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 2016, at 2,012. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at 4. The median was 52 and the figure for North Carolina was 12,917. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest2,012Mecklenburg County
Lowest4Tyrrell County
Median52100 counties
North Carolina12,917History

Map of counties, 2016

Alamance County: 161 countAlexander County: 22 countAlleghany County: 14 countAnson County: 15 countAshe County: 46 countAvery County: 18 countBeaufort County: 60 countBertie County: 11 countBladen County: 28 countBrunswick County: 164 countBuncombe County: 587 countBurke County: 54 countCabarrus County: 281 countCaldwell County: 60 countCamden County: 12 countCarteret County: 98 countCaswell County: 14 countCatawba County: 196 countChatham County: 86 countCherokee County: 25 countChowan County: 16 countClay County: 13 countCleveland County: 78 countColumbus County: 25 countCraven County: 92 countCumberland County: 242 countCurrituck County: 40 countDare County: 75 countDavidson County: 135 countDavie County: 48 countDuplin County: 37 countDurham County: 483 countEdgecombe County: 26 countForsyth County: 436 countFranklin County: 85 countGaston County: 232 countGates County: 6 countGraham County: 12 countGranville County: 53 countGreene County: 19 countGuilford County: 676 countHalifax County: 24 countHarnett County: 88 countHaywood County: 71 countHenderson County: 171 countHertford County: 10 countHoke County: 40 countHyde County: 4 countIredell County: 262 countJackson County: 63 countJohnston County: 198 countJones County: 17 countLee County: 55 countLenoir County: 41 countLincoln County: 90 countMcDowell County: 42 countMacon County: 58 countMadison County: 30 countMartin County: 21 countMecklenburg County: 2,012 countMitchell County: 22 countMontgomery County: 24 countMoore County: 117 countNash County: 74 countNew Hanover County: 429 countNorthampton County: 9 countOnslow County: 117 countOrange County: 237 countPamlico County: 9 countPasquotank County: 28 countPender County: 65 countPerquimans County: 7 countPerson County: 23 countPitt County: 183 countPolk County: 34 countRandolph County: 127 countRichmond County: 31 countRobeson County: 72 countRockingham County: 77 countRowan County: 132 countRutherford County: 64 countSampson County: 36 countScotland County: 17 countStanly County: 51 countStokes County: 37 countSurry County: 66 countSwain County: 25 countTransylvania County: 41 countTyrrell County: 4 countUnion County: 362 countVance County: 42 countWake County: 1,899 countWarren County: 19 countWashington County: 6 countWatauga County: 94 countWayne County: 101 countWilkes County: 55 countWilson County: 84 countYadkin County: 26 countYancey County: 11 count
  • Under 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 50
  • 50 to 80
  • 80 to 170
  • 170 and over
count, 2016. 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, 2016

Mecklenburg County: 2,012 countMecklenburg County2,012Wake County: 1,899 countWake County1,899Guilford County: 676 countGuilford County676Buncombe County: 587 countBuncombe County587Durham County: 483 countDurham County483Forsyth County: 436 countForsyth County436New Hanover County: 429 countNew Hanover County429Union County: 362 countUnion County362Cabarrus County: 281 countCabarrus County281Iredell County: 262 countIredell County262Cumberland County: 242 countCumberland County242Orange County: 237 countOrange County237Gaston County: 232 countGaston County232Johnston County: 198 countJohnston County198Catawba County: 196 countCatawba County196Pitt County: 183 countPitt County183Henderson County: 171 countHenderson County171Brunswick County: 164 countBrunswick County164Alamance County: 161 countAlamance County161Davidson County: 135 countDavidson County135Rowan County: 132 countRowan County132Randolph County: 127 countRandolph County127Moore County: 117 countMoore County117Onslow County: 117 countOnslow County117Wayne County: 101 countWayne County101Carteret County: 98 countCarteret County98Watauga County: 94 countWatauga County94Craven County: 92 countCraven County92Lincoln County: 90 countLincoln County90Harnett County: 88 countHarnett County88Chatham County: 86 countChatham County86Franklin County: 85 countFranklin County85Wilson County: 84 countWilson County84Cleveland County: 78 countCleveland County78Rockingham County: 77 countRockingham County77Dare County: 75 countDare County75Nash County: 74 countNash County74Robeson County: 72 countRobeson County72Haywood County: 71 countHaywood County71Surry County: 66 countSurry County66Mecklenburg County: 2,012 countMecklenburg County2,012Wake County: 1,899 countWake County1,899Guilford County: 676 countGuilford County676Buncombe County: 587 countBuncombe County587Durham County: 483 countDurham County483Forsyth County: 436 countForsyth County436New Hanover County: 429 countNew Hanover County429Union County: 362 countUnion County362Cabarrus County: 281 countCabarrus County281Iredell County: 262 countIredell County262Cumberland County: 242 countCumberland County242Orange County: 237 countOrange County237Gaston County: 232 countGaston County232Johnston County: 198 countJohnston County198Catawba County: 196 countCatawba County196Pitt County: 183 countPitt County183Henderson County: 171 countHenderson County171Brunswick County: 164 countBrunswick County164Alamance County: 161 countAlamance County161Davidson County: 135 countDavidson County135Rowan County: 132 countRowan County132Randolph County: 127 countRandolph County127Moore County: 117 countMoore County117Onslow County: 117 countOnslow County117Wayne County: 101 countWayne County101Carteret County: 98 countCarteret County98Watauga County: 94 countWatauga County94Craven County: 92 countCraven County92Lincoln County: 90 countLincoln County90Harnett County: 88 countHarnett County88Chatham County: 86 countChatham County86Franklin County: 85 countFranklin County85Wilson County: 84 countWilson County84Cleveland County: 78 countCleveland County78Rockingham County: 77 countRockingham County77Dare County: 75 countDare County75Nash County: 74 countNash County74Robeson County: 72 countRobeson County72Haywood County: 71 countHaywood County71Surry County: 66 countSurry County66
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

RankCounties2016
count		Change on 2015
1Mecklenburg County2,012+6.2%
2Wake County1,899+8.4%
3Guilford County676+12.7%
4Buncombe County587+14.6%
5Durham County483+15.6%
6Forsyth County436+9.5%
7New Hanover County429+13.2%
8Union County362+20.3%
9Cabarrus County281+26.6%
10Iredell County262-4.4%
11Cumberland County242-10%
12Orange County237+23.4%
13Gaston County232+20.8%
14Johnston County198+6.5%
15Catawba County196+28.9%
16Pitt County183+25.3%
17Henderson County171+30.5%
18Brunswick County164+7.2%
19Alamance County161+13.4%
20Davidson County135+3.1%
21Rowan County132+16.8%
22Randolph County127+22.1%
23Moore County117-0.8%
23Onslow County117-17%
25Wayne County101+16.1%
26Carteret County98-7.5%
27Watauga County94+19%
28Craven County92+12.2%
29Lincoln County90-4.3%
30Harnett County88+2.3%
31Chatham County86+8.9%
32Franklin County85+70%
33Wilson County84+40%
34Cleveland County78+8.3%
35Rockingham County77+22.2%
36Dare County75-5.1%
37Nash County74-15.9%
38Robeson County72+2.9%
39Haywood County71+7.6%
40Surry County66+3.1%
41Pender County65-4.4%
42Rutherford County64+28%
43Jackson County63+18.9%
44Beaufort County60+20%
44Caldwell County60+7.1%
46Macon County58+1.8%
47Lee County55-12.7%
47Wilkes County55+22.2%
49Burke County54+14.9%
50Granville County53+12.8%
51Stanly County51-1.9%
52Davie County48+33.3%
53Ashe County46+155.6%
54McDowell County42+50%
54Vance County42+35.5%
56Lenoir County41-6.8%
56Transylvania County41-4.7%
58Currituck County40+17.6%
58Hoke County40+66.7%
60Duplin County37+5.7%
60Stokes County37+8.8%
62Sampson County36+12.5%
63Polk County34+61.9%
64Richmond County31+24%
65Madison County30+100%
66Bladen County28+12%
66Pasquotank County28-30%
68Edgecombe County26+8.3%
68Yadkin County26+30%
70Cherokee County250%
70Columbus County25-39%
70Swain County25+19%
73Halifax County24-14.3%
73Montgomery County24+20%
75Person County23-4.2%
76Alexander County22-15.4%
76Mitchell County22+37.5%
78Martin County21+61.5%
79Greene County19+35.7%
79Warren County19+137.5%
81Avery County18+38.5%
82Jones County17+70%
82Scotland County17+70%
84Chowan County16+45.5%
85Anson County150%
86Alleghany County14+55.6%
86Caswell County14+180%
88Clay County13-27.8%
89Camden County12+100%
89Graham County12+71.4%
91Bertie County11-26.7%
91Yancey County11+10%
93Hertford County10-9.1%
94Northampton County9-18.2%
94Pamlico County90%
96Perquimans County7-22.2%
97Gates County6-14.3%
97Washington County6-25%
99Hyde County4-20%
99Tyrrell County4n/a

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, 2016) [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, 2016. 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=2016. 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, 2016. 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=2016.

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, 2016 [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=2016 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2016,
  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, 2016}},
  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=2016. 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, 2016
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=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/north-carolina-counties?period=2016.
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 2,012 in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Tyrrell County, with 4 in 2016.

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