Counties in Tennessee by employer firm births

Davidson County had the highest employer firm births of 94 counties in 2012, at 931. Meigs County had the lowest, at 3. The median was 22 and the figure for Tennessee was 6,303. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest931Davidson County
Median2294 counties
Tennessee6,303History

Map of counties, 2012

Anderson County: 52 countBedford County: 38 countBenton County: 14 countBledsoe County: 6 countBlount County: 129 countBradley County: 90 countCampbell County: 21 countCannon County: 12 countCarroll County: 20 countCarter County: 21 countCheatham County: 26 countChester County: 16 countClaiborne County: 18 countClay County: 7 countCocke County: 20 countCoffee County: 64 countCrockett County: 9 countCumberland County: 38 countDavidson County: 931 countDecatur County: 14 countDeKalb County: 22 countDickson County: 50 countDyer County: 26 countFayette County: 39 countFentress County: 13 countFranklin County: 34 countGibson County: 49 countGiles County: 22 countGrainger County: 16 countGreene County: 40 countGrundy County: 9 countHamblen County: 40 countHamilton County: 394 countHancock County: 5 countHardeman County: 12 countHardin County: 13 countHawkins County: 27 countHaywood County: 7 countHenderson County: 20 countHenry County: 35 countHickman County: 10 countHouston County: 9 countHumphreys County: 14 countJackson County: 4 countJefferson County: 25 countJohnson County: 9 countKnox County: 499 countLake County: 3 countLauderdale County: 17 countLawrence County: 24 countLewis County: 11 countLincoln County: 26 countLoudon County: 52 countMcMinn County: 38 countMcNairy County: 20 countMacon County: 19 countMadison County: 111 countMarion County: 24 countMarshall County: 22 countMaury County: 73 countMeigs County: 3 countMonroe County: 33 countMontgomery County: 147 countMorgan County: 9 countObion County: 35 countOverton County: 19 countPerry County: 10 countPickett County: 6 countPolk County: 8 countPutnam County: 98 countRhea County: 22 countRoane County: 22 countRobertson County: 59 countRutherford County: 296 countScott County: 13 countSequatchie County: 12 countSevier County: 120 countShelby County: 814 countSmith County: 13 countStewart County: 6 countSullivan County: 132 countSumner County: 174 countTipton County: 31 countTrousdale County: 4 countUnicoi County: 9 countUnion County: 5 countVan Buren County: 4 countWarren County: 32 countWashington County: 144 countWayne County: 4 countWeakley County: 27 countWhite County: 24 countWilliamson County: 418 countWilson County: 149 count
  • Under 9
  • 9 to 14
  • 14 to 22
  • 22 to 34
  • 34 to 82
  • 82 and over
  • No data
count, 2012. 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, 2012

Davidson County: 931 countDavidson County931Shelby County: 814 countShelby County814Knox County: 499 countKnox County499Williamson County: 418 countWilliamson County418Hamilton County: 394 countHamilton County394Rutherford County: 296 countRutherford County296Sumner County: 174 countSumner County174Wilson County: 149 countWilson County149Montgomery County: 147 countMontgomery County147Washington County: 144 countWashington County144Sullivan County: 132 countSullivan County132Blount County: 129 countBlount County129Sevier County: 120 countSevier County120Madison County: 111 countMadison County111Putnam County: 98 countPutnam County98Bradley County: 90 countBradley County90Maury County: 73 countMaury County73Coffee County: 64 countCoffee County64Robertson County: 59 countRobertson County59Anderson County: 52 countAnderson County52Loudon County: 52 countLoudon County52Dickson County: 50 countDickson County50Gibson County: 49 countGibson County49Greene County: 40 countGreene County40Hamblen County: 40 countHamblen County40Fayette County: 39 countFayette County39Bedford County: 38 countBedford County38Cumberland County: 38 countCumberland County38McMinn County: 38 countMcMinn County38Henry County: 35 countHenry County35Obion County: 35 countObion County35Franklin County: 34 countFranklin County34Monroe County: 33 countMonroe County33Warren County: 32 countWarren County32Tipton County: 31 countTipton County31Hawkins County: 27 countHawkins County27Weakley County: 27 countWeakley County27Cheatham County: 26 countCheatham County26Dyer County: 26 countDyer County26Lincoln County: 26 countLincoln County26Davidson County: 931 countDavidson County931Shelby County: 814 countShelby County814Knox County: 499 countKnox County499Williamson County: 418 countWilliamson County418Hamilton County: 394 countHamilton County394Rutherford County: 296 countRutherford County296Sumner County: 174 countSumner County174Wilson County: 149 countWilson County149Montgomery County: 147 countMontgomery County147Washington County: 144 countWashington County144Sullivan County: 132 countSullivan County132Blount County: 129 countBlount County129Sevier County: 120 countSevier County120Madison County: 111 countMadison County111Putnam County: 98 countPutnam County98Bradley County: 90 countBradley County90Maury County: 73 countMaury County73Coffee County: 64 countCoffee County64Robertson County: 59 countRobertson County59Anderson County: 52 countAnderson County52Loudon County: 52 countLoudon County52Dickson County: 50 countDickson County50Gibson County: 49 countGibson County49Greene County: 40 countGreene County40Hamblen County: 40 countHamblen County40Fayette County: 39 countFayette County39Bedford County: 38 countBedford County38Cumberland County: 38 countCumberland County38McMinn County: 38 countMcMinn County38Henry County: 35 countHenry County35Obion County: 35 countObion County35Franklin County: 34 countFranklin County34Monroe County: 33 countMonroe County33Warren County: 32 countWarren County32Tipton County: 31 countTipton County31Hawkins County: 27 countHawkins County27Weakley County: 27 countWeakley County27Cheatham County: 26 countCheatham County26Dyer County: 26 countDyer County26Lincoln County: 26 countLincoln County26
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
1Davidson County931+9.4%
2Shelby County814-6.8%
3Knox County499+1.6%
4Williamson County418-0.2%
5Hamilton County394-2.2%
6Rutherford County296-0.7%
7Sumner County174+8.8%
8Wilson County149+6.4%
9Montgomery County147-4.5%
10Washington County144+19%
11Sullivan County132+10%
12Blount County129+17.3%
13Sevier County120-9.1%
14Madison County111+13.3%
15Putnam County98+63.3%
16Bradley County90+15.4%
17Maury County73-3.9%
18Coffee County64+23.1%
19Robertson County59+3.5%
20Anderson County52-5.5%
20Loudon County52+26.8%
22Dickson County50+19%
23Gibson County490%
24Greene County40-2.4%
24Hamblen County40-20%
26Fayette County39+50%
27Bedford County38-5%
27Cumberland County38+2.7%
27McMinn County38+2.7%
30Henry County35+12.9%
30Obion County35+52.2%
32Franklin County34-17.1%
33Monroe County33+26.9%
34Warren County32-3%
35Tipton County31-26.2%
36Hawkins County27+68.8%
36Weakley County27+50%
38Cheatham County26-31.6%
38Dyer County26-35%
38Lincoln County26-10.3%
41Jefferson County25-3.8%
42Lawrence County24-22.6%
42Marion County24+71.4%
42White County24+41.2%
45DeKalb County22+37.5%
45Giles County22+10%
45Marshall County22-24.1%
45Rhea County22+10%
45Roane County22-38.9%
50Campbell County21-22.2%
50Carter County21-25%
52Carroll County20+42.9%
52Cocke County20+17.6%
52Henderson County20-25.9%
52McNairy County20-13%
56Macon County19+11.8%
56Overton County19+46.2%
58Claiborne County18-35.7%
59Lauderdale County17+30.8%
60Chester County16+23.1%
60Grainger County16+45.5%
62Benton County14-22.2%
62Decatur County14+133.3%
62Humphreys County14-17.6%
65Fentress County13+18.2%
65Hardin County13-50%
65Scott County13-23.5%
65Smith County13-40.9%
69Cannon County12+71.4%
69Hardeman County120%
69Sequatchie County120%
72Lewis County11-8.3%
73Hickman County10-37.5%
73Perry County10-28.6%
75Crockett County9-18.2%
75Grundy County9-10%
75Houston County9+80%
75Johnson County9-18.2%
75Morgan County9+12.5%
75Unicoi County9-10%
81Polk County8+14.3%
82Clay County7+75%
82Haywood County7-41.7%
84Bledsoe County6-25%
84Pickett County6n/a
84Stewart County6-25%
87Hancock County5n/a
87Union County5-66.7%
89Jackson County4-20%
89Trousdale County4-63.6%
89Van Buren County4n/a
89Wayne County4-66.7%
93Lake County3n/a
93Meigs County3-66.7%

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 2012 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-counties?period=2012 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-counties?period=2012
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/tennessee-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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Rank Counties in Tennessee by employer firm births using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

Davidson County, with 931 in 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Meigs 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. 1 counties have no value for 2012 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings