28-31.7%
65Stokes County28+16.7%
68Currituck County27-20.6%
69Madison County26+13%
70Alexander County25-13.8%
71Person County23-25.8%
71Polk County23-14.8%
73Ashe County22-15.4%
74Bladen County21-32.3%
75Scotland County20+42.9%
76Swain County19-13.6%
77Anson County17+13.3%
77Martin County17-15%
77Montgomery County17-46.9%
77Yadkin County17-34.6%
81Pamlico County16-5.9%
82Northampton County14+27.3%
83Alleghany County12+9.1%
83Hertford County12-45.5%
83Mitchell County12-20%
86Graham County11+175%
86Yancey County11+22.2%
88Caswell County10-28.6%
88Clay County10+42.9%
88Greene County10-23.1%
91Bertie County8-27.3%
91Hyde County8-11.1%
91Jones County8n/a
91Warren County8-46.7%
95Chowan County7-41.7%
95Perquimans County7-30%
97Camden County4n/a
97Washington County4-33.3%
99Gates County3-25%
99Tyrrell County30%

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. 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 North Carolina by employer firm births, 2012) [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 North Carolina by employer firm births, 2012. 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2012. 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 North Carolina by employer firm births, 2012. 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2012.

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 North Carolina by employer firm births, 2012 [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/north-carolina-counties?period=2012 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2012,
  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 North Carolina by employer firm births, 2012}},
  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/north-carolina-counties?period=2012. 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 North Carolina by employer firm births, 2012
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/north-carolina-counties?period=2012
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/north-carolina-counties?period=2012.
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?

Mecklenburg County, with 1,765 in 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Tyrrell County, with 3 in 2012.

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.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings