Counties in Tennessee by employer firm births

Davidson County had the highest employer firm births of 92 counties in 2019, at 1,159. Van Buren County had the lowest, at 4. The median was 23 and the figure for Tennessee was 7,095. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,159Davidson County
Median2392 counties
Tennessee7,095History

Map of counties, 2019

Anderson County: 57 countBedford County: 47 countBenton County: 15 countBledsoe County: 4 countBlount County: 115 countBradley County: 96 countCampbell County: 28 countCannon County: 19 countCarroll County: 26 countCarter County: 42 countCheatham County: 42 countChester County: 12 countClaiborne County: 19 countClay County: 9 countCocke County: 22 countCoffee County: 57 countCrockett County: 8 countCumberland County: 57 countDavidson County: 1,159 countDecatur County: 18 countDeKalb County: 15 countDickson County: 46 countDyer County: 33 countFayette County: 42 countFentress County: 15 countFranklin County: 32 countGibson County: 41 countGiles County: 20 countGrainger County: 13 countGreene County: 54 countGrundy County: 10 countHamblen County: 45 countHamilton County: 477 countHardeman County: 13 countHardin County: 20 countHawkins County: 21 countHaywood County: 8 countHenderson County: 27 countHenry County: 33 countHickman County: 23 countHouston County: 4 countHumphreys County: 11 countJackson County: 6 countJefferson County: 42 countJohnson County: 10 countKnox County: 617 countLauderdale County: 7 countLawrence County: 37 countLewis County: 10 countLincoln County: 20 countLoudon County: 40 countMcMinn County: 35 countMcNairy County: 16 countMacon County: 11 countMadison County: 97 countMarion County: 21 countMarshall County: 29 countMaury County: 109 countMeigs County: 5 countMonroe County: 35 countMontgomery County: 161 countMoore County: 4 countMorgan County: 4 countObion County: 19 countOverton County: 23 countPickett County: 6 countPolk County: 13 countPutnam County: 87 countRhea County: 12 countRoane County: 43 countRobertson County: 61 countRutherford County: 338 countScott County: 9 countSequatchie County: 9 countSevier County: 155 countShelby County: 848 countSmith County: 10 countStewart County: 18 countSullivan County: 123 countSumner County: 207 countTipton County: 39 countTrousdale County: 6 countUnicoi County: 10 countUnion County: 9 countVan Buren County: 4 countWarren County: 26 countWashington County: 132 countWayne County: 13 countWeakley County: 21 countWhite County: 25 countWilliamson County: 535 countWilson County: 182 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 40
  • 40 to 90
  • 90 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

Davidson County: 1,159 countDavidson County1,159Shelby County: 848 countShelby County848Knox County: 617 countKnox County617Williamson County: 535 countWilliamson County535Hamilton County: 477 countHamilton County477Rutherford County: 338 countRutherford County338Sumner County: 207 countSumner County207Wilson County: 182 countWilson County182Montgomery County: 161 countMontgomery County161Sevier County: 155 countSevier County155Washington County: 132 countWashington County132Sullivan County: 123 countSullivan County123Blount County: 115 countBlount County115Maury County: 109 countMaury County109Madison County: 97 countMadison County97Bradley County: 96 countBradley County96Putnam County: 87 countPutnam County87Robertson County: 61 countRobertson County61Anderson County: 57 countAnderson County57Coffee County: 57 countCoffee County57Cumberland County: 57 countCumberland County57Greene County: 54 countGreene County54Bedford County: 47 countBedford County47Dickson County: 46 countDickson County46Hamblen County: 45 countHamblen County45Roane County: 43 countRoane County43Carter County: 42 countCarter County42Cheatham County: 42 countCheatham County42Fayette County: 42 countFayette County42Jefferson County: 42 countJefferson County42Gibson County: 41 countGibson County41Loudon County: 40 countLoudon County40Tipton County: 39 countTipton County39Lawrence County: 37 countLawrence County37McMinn County: 35 countMcMinn County35Monroe County: 35 countMonroe County35Dyer County: 33 countDyer County33Henry County: 33 countHenry County33Franklin County: 32 countFranklin County32Marshall County: 29 countMarshall County29Davidson County: 1,159 countDavidson County1,159Shelby County: 848 countShelby County848Knox County: 617 countKnox County617Williamson County: 535 countWilliamson County535Hamilton County: 477 countHamilton County477Rutherford County: 338 countRutherford County338Sumner County: 207 countSumner County207Wilson County: 182 countWilson County182Montgomery County: 161 countMontgomery County161Sevier County: 155 countSevier County155Washington County: 132 countWashington County132Sullivan County: 123 countSullivan County123Blount County: 115 countBlount County115Maury County: 109 countMaury County109Madison County: 97 countMadison County97Bradley County: 96 countBradley County96Putnam County: 87 countPutnam County87Robertson County: 61 countRobertson County61Anderson County: 57 countAnderson County57Coffee County: 57 countCoffee County57Cumberland County: 57 countCumberland County57Greene County: 54 countGreene County54Bedford County: 47 countBedford County47Dickson County: 46 countDickson County46Hamblen County: 45 countHamblen County45Roane County: 43 countRoane County43Carter County: 42 countCarter County42Cheatham County: 42 countCheatham County42Fayette County: 42 countFayette County42Jefferson County: 42 countJefferson County42Gibson County: 41 countGibson County41Loudon County: 40 countLoudon County40Tipton County: 39 countTipton County39Lawrence County: 37 countLawrence County37McMinn County: 35 countMcMinn County35Monroe County: 35 countMonroe County35Dyer County: 33 countDyer County33Henry County: 33 countHenry County33Franklin County: 32 countFranklin County32Marshall County: 29 countMarshall County29
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
1Davidson County1,159-0.7%
2Shelby County848-2.1%
3Knox County617+14.7%
4Williamson County535+11.5%
5Hamilton County477+3.9%
6Rutherford County338-2.9%
7Sumner County207-1%
8Wilson County182-6.2%
9Montgomery County161-13%
10Sevier County155+1.3%
11Washington County132-7%
12Sullivan County123+4.2%
13Blount County115+0.9%
14Maury County109+5.8%
15Madison County97-11%
16Bradley County96+21.5%
17Putnam County87-1.1%
18Robertson County61-21.8%
19Anderson County57+7.5%
19Coffee County57+50%
19Cumberland County57-26%
22Greene County54+42.1%
23Bedford County47+20.5%
24Dickson County46-8%
25Hamblen County45-21.1%
26Roane County43+65.4%
27Carter County42+110%
27Cheatham County42+10.5%
27Fayette County42+2.4%
27Jefferson County42+10.5%
31Gibson County41+10.8%
32Loudon County40-4.8%
33Tipton County39+2.6%
34Lawrence County37+37%
35McMinn County35+12.9%
35Monroe County35+6.1%
37Dyer County33+57.1%
37Henry County33+37.5%
39Franklin County32+10.3%
40Marshall County29+45%
41Campbell County28-20%
42Henderson County270%
43Carroll County26+44.4%
43Warren County26-18.8%
45White County25+31.6%
46Hickman County23+27.8%
46Overton County23+21.1%
48Cocke County22+22.2%
49Hawkins County21-34.4%
49Marion County21+90.9%
49Weakley County21-30%
52Giles County20+5.3%
52Hardin County20-13%
52Lincoln County20-33.3%
55Cannon County19+72.7%
55Claiborne County19-13.6%
55Obion County19-26.9%
58Decatur County18+50%
58Stewart County18+157.1%
60McNairy County16-5.9%
61Benton County15+36.4%
61DeKalb County15-6.3%
61Fentress County15+36.4%
64Grainger County13+8.3%
64Hardeman County13+18.2%
64Polk County13+85.7%
64Wayne County13+62.5%
68Chester County12+20%
68Rhea County12-52%
70Humphreys County11-8.3%
70Macon County11-31.3%
72Grundy County10+100%
72Johnson County100%
72Lewis County10-28.6%
72Smith County10-44.4%
72Unicoi County100%
77Clay County9+125%
77Scott County9+50%
77Sequatchie County9-10%
77Union County9-10%
81Crockett County8-38.5%
81Haywood County8+33.3%
83Lauderdale County70%
84Jackson County6-33.3%
84Pickett County60%
84Trousdale County6n/a
87Meigs County5n/a
88Bledsoe County4-42.9%
88Houston County4-42.9%
88Moore County4-42.9%
88Morgan County40%
88Van Buren County40%

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 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/tennessee-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 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 1,159 in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Van Buren County, with 4 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. 3 counties have no value for 2019 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings