Counties in Texas by employer firm births

Harris County had the highest employer firm births of 234 counties in 2016, at 6,371. Stonewall County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 21 and the figure for Texas was 36,937. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest6,371Harris County
Median21234 counties
Texas36,937History

Map of counties, 2016

Anderson County: 39 countAndrews County: 29 countAngelina County: 83 countAransas County: 32 countArcher County: 13 countArmstrong County: 3 countAtascosa County: 41 countAustin County: 34 countBailey County: 12 countBandera County: 28 countBastrop County: 104 countBaylor County: 5 countBee County: 22 countBell County: 295 countBexar County: 2,179 countBlanco County: 29 countBorden County: 0 countBosque County: 13 countBowie County: 88 countBrazoria County: 357 countBrazos County: 263 countBrewster County: 17 countBrooks County: 6 countBrown County: 48 countBurleson County: 18 countBurnet County: 97 countCaldwell County: 39 countCalhoun County: 24 countCallahan County: 12 countCameron County: 339 countCamp County: 9 countCarson County: 9 countCass County: 22 countCastro County: 7 countChambers County: 37 countCherokee County: 39 countChildress County: 6 countClay County: 5 countCoke County: 5 countColeman County: 11 countCollin County: 1,932 countColorado County: 27 countComal County: 271 countComanche County: 8 countCooke County: 47 countCoryell County: 46 countCrane County: 6 countCrockett County: 3 countCulberson County: 3 countDallam County: 12 countDallas County: 4,108 countDawson County: 10 countDeaf Smith County: 17 countDelta County: 6 countDenton County: 1,269 countDeWitt County: 20 countDimmit County: 3 countDonley County: 0 countDuval County: 3 countEastland County: 18 countEctor County: 190 countEdwards County: 4 countEllis County: 213 countEl Paso County: 826 countErath County: 63 countFalls County: 19 countFannin County: 35 countFayette County: 43 countFisher County: 4 countFloyd County: 3 countFort Bend County: 1,238 countFranklin County: 7 countFreestone County: 16 countFrio County: 14 countGaines County: 30 countGalveston County: 367 countGarza County: 9 countGillespie County: 73 countGlasscock County: 3 countGoliad County: 10 countGonzales County: 17 countGray County: 16 countGrayson County: 154 countGregg County: 159 countGrimes County: 21 countGuadalupe County: 150 countHale County: 24 countHamilton County: 9 countHansford County: 6 countHardeman County: 7 countHardin County: 46 countHarris County: 6,371 countHarrison County: 59 countHartley County: 11 countHaskell County: 5 countHays County: 334 countHemphill County: 6 countHenderson County: 88 countHidalgo County: 753 countHill County: 33 countHockley County: 19 countHood County: 93 countHopkins County: 40 countHouston County: 18 countHoward County: 36 countHudspeth County: 0 countHunt County: 81 countHutchinson County: 14 countJack County: 13 countJackson County: 17 countJasper County: 39 countJeff Davis County: 5 countJefferson County: 245 countJim Wells County: 34 countJohnson County: 172 countJones County: 19 countKarnes County: 27 countKaufman County: 124 countKendall County: 88 countKerr County: 72 countKimble County: 5 countKing County: 0 countKleberg County: 25 countKnox County: 4 countLamar County: 48 countLamb County: 10 countLampasas County: 25 countLa Salle County: 7 countLavaca County: 23 countLee County: 24 countLeon County: 17 countLiberty County: 59 countLimestone County: 20 countLipscomb County: 5 countLive Oak County: 14 countLlano County: 41 countLoving County: 0 countLubbock County: 387 countMcCulloch County: 7 countMcLennan County: 258 countMcMullen County: 4 countMadison County: 19 countMarion County: 14 countMartin County: 5 countMason County: 7 countMatagorda County: 35 countMaverick County: 35 countMedina County: 48 countMidland County: 310 countMilam County: 19 countMills County: 6 countMitchell County: 7 countMontague County: 23 countMontgomery County: 911 countMoore County: 22 countMorris County: 11 countMotley County: 0 countNacogdoches County: 63 countNavarro County: 53 countNewton County: 11 countNolan County: 13 countNueces County: 381 countOchiltree County: 6 countOldham County: 4 countOrange County: 46 countPalo Pinto County: 27 countPanola County: 24 countParker County: 220 countParmer County: 12 countPecos County: 14 countPolk County: 46 countPotter County: 165 countPresidio County: 5 countRains County: 10 countRandall County: 173 countReagan County: 5 countReal County: 6 countRed River County: 10 countReeves County: 15 countRefugio County: 9 countRobertson County: 15 countRockwall County: 167 countRunnels County: 6 countRusk County: 46 countSabine County: 14 countSan Augustine County: 9 countSan Jacinto County: 18 countSan Patricio County: 35 countSan Saba County: 10 countScurry County: 15 countShackelford County: 6 countShelby County: 24 countSherman County: 5 countSmith County: 287 countSomervell County: 20 countStarr County: 25 countStephens County: 11 countStonewall County: 0 countSutton County: 7 countSwisher County: 6 countTarrant County: 2,565 countTaylor County: 183 countTerrell County: 3 countTerry County: 7 countTitus County: 29 countTom Green County: 135 countTravis County: 2,676 countTrinity County: 9 countTyler County: 14 countUpshur County: 49 countUpton County: 3 countUvalde County: 38 countVal Verde County: 32 countVan Zandt County: 82 countVictoria County: 87 countWalker County: 57 countWaller County: 55 countWard County: 12 countWashington County: 47 countWebb County: 351 countWharton County: 32 countWheeler County: 3 countWichita County: 131 countWilbarger County: 10 countWillacy County: 7 countWilliamson County: 831 countWilson County: 48 countWinkler County: 8 countWise County: 99 countWood County: 66 countYoakum County: 6 countYoung County: 22 countZapata County: 4 countZavala County: 5 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 40
  • 40 to 130
  • 130 and over
  • No data
count, 2016. 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, 2016

Harris County: 6,371 countHarris County6,371Dallas County: 4,108 countDallas County4,108Travis County: 2,676 countTravis County2,676Tarrant County: 2,565 countTarrant County2,565Bexar County: 2,179 countBexar County2,179Collin County: 1,932 countCollin County1,932Denton County: 1,269 countDenton County1,269Fort Bend County: 1,238 countFort Bend County1,238Montgomery County: 911 countMontgomery County911Williamson County: 831 countWilliamson County831El Paso County: 826 countEl Paso County826Hidalgo County: 753 countHidalgo County753Lubbock County: 387 countLubbock County387Nueces County: 381 countNueces County381Galveston County: 367 countGalveston County367Brazoria County: 357 countBrazoria County357Webb County: 351 countWebb County351Cameron County: 339 countCameron County339Hays County: 334 countHays County334Midland County: 310 countMidland County310Bell County: 295 countBell County295Smith County: 287 countSmith County287Comal County: 271 countComal County271Brazos County: 263 countBrazos County263McLennan County: 258 countMcLennan County258Jefferson County: 245 countJefferson County245Parker County: 220 countParker County220Ellis County: 213 countEllis County213Ector County: 190 countEctor County190Taylor County: 183 countTaylor County183Randall County: 173 countRandall County173Johnson County: 172 countJohnson County172Rockwall County: 167 countRockwall County167Potter County: 165 countPotter County165Gregg County: 159 countGregg County159Grayson County: 154 countGrayson County154Guadalupe County: 150 countGuadalupe County150Tom Green County: 135 countTom Green County135Wichita County: 131 countWichita County131Kaufman County: 124 countKaufman County124Harris County: 6,371 countHarris County6,371Dallas County: 4,108 countDallas County4,108Travis County: 2,676 countTravis County2,676Tarrant County: 2,565 countTarrant County2,565Bexar County: 2,179 countBexar County2,179Collin County: 1,932 countCollin County1,932Denton County: 1,269 countDenton County1,269Fort Bend County: 1,238 countFort Bend County1,238Montgomery County: 911 countMontgomery County911Williamson County: 831 countWilliamson County831El Paso County: 826 countEl Paso County826Hidalgo County: 753 countHidalgo County753Lubbock County: 387 countLubbock County387Nueces County: 381 countNueces County381Galveston County: 367 countGalveston County367Brazoria County: 357 countBrazoria County357Webb County: 351 countWebb County351Cameron County: 339 countCameron County339Hays County: 334 countHays County334Midland County: 310 countMidland County310Bell County: 295 countBell County295Smith County: 287 countSmith County287Comal County: 271 countComal County271Brazos County: 263 countBrazos County263McLennan County: 258 countMcLennan County258Jefferson County: 245 countJefferson County245Parker County: 220 countParker County220Ellis County: 213 countEllis County213Ector County: 190 countEctor County190Taylor County: 183 countTaylor County183Randall County: 173 countRandall County173Johnson County: 172 countJohnson County172Rockwall County: 167 countRockwall County167Potter County: 165 countPotter County165Gregg County: 159 countGregg County159Grayson County: 154 countGrayson County154Guadalupe County: 150 countGuadalupe County150Tom Green County: 135 countTom Green County135Wichita County: 131 countWichita County131Kaufman County: 124 countKaufman County124
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

RankCounties2016
count
Change on 2015
1Harris County6,371+1.4%
2Dallas County4,108+5.9%
3Travis County2,676+7%
4Tarrant County2,565+4.7%
5Bexar County2,179+9.7%
6Collin County1,932+10.3%
7Denton County1,269+6.6%
8Fort Bend County1,238+9.3%
9Montgomery County911+9.2%
10Williamson County831+7.5%
11El Paso County826+9%
12Hidalgo County753+7%
13Lubbock County387+4.9%
14Nueces County381-3.3%
15Galveston County367+5.2%
16Brazoria County357+2.9%
17Webb County351+3.5%
18Cameron County339+9.4%
19Hays County334+20.1%
20Midland County310-11.9%
21Bell County295+13.9%
22Smith County287-12.8%
23Comal County271+0.4%
24Brazos County263+6.5%
25McLennan County258+4.9%
26Jefferson County245+2.5%
27Parker County2200%
28Ellis County213+10.9%
29Ector County190-24%
30Taylor County183+7%
31Randall County173+13.1%
32Johnson County172-9.9%
33Rockwall County167+5.7%
34Potter County165+5.1%
35Gregg County159-22.8%
36Grayson County154+0.7%
37Guadalupe County150+3.4%
38Tom Green County135-14%
39Wichita County131+9.2%
40Kaufman County124-4.6%
41Bastrop County104+1%
42Wise County99+19.3%
43Burnet County97+31.1%
44Hood County93+9.4%
45Bowie County88-3.3%
45Henderson County88-3.3%
45Kendall County88-3.3%
48Victoria County87-15.5%
49Angelina County83+2.5%
50Van Zandt County82+15.5%
51Hunt County81-19.8%
52Gillespie County73+25.9%
53Kerr County720%
54Wood County66+34.7%
55Erath County63+34%
55Nacogdoches County63+10.5%
57Harrison County59-16.9%
57Liberty County59-3.3%
59Walker County57-3.4%
60Waller County55+10%
61Navarro County53+20.5%
62Upshur County49+69%
63Brown County48+26.3%
63Lamar County48-26.2%
63Medina County48+23.1%
63Wilson County48-20%
67Cooke County47-13%
67Washington County47+34.3%
69Coryell County46+35.3%
69Hardin County46+7%
69Orange County46-27%
69Polk County46-4.2%
69Rusk County46+15%
74Fayette County43+2.4%
75Atascosa County41-19.6%
75Llano County41+24.2%
77Hopkins County40-9.1%
78Anderson County39+11.4%
78Caldwell County39+11.4%
78Cherokee County39-11.4%
78Jasper County39+69.6%
82Uvalde County38+18.8%
83Chambers County37+42.3%
84Howard County36+9.1%
85Fannin County35+25%
85Matagorda County35+12.9%
85Maverick County35-30%
85San Patricio County35-45.3%
89Austin County34-12.8%
89Jim Wells County34-10.5%
91Hill County33-8.3%
92Aransas County32-5.9%
92Val Verde County32+23.1%
92Wharton County32-25.6%
95Gaines County30-6.3%
96Andrews County29-3.3%
96Blanco County29+45%
96Titus County29+16%
99Bandera County28+27.3%
100Colorado County27-3.6%
100Karnes County27-6.9%
100Palo Pinto County27-40%
103Kleberg County25-7.4%
103Lampasas County25+56.3%
103Starr County25-7.4%
106Calhoun County24+41.2%
106Hale County24+4.3%
106Lee County24+71.4%
106Panola County24+41.2%
106Shelby County24-29.4%
111Lavaca County23-20.7%
111Montague County23-23.3%
113Bee County22-35.3%
113Cass County22-21.4%
113Moore County22+10%
113Young County22-21.4%
117Grimes County21-30%
118DeWitt County20-28.6%
118Limestone County20+33.3%
118Somervell County20+17.6%
121Falls County19+46.2%
121Hockley County19-26.9%
121Jones County19+35.7%
121Madison County19-20.8%
121Milam County19+5.6%
126Burleson County18-5.3%
126Eastland County18-35.7%
126Houston County18+5.9%
126San Jacinto County18+28.6%
130Brewster County17+13.3%
130Deaf Smith County17+41.7%
130Gonzales County17-43.3%
130Jackson County17-19%
130Leon County17-10.5%
135Freestone County16-15.8%
135Gray County16-38.5%
137Reeves County15+7.1%
137Robertson County15-11.8%
137Scurry County15-31.8%
140Frio County14-33.3%
140Hutchinson County14-41.7%
140Live Oak County140%
140Marion County14-12.5%
140Pecos County14-36.4%
140Sabine County14+100%
140Tyler County14-12.5%
147Archer County13-23.5%
147Bosque County13-23.5%
147Jack County13-35%
147Nolan County13-38.1%
151Bailey County12+71.4%
151Callahan County120%
151Dallam County12+33.3%
151Parmer County12+33.3%
151Ward County12-33.3%
156Coleman County11+10%
156Hartley County11+22.2%
156Morris County11-8.3%
156Newton County11+83.3%
156Stephens County110%
161Dawson County10-41.2%
161Goliad County10-41.2%
161Lamb County10+42.9%
161Rains County10-16.7%
161Red River County10+25%
161San Saba County100%
161Wilbarger County10-28.6%
168Camp County9+50%
168Carson County90%
168Garza County9+50%
168Hamilton County9-50%
168Refugio County9+28.6%
168San Augustine County9+125%
168Trinity County9n/a
175Comanche County8-46.7%
175Winkler County8-20%
177Castro County7+16.7%
177Franklin County7+16.7%
177Hardeman County7+40%
177La Salle County7-50%
177Mason County7-12.5%
177McCulloch County7-12.5%
177Mitchell County70%
177Sutton County7-12.5%
177Terry County7-46.2%
177Willacy County7+40%
187Brooks County6+50%
187Childress County60%
187Crane County6+50%
187Delta County6+100%
187Hansford County6+20%
187Hemphill County6-14.3%
187Mills County6+50%
187Ochiltree County6-53.8%
187Real County6+20%
187Runnels County60%
187Shackelford County6+100%
187Swisher County6n/a
187Yoakum County6n/a
200Baylor County5+25%
200Clay County5-68.8%
200Coke County5+25%
200Haskell County5-16.7%
200Jeff Davis County5+66.7%
200Kimble County5+25%
200Lipscomb County5+25%
200Martin County5-37.5%
200Presidio County5-28.6%
200Reagan County5-61.5%
200Sherman County5+25%
200Zavala County5+25%
212Edwards County4n/a
212Fisher County4+33.3%
212Knox County4n/a
212McMullen County40%
212Oldham County40%
212Zapata County4-20%
218Armstrong County3n/a
218Crockett County3-70%
218Culberson County30%
218Dimmit County3-66.7%
218Duval County3-57.1%
218Floyd County3-40%
218Glasscock County3-40%
218Terrell County3n/a
218Upton County3-40%
218Wheeler County3-57.1%
228Borden County0n/a
228Donley County0n/a
228Hudspeth County0n/a
228King County0n/a
228Loving County0n/a
228Motley County0n/a
228Stonewall County0-100%

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. 20 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2016 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 Texas by employer firm births, 2016) [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 Texas by employer firm births, 2016. 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/texas-counties?period=2016. 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 Texas by employer firm births, 2016. 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/texas-counties?period=2016.

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 Texas by employer firm births, 2016 [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/texas-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_texas_by_2016,
  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 Texas by employer firm births, 2016}},
  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/texas-counties?period=2016. 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 Texas by employer firm births, 2016
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/texas-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/texas-counties?period=2016.
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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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

Harris County, with 6,371 in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Stonewall County, with 0 in 2016.

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. 20 counties have no value for 2016 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Texas: more rankings