Counties in Tennessee by employer firm births

Davidson County had the highest employer firm births of 93 counties in 2014, at 1,069. Pickett County had the lowest, at 3. The median was 22 and the figure for Tennessee was 6,196. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest1,069Davidson County
Median2293 counties
Tennessee6,196History

Map of counties, 2014

Anderson County: 48 countBedford County: 34 countBenton County: 12 countBledsoe County: 9 countBlount County: 106 countBradley County: 92 countCampbell County: 25 countCannon County: 10 countCarroll County: 19 countCarter County: 32 countCheatham County: 34 countChester County: 4 countClaiborne County: 19 countClay County: 3 countCocke County: 30 countCoffee County: 45 countCrockett County: 14 countCumberland County: 44 countDavidson County: 1,069 countDecatur County: 6 countDeKalb County: 17 countDickson County: 40 countDyer County: 17 countFayette County: 25 countFentress County: 8 countFranklin County: 29 countGibson County: 34 countGiles County: 24 countGrainger County: 15 countGreene County: 35 countGrundy County: 5 countHamblen County: 52 countHamilton County: 425 countHardeman County: 8 countHardin County: 18 countHawkins County: 17 countHaywood County: 15 countHenderson County: 23 countHenry County: 25 countHickman County: 8 countHouston County: 6 countHumphreys County: 17 countJackson County: 6 countJefferson County: 28 countJohnson County: 6 countKnox County: 493 countLake County: 4 countLauderdale County: 14 countLawrence County: 25 countLewis County: 11 countLincoln County: 31 countLoudon County: 35 countMcMinn County: 26 countMcNairy County: 13 countMacon County: 12 countMadison County: 112 countMarion County: 14 countMarshall County: 22 countMaury County: 74 countMeigs County: 3 countMonroe County: 29 countMontgomery County: 143 countMorgan County: 5 countObion County: 24 countOverton County: 12 countPerry County: 4 countPickett County: 3 countPolk County: 15 countPutnam County: 76 countRhea County: 18 countRoane County: 36 countRobertson County: 69 countRutherford County: 254 countScott County: 6 countSequatchie County: 9 countSevier County: 139 countShelby County: 787 countSmith County: 11 countStewart County: 9 countSullivan County: 128 countSumner County: 167 countTipton County: 31 countTrousdale County: 4 countUnicoi County: 7 countUnion County: 8 countVan Buren County: 5 countWarren County: 26 countWashington County: 116 countWayne County: 6 countWeakley County: 38 countWhite County: 15 countWilliamson County: 457 countWilson County: 144 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 80
  • 80 and over
  • No data
count, 2014. 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, 2014

Davidson County: 1,069 countDavidson County1,069Shelby County: 787 countShelby County787Knox County: 493 countKnox County493Williamson County: 457 countWilliamson County457Hamilton County: 425 countHamilton County425Rutherford County: 254 countRutherford County254Sumner County: 167 countSumner County167Wilson County: 144 countWilson County144Montgomery County: 143 countMontgomery County143Sevier County: 139 countSevier County139Sullivan County: 128 countSullivan County128Washington County: 116 countWashington County116Madison County: 112 countMadison County112Blount County: 106 countBlount County106Bradley County: 92 countBradley County92Putnam County: 76 countPutnam County76Maury County: 74 countMaury County74Robertson County: 69 countRobertson County69Hamblen County: 52 countHamblen County52Anderson County: 48 countAnderson County48Coffee County: 45 countCoffee County45Cumberland County: 44 countCumberland County44Dickson County: 40 countDickson County40Weakley County: 38 countWeakley County38Roane County: 36 countRoane County36Greene County: 35 countGreene County35Loudon County: 35 countLoudon County35Bedford County: 34 countBedford County34Cheatham County: 34 countCheatham County34Gibson County: 34 countGibson County34Carter County: 32 countCarter County32Lincoln County: 31 countLincoln County31Tipton County: 31 countTipton County31Cocke County: 30 countCocke County30Franklin County: 29 countFranklin County29Monroe County: 29 countMonroe County29Jefferson County: 28 countJefferson County28McMinn County: 26 countMcMinn County26Warren County: 26 countWarren County26Campbell County: 25 countCampbell County25Davidson County: 1,069 countDavidson County1,069Shelby County: 787 countShelby County787Knox County: 493 countKnox County493Williamson County: 457 countWilliamson County457Hamilton County: 425 countHamilton County425Rutherford County: 254 countRutherford County254Sumner County: 167 countSumner County167Wilson County: 144 countWilson County144Montgomery County: 143 countMontgomery County143Sevier County: 139 countSevier County139Sullivan County: 128 countSullivan County128Washington County: 116 countWashington County116Madison County: 112 countMadison County112Blount County: 106 countBlount County106Bradley County: 92 countBradley County92Putnam County: 76 countPutnam County76Maury County: 74 countMaury County74Robertson County: 69 countRobertson County69Hamblen County: 52 countHamblen County52Anderson County: 48 countAnderson County48Coffee County: 45 countCoffee County45Cumberland County: 44 countCumberland County44Dickson County: 40 countDickson County40Weakley County: 38 countWeakley County38Roane County: 36 countRoane County36Greene County: 35 countGreene County35Loudon County: 35 countLoudon County35Bedford County: 34 countBedford County34Cheatham County: 34 countCheatham County34Gibson County: 34 countGibson County34Carter County: 32 countCarter County32Lincoln County: 31 countLincoln County31Tipton County: 31 countTipton County31Cocke County: 30 countCocke County30Franklin County: 29 countFranklin County29Monroe County: 29 countMonroe County29Jefferson County: 28 countJefferson County28McMinn County: 26 countMcMinn County26Warren County: 26 countWarren County26Campbell County: 25 countCampbell County25
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

RankCounties2014
count
Change on 2013
1Davidson County1,069+4.6%
2Shelby County787-3.8%
3Knox County493-1.6%
4Williamson County457-5.4%
5Hamilton County425+0.2%
6Rutherford County254-2.7%
7Sumner County167+1.2%
8Wilson County144+3.6%
9Montgomery County143-2.7%
10Sevier County139-12%
11Sullivan County128+11.3%
12Washington County116+6.4%
13Madison County112+9.8%
14Blount County106+6%
15Bradley County92+24.3%
16Putnam County76-10.6%
17Maury County74+1.4%
18Robertson County69+35.3%
19Hamblen County52-8.8%
20Anderson County48-9.4%
21Coffee County45-28.6%
22Cumberland County44-26.7%
23Dickson County40+2.6%
24Weakley County38+31%
25Roane County36+20%
26Greene County35+6.1%
26Loudon County35-23.9%
28Bedford County34-22.7%
28Cheatham County34+17.2%
28Gibson County34-35.8%
31Carter County32+45.5%
32Lincoln County31+24%
32Tipton County31+19.2%
34Cocke County30+36.4%
35Franklin County29-3.3%
35Monroe County29-17.1%
37Jefferson County28-22.2%
38McMinn County26-7.1%
38Warren County26-31.6%
40Campbell County25-3.8%
40Fayette County25-32.4%
40Henry County25-13.8%
40Lawrence County25-21.9%
44Giles County24+50%
44Obion County24+4.3%
46Henderson County23+27.8%
47Marshall County22-24.1%
48Carroll County19-13.6%
48Claiborne County19-20.8%
50Hardin County18+12.5%
50Rhea County18-30.8%
52DeKalb County17+6.3%
52Dyer County17-48.5%
52Hawkins County17-19%
52Humphreys County17+70%
56Grainger County15+50%
56Haywood County15-6.3%
56Polk County15+200%
56White County15-16.7%
60Crockett County14+7.7%
60Lauderdale County14+7.7%
60Marion County14-22.2%
63McNairy County13+8.3%
64Benton County12-50%
64Macon County12-7.7%
64Overton County120%
67Lewis County11+10%
67Smith County110%
69Cannon County10-9.1%
70Bledsoe County9+28.6%
70Sequatchie County9+80%
70Stewart County90%
73Fentress County8-27.3%
73Hardeman County8-50%
73Hickman County8-50%
73Union County8+33.3%
77Unicoi County7-56.3%
78Decatur County60%
78Houston County60%
78Jackson County6+20%
78Johnson County6-45.5%
78Scott County6-14.3%
78Wayne County6-60%
84Grundy County5-44.4%
84Morgan County5-37.5%
84Van Buren County5n/a
87Chester County4-50%
87Lake County4n/a
87Perry County4-50%
87Trousdale County4+33.3%
91Clay County3n/a
91Meigs County3-72.7%
91Pickett County3n/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. 2 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2014 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, 2014) [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, 2014. 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=2014. 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, 2014. 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=2014.

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, 2014 [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=2014 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2014,
  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, 2014}},
  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=2014. 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, 2014
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=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/tennessee-counties?period=2014.
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 1,069 in 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Pickett County, with 3 in 2014.

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. 2 counties have no value for 2014 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings