Data / Rankings / Employer firm births / Counties in Tennessee

Counties in Tennessee by employer firm births

Shelby County had the highest employer firm births of 94 counties in 2021, at 1,262. Bledsoe County had the lowest, at 3. The median was 27 and the figure for Tennessee was 8,303. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest1,262Shelby County
Lowest3Bledsoe County
Median2794 counties
Tennessee8,303History

Map of counties, 2021

Anderson County: 70 countBedford County: 49 countBenton County: 12 countBledsoe County: 3 countBlount County: 114 countBradley County: 86 countCampbell County: 23 countCannon County: 12 countCarroll County: 22 countCarter County: 46 countCheatham County: 35 countChester County: 16 countClaiborne County: 15 countClay County: 5 countCocke County: 22 countCoffee County: 57 countCrockett County: 16 countCumberland County: 70 countDavidson County: 1,261 countDecatur County: 12 countDeKalb County: 20 countDickson County: 55 countDyer County: 25 countFayette County: 86 countFentress County: 21 countFranklin County: 40 countGibson County: 56 countGiles County: 28 countGrainger County: 18 countGreene County: 49 countGrundy County: 4 countHamblen County: 58 countHamilton County: 522 countHancock County: 4 countHardeman County: 29 countHardin County: 30 countHawkins County: 34 countHaywood County: 11 countHenderson County: 22 countHenry County: 30 countHickman County: 15 countHouston County: 8 countHumphreys County: 23 countJackson County: 9 countJefferson County: 48 countJohnson County: 17 countKnox County: 679 countLake County: 4 countLauderdale County: 12 countLawrence County: 42 countLewis County: 12 countLincoln County: 32 countLoudon County: 38 countMcMinn County: 38 countMcNairy County: 18 countMacon County: 13 countMadison County: 122 countMarion County: 37 countMarshall County: 30 countMaury County: 118 countMeigs County: 9 countMonroe County: 37 countMontgomery County: 219 countMoore County: 5 countObion County: 33 countOverton County: 18 countPerry County: 5 countPickett County: 4 countPolk County: 16 countPutnam County: 101 countRhea County: 19 countRoane County: 31 countRobertson County: 67 countRutherford County: 376 countScott County: 15 countSequatchie County: 8 countSevier County: 156 countShelby County: 1,262 countSmith County: 16 countStewart County: 9 countSullivan County: 152 countSumner County: 252 countTipton County: 51 countTrousdale County: 11 countUnicoi County: 14 countUnion County: 9 countVan Buren County: 6 countWarren County: 27 countWashington County: 146 countWayne County: 14 countWeakley County: 21 countWhite County: 27 countWilliamson County: 583 countWilson County: 201 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 40
  • 40 to 90
  • 90 and over
  • No data
count, 2021. 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, 2021

Shelby County: 1,262 countShelby County1,262Davidson County: 1,261 countDavidson County1,261Knox County: 679 countKnox County679Williamson County: 583 countWilliamson County583Hamilton County: 522 countHamilton County522Rutherford County: 376 countRutherford County376Sumner County: 252 countSumner County252Montgomery County: 219 countMontgomery County219Wilson County: 201 countWilson County201Sevier County: 156 countSevier County156Sullivan County: 152 countSullivan County152Washington County: 146 countWashington County146Madison County: 122 countMadison County122Maury County: 118 countMaury County118Blount County: 114 countBlount County114Putnam County: 101 countPutnam County101Bradley County: 86 countBradley County86Fayette County: 86 countFayette County86Anderson County: 70 countAnderson County70Cumberland County: 70 countCumberland County70Robertson County: 67 countRobertson County67Hamblen County: 58 countHamblen County58Coffee County: 57 countCoffee County57Gibson County: 56 countGibson County56Dickson County: 55 countDickson County55Tipton County: 51 countTipton County51Bedford County: 49 countBedford County49Greene County: 49 countGreene County49Jefferson County: 48 countJefferson County48Carter County: 46 countCarter County46Lawrence County: 42 countLawrence County42Franklin County: 40 countFranklin County40Loudon County: 38 countLoudon County38McMinn County: 38 countMcMinn County38Marion County: 37 countMarion County37Monroe County: 37 countMonroe County37Cheatham County: 35 countCheatham County35Hawkins County: 34 countHawkins County34Obion County: 33 countObion County33Lincoln County: 32 countLincoln County32Shelby County: 1,262 countShelby County1,262Davidson County: 1,261 countDavidson County1,261Knox County: 679 countKnox County679Williamson County: 583 countWilliamson County583Hamilton County: 522 countHamilton County522Rutherford County: 376 countRutherford County376Sumner County: 252 countSumner County252Montgomery County: 219 countMontgomery County219Wilson County: 201 countWilson County201Sevier County: 156 countSevier County156Sullivan County: 152 countSullivan County152Washington County: 146 countWashington County146Madison County: 122 countMadison County122Maury County: 118 countMaury County118Blount County: 114 countBlount County114Putnam County: 101 countPutnam County101Bradley County: 86 countBradley County86Fayette County: 86 countFayette County86Anderson County: 70 countAnderson County70Cumberland County: 70 countCumberland County70Robertson County: 67 countRobertson County67Hamblen County: 58 countHamblen County58Coffee County: 57 countCoffee County57Gibson County: 56 countGibson County56Dickson County: 55 countDickson County55Tipton County: 51 countTipton County51Bedford County: 49 countBedford County49Greene County: 49 countGreene County49Jefferson County: 48 countJefferson County48Carter County: 46 countCarter County46Lawrence County: 42 countLawrence County42Franklin County: 40 countFranklin County40Loudon County: 38 countLoudon County38McMinn County: 38 countMcMinn County38Marion County: 37 countMarion County37Monroe County: 37 countMonroe County37Cheatham County: 35 countCheatham County35Hawkins County: 34 countHawkins County34Obion County: 33 countObion County33Lincoln County: 32 countLincoln County32
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

RankCounties2021
count		Change on 2020
1Shelby County1,262+30.2%
2Davidson County1,261+6.3%
3Knox County679+15.1%
4Williamson County583+0.7%
5Hamilton County522+8.3%
6Rutherford County376+12.2%
7Sumner County252+18.3%
8Montgomery County219+9.5%
9Wilson County201+5.8%
10Sevier County156+4%
11Sullivan County152+29.9%
12Washington County146-9.3%
13Madison County122+18.4%
14Maury County118+7.3%
15Blount County114-7.3%
16Putnam County101+6.3%
17Bradley County86-14%
17Fayette County86+120.5%
19Anderson County70+55.6%
19Cumberland County70+20.7%
21Robertson County67-9.5%
22Hamblen County58+7.4%
23Coffee County57+23.9%
24Gibson County56+21.7%
25Dickson County550%
26Tipton County51+6.3%
27Bedford County49+14%
27Greene County49-18.3%
29Jefferson County48+20%
30Carter County46+84%
31Lawrence County42-17.6%
32Franklin County40+53.8%
33Loudon County38-29.6%
33McMinn County38+26.7%
35Marion County37+68.2%
35Monroe County37+48%
37Cheatham County35-5.4%
38Hawkins County34+61.9%
39Obion County33+17.9%
40Lincoln County32+6.7%
41Roane County31-13.9%
42Hardin County30+11.1%
42Henry County30+50%
42Marshall County30-3.2%
45Hardeman County29+45%
46Giles County28+12%
47Warren County27-20.6%
47White County27+35%
49Dyer County25-24.2%
50Campbell County23+27.8%
50Humphreys County23+15%
52Carroll County22-21.4%
52Cocke County22+69.2%
52Henderson County22-15.4%
55Fentress County21+90.9%
55Weakley County21-16%
57DeKalb County20-4.8%
58Rhea County19-13.6%
59Grainger County18+100%
59McNairy County18-14.3%
59Overton County18+38.5%
62Johnson County17+112.5%
63Chester County16-5.9%
63Crockett County16+6.7%
63Polk County16+33.3%
63Smith County16+14.3%
67Claiborne County150%
67Hickman County15-16.7%
67Scott County150%
70Unicoi County14+40%
70Wayne County140%
72Macon County13-43.5%
73Benton County12+50%
73Cannon County120%
73Decatur County12+100%
73Lauderdale County12+9.1%
73Lewis County12+20%
78Haywood County11+37.5%
78Trousdale County11+57.1%
80Jackson County9+28.6%
80Meigs County9+125%
80Stewart County90%
80Union County90%
84Houston County8+100%
84Sequatchie County8-11.1%
86Van Buren County6+50%
87Clay County5+66.7%
87Moore County50%
87Perry County5n/a
90Grundy County4-69.2%
90Hancock County4n/a
90Lake County4+33.3%
90Pickett County4-42.9%
94Bledsoe County3-50%

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 2021 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, 2021) [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, 2021. 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=2021. 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, 2021. 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=2021.

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, 2021 [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=2021 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  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=2021. 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, 2021
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=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/tennessee-counties?period=2021.
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?

Shelby County, with 1,262 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Bledsoe County, with 3 in 2021.

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 2021 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings