Counties in North Carolina by employer firm births

Mecklenburg County had the highest employer firm births of 100 counties in 2013, at 1,757. Jones County had the lowest, at 4. The median was 47 and the figure for North Carolina was 11,121. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest1,757Mecklenburg County
Median47100 counties
North Carolina11,121History

Map of counties, 2013

Alamance County: 133 countAlexander County: 10 countAlleghany County: 13 countAnson County: 18 countAshe County: 31 countAvery County: 25 countBeaufort County: 43 countBertie County: 6 countBladen County: 21 countBrunswick County: 133 countBuncombe County: 425 countBurke County: 54 countCabarrus County: 231 countCaldwell County: 53 countCamden County: 7 countCarteret County: 82 countCaswell County: 16 countCatawba County: 169 countChatham County: 62 countCherokee County: 20 countChowan County: 8 countClay County: 9 countCleveland County: 70 countColumbus County: 55 countCraven County: 67 countCumberland County: 254 countCurrituck County: 26 countDare County: 71 countDavidson County: 124 countDavie County: 47 countDuplin County: 31 countDurham County: 372 countEdgecombe County: 29 countForsyth County: 376 countFranklin County: 60 countGaston County: 201 countGates County: 5 countGraham County: 5 countGranville County: 46 countGreene County: 17 countGuilford County: 604 countHalifax County: 34 countHarnett County: 85 countHaywood County: 75 countHenderson County: 140 countHertford County: 15 countHoke County: 20 countHyde County: 8 countIredell County: 285 countJackson County: 40 countJohnston County: 173 countJones County: 4 countLee County: 70 countLenoir County: 47 countLincoln County: 85 countMcDowell County: 28 countMacon County: 46 countMadison County: 14 countMartin County: 14 countMecklenburg County: 1,757 countMitchell County: 15 countMontgomery County: 15 countMoore County: 111 countNash County: 75 countNew Hanover County: 386 countNorthampton County: 13 countOnslow County: 133 countOrange County: 160 countPamlico County: 12 countPasquotank County: 26 countPender County: 61 countPerquimans County: 17 countPerson County: 21 countPitt County: 166 countPolk County: 32 countRandolph County: 112 countRichmond County: 28 countRobeson County: 62 countRockingham County: 62 countRowan County: 116 countRutherford County: 48 countSampson County: 32 countScotland County: 14 countStanly County: 54 countStokes County: 24 countSurry County: 73 countSwain County: 15 countTransylvania County: 50 countTyrrell County: 7 countUnion County: 279 countVance County: 32 countWake County: 1,609 countWarren County: 15 countWashington County: 12 countWatauga County: 68 countWayne County: 88 countWilkes County: 48 countWilson County: 70 countYadkin County: 13 countYancey County: 8 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 30
  • 30 to 50
  • 50 to 70
  • 70 to 140
  • 140 and over
count, 2013. 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, 2013

Mecklenburg County: 1,757 countMecklenburg County1,757Wake County: 1,609 countWake County1,609Guilford County: 604 countGuilford County604Buncombe County: 425 countBuncombe County425New Hanover County: 386 countNew Hanover County386Forsyth County: 376 countForsyth County376Durham County: 372 countDurham County372Iredell County: 285 countIredell County285Union County: 279 countUnion County279Cumberland County: 254 countCumberland County254Cabarrus County: 231 countCabarrus County231Gaston County: 201 countGaston County201Johnston County: 173 countJohnston County173Catawba County: 169 countCatawba County169Pitt County: 166 countPitt County166Orange County: 160 countOrange County160Henderson County: 140 countHenderson County140Alamance County: 133 countAlamance County133Brunswick County: 133 countBrunswick County133Onslow County: 133 countOnslow County133Davidson County: 124 countDavidson County124Rowan County: 116 countRowan County116Randolph County: 112 countRandolph County112Moore County: 111 countMoore County111Wayne County: 88 countWayne County88Harnett County: 85 countHarnett County85Lincoln County: 85 countLincoln County85Carteret County: 82 countCarteret County82Haywood County: 75 countHaywood County75Nash County: 75 countNash County75Surry County: 73 countSurry County73Dare County: 71 countDare County71Cleveland County: 70 countCleveland County70Lee County: 70 countLee County70Wilson County: 70 countWilson County70Watauga County: 68 countWatauga County68Craven County: 67 countCraven County67Chatham County: 62 countChatham County62Robeson County: 62 countRobeson County62Rockingham County: 62 countRockingham County62Mecklenburg County: 1,757 countMecklenburg County1,757Wake County: 1,609 countWake County1,609Guilford County: 604 countGuilford County604Buncombe County: 425 countBuncombe County425New Hanover County: 386 countNew Hanover County386Forsyth County: 376 countForsyth County376Durham County: 372 countDurham County372Iredell County: 285 countIredell County285Union County: 279 countUnion County279Cumberland County: 254 countCumberland County254Cabarrus County: 231 countCabarrus County231Gaston County: 201 countGaston County201Johnston County: 173 countJohnston County173Catawba County: 169 countCatawba County169Pitt County: 166 countPitt County166Orange County: 160 countOrange County160Henderson County: 140 countHenderson County140Alamance County: 133 countAlamance County133Brunswick County: 133 countBrunswick County133Onslow County: 133 countOnslow County133Davidson County: 124 countDavidson County124Rowan County: 116 countRowan County116Randolph County: 112 countRandolph County112Moore County: 111 countMoore County111Wayne County: 88 countWayne County88Harnett County: 85 countHarnett County85Lincoln County: 85 countLincoln County85Carteret County: 82 countCarteret County82Haywood County: 75 countHaywood County75Nash County: 75 countNash County75Surry County: 73 countSurry County73Dare County: 71 countDare County71Cleveland County: 70 countCleveland County70Lee County: 70 countLee County70Wilson County: 70 countWilson County70Watauga County: 68 countWatauga County68Craven County: 67 countCraven County67Chatham County: 62 countChatham County62Robeson County: 62 countRobeson County62Rockingham County: 62 countRockingham 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

RankCounties2013
count
Change on 2012
1Mecklenburg County1,757-0.5%
2Wake County1,609-1.7%
3Guilford County604-2.3%
4Buncombe County425+3.7%
5New Hanover County386-5.6%
6Forsyth County376-0.8%
7Durham County372-3.1%
8Iredell County285+25%
9Union County279+2.6%
10Cumberland County254-9.6%
11Cabarrus County231+3.6%
12Gaston County201-4.7%
13Johnston County173+10.2%
14Catawba County169-10.1%
15Pitt County166-3.5%
16Orange County160-1.8%
17Henderson County140+20.7%
18Alamance County1330%
18Brunswick County133-6.3%
18Onslow County133-8.9%
21Davidson County124-15.1%
22Rowan County116-6.5%
23Randolph County112+4.7%
24Moore County111+3.7%
25Wayne County88+4.8%
26Harnett County85-13.3%
26Lincoln County850%
28Carteret County82+12.3%
29Haywood County75+13.6%
29Nash County75-11.8%
31Surry County73-3.9%
32Dare County71-15.5%
33Cleveland County70-18.6%
33Lee County70+52.2%
33Wilson County70+7.7%
36Watauga County68-8.1%
37Craven County67-28%
38Chatham County62-7.5%
38Robeson County62+1.6%
38Rockingham County62-11.4%
41Pender County61-6.2%
42Franklin County60+15.4%
43Columbus County55+14.6%
44Burke County54-12.9%
44Stanly County54-10%
46Caldwell County53-8.6%
47Transylvania County50+35.1%
48Rutherford County48+4.3%
48Wilkes County48-7.7%
50Davie County47+20.5%
50Lenoir County47-7.8%
52Granville County46+24.3%
52Macon County46+15%
54Beaufort County43+19.4%
55Jackson County40-29.8%
56Halifax County34+6.3%
57Polk County32+39.1%
57Sampson County32-22%
57Vance County32-30.4%
60Ashe County31+40.9%
60Duplin County310%
62Edgecombe County29-19.4%
63McDowell County28-24.3%
63Richmond County28-9.7%
65Currituck County26-3.7%
65Pasquotank County26-7.1%
67Avery County25-21.9%
68Stokes County24-14.3%
69Bladen County210%
69Person County21-8.7%
71Cherokee County20-42.9%
71Hoke County20-28.6%
73Anson County18+5.9%
74Greene County17+70%
74Perquimans County17+142.9%
76Caswell County16+60%
77Hertford County15+25%
77Mitchell County15+25%
77Montgomery County15-11.8%
77Swain County15-21.1%
77Warren County15+87.5%
82Madison County14-46.2%
82Martin County14-17.6%
82Scotland County14-30%
85Alleghany County13+8.3%
85Northampton County13-7.1%
85Yadkin County13-23.5%
88Pamlico County12-25%
88Washington County12+200%
90Alexander County10-60%
91Clay County9-10%
92Chowan County8+14.3%
92Hyde County80%
92Yancey County8-27.3%
95Camden County7+75%
95Tyrrell County7+133.3%
97Bertie County6-25%
98Gates County5+66.7%
98Graham County5-54.5%
100Jones County4-50%

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, 2013) [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, 2013. 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=2013. 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, 2013. 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=2013.

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, 2013 [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=2013 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2013,
  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, 2013}},
  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=2013. 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, 2013
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=2013
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/north-carolina-counties?period=2013.
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 1,757 in 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Jones County, with 4 in 2013.

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