Counties in North Carolina by employer firm births

Mecklenburg County had the highest employer firm births of 100 counties in 2022, at 2,750. Camden County had the lowest, at 4. The median was 61 and the figure for North Carolina was 16,611. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest2,750Mecklenburg County
Median61100 counties
North Carolina16,611History

Map of counties, 2022

Alamance County: 206 countAlexander County: 26 countAlleghany County: 17 countAnson County: 18 countAshe County: 33 countAvery County: 28 countBeaufort County: 62 countBertie County: 12 countBladen County: 30 countBrunswick County: 213 countBuncombe County: 651 countBurke County: 95 countCabarrus County: 417 countCaldwell County: 69 countCamden County: 4 countCarteret County: 124 countCaswell County: 18 countCatawba County: 226 countChatham County: 113 countCherokee County: 40 countChowan County: 16 countClay County: 19 countCleveland County: 106 countColumbus County: 49 countCraven County: 144 countCumberland County: 365 countCurrituck County: 44 countDare County: 100 countDavidson County: 178 countDavie County: 57 countDuplin County: 40 countDurham County: 588 countEdgecombe County: 52 countForsyth County: 527 countFranklin County: 93 countGaston County: 304 countGates County: 6 countGraham County: 8 countGranville County: 53 countGreene County: 19 countGuilford County: 851 countHalifax County: 36 countHarnett County: 146 countHaywood County: 92 countHenderson County: 191 countHertford County: 18 countHoke County: 51 countHyde County: 7 countIredell County: 355 countJackson County: 78 countJohnston County: 298 countJones County: 7 countLee County: 93 countLenoir County: 58 countLincoln County: 136 countMcDowell County: 47 countMacon County: 96 countMadison County: 33 countMartin County: 16 countMecklenburg County: 2,750 countMitchell County: 16 countMontgomery County: 29 countMoore County: 143 countNash County: 101 countNew Hanover County: 591 countNorthampton County: 11 countOnslow County: 201 countOrange County: 251 countPamlico County: 20 countPasquotank County: 46 countPender County: 104 countPerquimans County: 8 countPerson County: 38 countPitt County: 228 countPolk County: 27 countRandolph County: 193 countRichmond County: 37 countRobeson County: 92 countRockingham County: 84 countRowan County: 194 countRutherford County: 68 countSampson County: 60 countScotland County: 13 countStanly County: 80 countStokes County: 37 countSurry County: 79 countSwain County: 28 countTransylvania County: 61 countTyrrell County: 5 countUnion County: 446 countVance County: 44 countWake County: 2,352 countWarren County: 23 countWashington County: 12 countWatauga County: 90 countWayne County: 118 countWilkes County: 31 countWilson County: 103 countYadkin County: 39 countYancey County: 24 count
  • Under 20
  • 20 to 40
  • 40 to 60
  • 60 to 100
  • 100 to 210
  • 210 and over
count, 2022. 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

Mecklenburg County: 2,750 countMecklenburg County2,750Wake County: 2,352 countWake County2,352Guilford County: 851 countGuilford County851Buncombe County: 651 countBuncombe County651New Hanover County: 591 countNew Hanover County591Durham County: 588 countDurham County588Forsyth County: 527 countForsyth County527Union County: 446 countUnion County446Cabarrus County: 417 countCabarrus County417Cumberland County: 365 countCumberland County365Iredell County: 355 countIredell County355Gaston County: 304 countGaston County304Johnston County: 298 countJohnston County298Orange County: 251 countOrange County251Pitt County: 228 countPitt County228Catawba County: 226 countCatawba County226Brunswick County: 213 countBrunswick County213Alamance County: 206 countAlamance County206Onslow County: 201 countOnslow County201Rowan County: 194 countRowan County194Randolph County: 193 countRandolph County193Henderson County: 191 countHenderson County191Davidson County: 178 countDavidson County178Harnett County: 146 countHarnett County146Craven County: 144 countCraven County144Moore County: 143 countMoore County143Lincoln County: 136 countLincoln County136Carteret County: 124 countCarteret County124Wayne County: 118 countWayne County118Chatham County: 113 countChatham County113Cleveland County: 106 countCleveland County106Pender County: 104 countPender County104Wilson County: 103 countWilson County103Nash County: 101 countNash County101Dare County: 100 countDare County100Macon County: 96 countMacon County96Burke County: 95 countBurke County95Franklin County: 93 countFranklin County93Lee County: 93 countLee County93Haywood County: 92 countHaywood County92Mecklenburg County: 2,750 countMecklenburg County2,750Wake County: 2,352 countWake County2,352Guilford County: 851 countGuilford County851Buncombe County: 651 countBuncombe County651New Hanover County: 591 countNew Hanover County591Durham County: 588 countDurham County588Forsyth County: 527 countForsyth County527Union County: 446 countUnion County446Cabarrus County: 417 countCabarrus County417Cumberland County: 365 countCumberland County365Iredell County: 355 countIredell County355Gaston County: 304 countGaston County304Johnston County: 298 countJohnston County298Orange County: 251 countOrange County251Pitt County: 228 countPitt County228Catawba County: 226 countCatawba County226Brunswick County: 213 countBrunswick County213Alamance County: 206 countAlamance County206Onslow County: 201 countOnslow County201Rowan County: 194 countRowan County194Randolph County: 193 countRandolph County193Henderson County: 191 countHenderson County191Davidson County: 178 countDavidson County178Harnett County: 146 countHarnett County146Craven County: 144 countCraven County144Moore County: 143 countMoore County143Lincoln County: 136 countLincoln County136Carteret County: 124 countCarteret County124Wayne County: 118 countWayne County118Chatham County: 113 countChatham County113Cleveland County: 106 countCleveland County106Pender County: 104 countPender County104Wilson County: 103 countWilson County103Nash County: 101 countNash County101Dare County: 100 countDare County100Macon County: 96 countMacon County96Burke County: 95 countBurke County95Franklin County: 93 countFranklin County93Lee County: 93 countLee County93Haywood County: 92 countHaywood County92
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
1Mecklenburg County2,750+10%
2Wake County2,352+2.8%
3Guilford County851+13.5%
4Buncombe County651-2.7%
5New Hanover County591+12.8%
6Durham County588+12%
7Forsyth County527+9.8%
8Union County446-2.8%
9Cabarrus County417+17.8%
10Cumberland County365-3.7%
11Iredell County355+1.7%
12Gaston County304+9.7%
13Johnston County298-1.3%
14Orange County251+20.1%
15Pitt County228-13%
16Catawba County226+15.3%
17Brunswick County213+8.7%
18Alamance County206+12%
19Onslow County201+4.1%
20Rowan County194+31.1%
21Randolph County193+41.9%
22Henderson County191+4.4%
23Davidson County178+9.2%
24Harnett County146+19.7%
25Craven County144+41.2%
26Moore County143+1.4%
27Lincoln County136+4.6%
28Carteret County124-1.6%
29Wayne County118+3.5%
30Chatham County113+14.1%
31Cleveland County1060%
32Pender County104-13.3%
33Wilson County103-7.2%
34Nash County101-1%
35Dare County100+7.5%
36Macon County96+37.1%
37Burke County95+28.4%
38Franklin County93+1.1%
38Lee County93+14.8%
40Haywood County92+7%
40Robeson County92+27.8%
42Watauga County90-8.2%
43Rockingham County84+5%
44Stanly County80-3.6%
45Surry County79+17.9%
46Jackson County78+39.3%
47Caldwell County69-4.2%
48Rutherford County68+21.4%
49Beaufort County62+31.9%
50Transylvania County61-11.6%
51Sampson County60+13.2%
52Lenoir County58+1.8%
53Davie County57+16.3%
54Granville County53-8.6%
55Edgecombe County52+40.5%
56Hoke County51+13.3%
57Columbus County49+44.1%
58McDowell County47-7.8%
59Pasquotank County46+31.4%
60Currituck County440%
60Vance County44+7.3%
62Cherokee County40-2.4%
62Duplin County40-25.9%
64Yadkin County39+44.4%
65Person County38+15.2%
66Richmond County37+15.6%
66Stokes County37+12.1%
68Halifax County36-2.7%
69Ashe County33-19.5%
69Madison County33+13.8%
71Wilkes County31-44.6%
72Bladen County30+20%
73Montgomery County29+70.6%
74Avery County28-9.7%
74Swain County28+3.7%
76Polk County27+17.4%
77Alexander County26-10.3%
78Yancey County24+71.4%
79Warren County230%
80Pamlico County20+11.1%
81Clay County19+18.8%
81Greene County19-54.8%
83Anson County18+5.9%
83Caswell County18+28.6%
83Hertford County18+157.1%
86Alleghany County17+30.8%
87Chowan County16+60%
87Martin County16-55.6%
87Mitchell County16+14.3%
90Scotland County13-31.6%
91Bertie County12-33.3%
91Washington County120%
93Northampton County110%
94Graham County80%
94Perquimans County8-38.5%
96Hyde County7+16.7%
96Jones County7-46.2%
98Gates County6+100%
99Tyrrell County5n/a
100Camden County4-63.6%

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, 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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/north-carolina-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  - 
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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 2,750 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Camden County, with 4 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.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings