Counties in Tennessee by employer firm births

Davidson County had the highest employer firm births of 92 counties in 2018, at 1,167. Meigs County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 23 and the figure for Tennessee was 6,958. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,167Davidson County
Median2392 counties
Tennessee6,958History

Map of counties, 2018

Anderson County: 53 countBedford County: 39 countBenton County: 11 countBledsoe County: 7 countBlount County: 114 countBradley County: 79 countCampbell County: 35 countCannon County: 11 countCarroll County: 18 countCarter County: 20 countCheatham County: 38 countChester County: 10 countClaiborne County: 22 countClay County: 4 countCocke County: 18 countCoffee County: 38 countCrockett County: 13 countCumberland County: 77 countDavidson County: 1,167 countDecatur County: 12 countDeKalb County: 16 countDickson County: 50 countDyer County: 21 countFayette County: 41 countFentress County: 11 countFranklin County: 29 countGibson County: 37 countGiles County: 19 countGrainger County: 12 countGreene County: 38 countGrundy County: 5 countHamblen County: 57 countHamilton County: 459 countHardeman County: 11 countHardin County: 23 countHawkins County: 32 countHaywood County: 6 countHenderson County: 27 countHenry County: 24 countHickman County: 18 countHouston County: 7 countHumphreys County: 12 countJackson County: 9 countJefferson County: 38 countJohnson County: 10 countKnox County: 538 countLauderdale County: 7 countLawrence County: 27 countLewis County: 14 countLincoln County: 30 countLoudon County: 42 countMcMinn County: 31 countMcNairy County: 17 countMacon County: 16 countMadison County: 109 countMarion County: 11 countMarshall County: 20 countMaury County: 103 countMeigs County: 0 countMonroe County: 33 countMontgomery County: 185 countMoore County: 7 countMorgan County: 4 countObion County: 26 countOverton County: 19 countPerry County: 5 countPickett County: 6 countPolk County: 7 countPutnam County: 88 countRhea County: 25 countRoane County: 26 countRobertson County: 78 countRutherford County: 348 countScott County: 6 countSequatchie County: 10 countSevier County: 153 countShelby County: 866 countSmith County: 18 countStewart County: 7 countSullivan County: 118 countSumner County: 209 countTipton County: 38 countUnicoi County: 10 countUnion County: 10 countVan Buren County: 4 countWarren County: 32 countWashington County: 142 countWayne County: 8 countWeakley County: 30 countWhite County: 19 countWilliamson County: 480 countWilson County: 194 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 40
  • 40 to 90
  • 90 and over
  • No data
count, 2018. 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, 2018

Davidson County: 1,167 countDavidson County1,167Shelby County: 866 countShelby County866Knox County: 538 countKnox County538Williamson County: 480 countWilliamson County480Hamilton County: 459 countHamilton County459Rutherford County: 348 countRutherford County348Sumner County: 209 countSumner County209Wilson County: 194 countWilson County194Montgomery County: 185 countMontgomery County185Sevier County: 153 countSevier County153Washington County: 142 countWashington County142Sullivan County: 118 countSullivan County118Blount County: 114 countBlount County114Madison County: 109 countMadison County109Maury County: 103 countMaury County103Putnam County: 88 countPutnam County88Bradley County: 79 countBradley County79Robertson County: 78 countRobertson County78Cumberland County: 77 countCumberland County77Hamblen County: 57 countHamblen County57Anderson County: 53 countAnderson County53Dickson County: 50 countDickson County50Loudon County: 42 countLoudon County42Fayette County: 41 countFayette County41Bedford County: 39 countBedford County39Cheatham County: 38 countCheatham County38Coffee County: 38 countCoffee County38Greene County: 38 countGreene County38Jefferson County: 38 countJefferson County38Tipton County: 38 countTipton County38Gibson County: 37 countGibson County37Campbell County: 35 countCampbell County35Monroe County: 33 countMonroe County33Hawkins County: 32 countHawkins County32Warren County: 32 countWarren County32McMinn County: 31 countMcMinn County31Lincoln County: 30 countLincoln County30Weakley County: 30 countWeakley County30Franklin County: 29 countFranklin County29Henderson County: 27 countHenderson County27Davidson County: 1,167 countDavidson County1,167Shelby County: 866 countShelby County866Knox County: 538 countKnox County538Williamson County: 480 countWilliamson County480Hamilton County: 459 countHamilton County459Rutherford County: 348 countRutherford County348Sumner County: 209 countSumner County209Wilson County: 194 countWilson County194Montgomery County: 185 countMontgomery County185Sevier County: 153 countSevier County153Washington County: 142 countWashington County142Sullivan County: 118 countSullivan County118Blount County: 114 countBlount County114Madison County: 109 countMadison County109Maury County: 103 countMaury County103Putnam County: 88 countPutnam County88Bradley County: 79 countBradley County79Robertson County: 78 countRobertson County78Cumberland County: 77 countCumberland County77Hamblen County: 57 countHamblen County57Anderson County: 53 countAnderson County53Dickson County: 50 countDickson County50Loudon County: 42 countLoudon County42Fayette County: 41 countFayette County41Bedford County: 39 countBedford County39Cheatham County: 38 countCheatham County38Coffee County: 38 countCoffee County38Greene County: 38 countGreene County38Jefferson County: 38 countJefferson County38Tipton County: 38 countTipton County38Gibson County: 37 countGibson County37Campbell County: 35 countCampbell County35Monroe County: 33 countMonroe County33Hawkins County: 32 countHawkins County32Warren County: 32 countWarren County32McMinn County: 31 countMcMinn County31Lincoln County: 30 countLincoln County30Weakley County: 30 countWeakley County30Franklin County: 29 countFranklin County29Henderson County: 27 countHenderson County27
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

RankCounties2018
count
Change on 2017
1Davidson County1,167+3.6%
2Shelby County8660%
3Knox County538-0.7%
4Williamson County480-13%
5Hamilton County459-7.1%
6Rutherford County348-0.3%
7Sumner County209-5%
8Wilson County194+10.9%
9Montgomery County185+6.9%
10Sevier County153-6.7%
11Washington County142+13.6%
12Sullivan County118-7.1%
13Blount County114-4.2%
14Madison County109+14.7%
15Maury County103+14.4%
16Putnam County88-13.7%
17Bradley County79+2.6%
18Robertson County78+6.8%
19Cumberland County77+83.3%
20Hamblen County57+23.9%
21Anderson County53-18.5%
22Dickson County50+8.7%
23Loudon County42-4.5%
24Fayette County41+78.3%
25Bedford County39-27.8%
26Cheatham County38-17.4%
26Coffee County38-22.4%
26Greene County38-13.6%
26Jefferson County38-15.6%
26Tipton County38+15.2%
31Gibson County37-11.9%
32Campbell County35+34.6%
33Monroe County33+17.9%
34Hawkins County32+28%
34Warren County32+14.3%
36McMinn County31-27.9%
37Lincoln County30+30.4%
37Weakley County30+36.4%
39Franklin County29-14.7%
40Henderson County27+50%
40Lawrence County27-30.8%
42Obion County260%
42Roane County260%
44Rhea County25+19%
45Henry County24-7.7%
46Hardin County23+15%
47Claiborne County22+4.8%
48Dyer County21-36.4%
49Carter County20-23.1%
49Marshall County20-23.1%
51Giles County19-17.4%
51Overton County19+18.8%
51White County19-5%
54Carroll County18-21.7%
54Cocke County18-14.3%
54Hickman County18-5.3%
54Smith County18-18.2%
58McNairy County17-10.5%
59DeKalb County16+23.1%
59Macon County16+77.8%
61Lewis County14+55.6%
62Crockett County13+30%
63Decatur County12+140%
63Grainger County12-20%
63Humphreys County120%
66Benton County11-21.4%
66Cannon County11-21.4%
66Fentress County11-8.3%
66Hardeman County11-50%
66Marion County11-26.7%
71Chester County10-23.1%
71Johnson County10+66.7%
71Sequatchie County100%
71Unicoi County10+42.9%
71Union County10+66.7%
76Jackson County9+50%
77Wayne County8-38.5%
78Bledsoe County7n/a
78Houston County7-12.5%
78Lauderdale County7-30%
78Moore County7n/a
78Polk County7-46.2%
78Stewart County7-22.2%
84Haywood County6-62.5%
84Pickett County6+100%
84Scott County6-62.5%
87Grundy County5+66.7%
87Perry County5+25%
89Clay County4-60%
89Morgan County4-42.9%
89Van Buren County40%
92Meigs County0n/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. 3 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2018 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, 2018) [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, 2018. 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=2018. 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, 2018. 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=2018.

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, 2018 [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=2018 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2018,
  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, 2018}},
  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=2018. 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, 2018
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=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/tennessee-counties?period=2018.
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 1,167 in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Meigs County, with 0 in 2018.

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. 3 counties have no value for 2018 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings