Counties in North Carolina by employer firm births

Mecklenburg County had the highest employer firm births of 99 counties in 2019, at 2,094. Tyrrell County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 52 and the figure for North Carolina was 13,471. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest2,094Mecklenburg County
Median5299 counties
North Carolina13,471History

Map of counties, 2019

Alamance County: 189 countAlexander County: 23 countAlleghany County: 15 countAnson County: 22 countAshe County: 23 countAvery County: 19 countBeaufort County: 44 countBertie County: 8 countBladen County: 24 countBrunswick County: 166 countBuncombe County: 602 countBurke County: 62 countCabarrus County: 329 countCaldwell County: 66 countCarteret County: 102 countCaswell County: 16 countCatawba County: 192 countChatham County: 108 countCherokee County: 29 countChowan County: 9 countClay County: 18 countCleveland County: 77 countColumbus County: 31 countCraven County: 104 countCumberland County: 275 countCurrituck County: 43 countDare County: 102 countDavidson County: 167 countDavie County: 49 countDuplin County: 46 countDurham County: 443 countEdgecombe County: 32 countForsyth County: 428 countFranklin County: 71 countGaston County: 255 countGates County: 3 countGraham County: 11 countGranville County: 52 countGreene County: 10 countGuilford County: 698 countHalifax County: 26 countHarnett County: 110 countHaywood County: 71 countHenderson County: 181 countHertford County: 5 countHoke County: 24 countHyde County: 6 countIredell County: 314 countJackson County: 62 countJohnston County: 241 countJones County: 9 countLee County: 57 countLenoir County: 36 countLincoln County: 124 countMcDowell County: 38 countMacon County: 55 countMadison County: 21 countMartin County: 18 countMecklenburg County: 2,094 countMitchell County: 12 countMontgomery County: 16 countMoore County: 126 countNash County: 77 countNew Hanover County: 451 countNorthampton County: 4 countOnslow County: 173 countOrange County: 196 countPamlico County: 16 countPasquotank County: 27 countPender County: 91 countPerquimans County: 12 countPerson County: 29 countPitt County: 167 countPolk County: 28 countRandolph County: 111 countRichmond County: 29 countRobeson County: 52 countRockingham County: 71 countRowan County: 131 countRutherford County: 55 countSampson County: 47 countScotland County: 14 countStanly County: 69 countStokes County: 27 countSurry County: 89 countSwain County: 20 countTransylvania County: 60 countTyrrell County: 0 countUnion County: 383 countVance County: 36 countWake County: 2,014 countWarren County: 17 countWashington County: 6 countWatauga County: 88 countWayne County: 97 countWilkes County: 56 countWilson County: 85 countYadkin County: 34 countYancey County: 14 count
  • Under 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 50
  • 50 to 90
  • 90 to 180
  • 180 and over
  • No data
count, 2019. 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, 2019

Mecklenburg County: 2,094 countMecklenburg County2,094Wake County: 2,014 countWake County2,014Guilford County: 698 countGuilford County698Buncombe County: 602 countBuncombe County602New Hanover County: 451 countNew Hanover County451Durham County: 443 countDurham County443Forsyth County: 428 countForsyth County428Union County: 383 countUnion County383Cabarrus County: 329 countCabarrus County329Iredell County: 314 countIredell County314Cumberland County: 275 countCumberland County275Gaston County: 255 countGaston County255Johnston County: 241 countJohnston County241Orange County: 196 countOrange County196Catawba County: 192 countCatawba County192Alamance County: 189 countAlamance County189Henderson County: 181 countHenderson County181Onslow County: 173 countOnslow County173Davidson County: 167 countDavidson County167Pitt County: 167 countPitt County167Brunswick County: 166 countBrunswick County166Rowan County: 131 countRowan County131Moore County: 126 countMoore County126Lincoln County: 124 countLincoln County124Randolph County: 111 countRandolph County111Harnett County: 110 countHarnett County110Chatham County: 108 countChatham County108Craven County: 104 countCraven County104Carteret County: 102 countCarteret County102Dare County: 102 countDare County102Wayne County: 97 countWayne County97Pender County: 91 countPender County91Surry County: 89 countSurry County89Watauga County: 88 countWatauga County88Wilson County: 85 countWilson County85Cleveland County: 77 countCleveland County77Nash County: 77 countNash County77Franklin County: 71 countFranklin County71Haywood County: 71 countHaywood County71Rockingham County: 71 countRockingham County71Mecklenburg County: 2,094 countMecklenburg County2,094Wake County: 2,014 countWake County2,014Guilford County: 698 countGuilford County698Buncombe County: 602 countBuncombe County602New Hanover County: 451 countNew Hanover County451Durham County: 443 countDurham County443Forsyth County: 428 countForsyth County428Union County: 383 countUnion County383Cabarrus County: 329 countCabarrus County329Iredell County: 314 countIredell County314Cumberland County: 275 countCumberland County275Gaston County: 255 countGaston County255Johnston County: 241 countJohnston County241Orange County: 196 countOrange County196Catawba County: 192 countCatawba County192Alamance County: 189 countAlamance County189Henderson County: 181 countHenderson County181Onslow County: 173 countOnslow County173Davidson County: 167 countDavidson County167Pitt County: 167 countPitt County167Brunswick County: 166 countBrunswick County166Rowan County: 131 countRowan County131Moore County: 126 countMoore County126Lincoln County: 124 countLincoln County124Randolph County: 111 countRandolph County111Harnett County: 110 countHarnett County110Chatham County: 108 countChatham County108Craven County: 104 countCraven County104Carteret County: 102 countCarteret County102Dare County: 102 countDare County102Wayne County: 97 countWayne County97Pender County: 91 countPender County91Surry County: 89 countSurry County89Watauga County: 88 countWatauga County88Wilson County: 85 countWilson County85Cleveland County: 77 countCleveland County77Nash County: 77 countNash County77Franklin County: 71 countFranklin County71Haywood County: 71 countHaywood County71Rockingham County: 71 countRockingham County71
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

RankCounties2019
count
Change on 2018
1Mecklenburg County2,094-5.3%
2Wake County2,014+3.3%
3Guilford County698-2.2%
4Buncombe County602+5.6%
5New Hanover County451-7.4%
6Durham County443-8.8%
7Forsyth County428-6.3%
8Union County383+2.7%
9Cabarrus County329+27.5%
10Iredell County314+6.1%
11Cumberland County275-6.8%
12Gaston County255+15.4%
13Johnston County241-13.3%
14Orange County196+3.2%
15Catawba County192-5.9%
16Alamance County189+8%
17Henderson County181+4%
18Onslow County173+21.8%
19Davidson County167+16%
19Pitt County167+3.7%
21Brunswick County166-9.3%
22Rowan County131+7.4%
23Moore County126-2.3%
24Lincoln County124+8.8%
25Randolph County111-9%
26Harnett County110+20.9%
27Chatham County108+10.2%
28Craven County104+14.3%
29Carteret County1020%
29Dare County1020%
31Wayne County97+21.3%
32Pender County91+4.6%
33Surry County89+21.9%
34Watauga County88-12%
35Wilson County85+28.8%
36Cleveland County77+20.3%
36Nash County77-10.5%
38Franklin County71+4.4%
38Haywood County71-13.4%
38Rockingham County71+10.9%
41Stanly County69+23.2%
42Caldwell County66+11.9%
43Burke County62-22.5%
43Jackson County62-1.6%
45Transylvania County60-1.6%
46Lee County57-26.9%
47Wilkes County56+24.4%
48Macon County55-16.7%
48Rutherford County55-16.7%
50Granville County520%
50Robeson County52-33.3%
52Davie County49-5.8%
53Sampson County47+88%
54Duplin County46+27.8%
55Beaufort County44+22.2%
56Currituck County43+30.3%
57McDowell County38-7.3%
58Lenoir County36-18.2%
58Vance County36+12.5%
60Yadkin County34+9.7%
61Edgecombe County32+6.7%
62Columbus County31-31.1%
63Cherokee County29+11.5%
63Person County29-27.5%
63Richmond County29-6.5%
66Polk County28-6.7%
67Pasquotank County27-37.2%
67Stokes County27-32.5%
69Halifax County26-3.7%
70Bladen County24+33.3%
70Hoke County24-14.3%
72Alexander County23-8%
72Ashe County23-11.5%
74Anson County22+57.1%
75Madison County21-12.5%
76Swain County20+5.3%
77Avery County19-45.7%
78Clay County18+28.6%
78Martin County180%
80Warren County17+30.8%
81Caswell County16+45.5%
81Montgomery County16-33.3%
81Pamlico County16+100%
84Alleghany County150%
85Scotland County14-26.3%
85Yancey County14-17.6%
87Mitchell County120%
87Perquimans County12+300%
89Graham County11+22.2%
90Greene County10-16.7%
91Chowan County9-40%
91Jones County9+50%
93Bertie County80%
94Hyde County6-14.3%
94Washington County6-14.3%
96Hertford County5-68.8%
97Northampton County4-75%
98Gates County3-25%
99Tyrrell County0-100%

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. 1 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2019 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 North Carolina by employer firm births, 2019) [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, 2019. 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=2019. 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, 2019. 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=2019.

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, 2019 [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=2019 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2019,
  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, 2019}},
  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=2019. 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, 2019
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=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/north-carolina-counties?period=2019.
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 North Carolina by employer firm births using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

Mecklenburg County, with 2,094 in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Tyrrell County, with 0 in 2019.

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. 1 counties have no value for 2019 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings