Counties in Texas by employer firm births

Harris County had the highest employer firm births of 231 counties in 2021, at 7,528. Terrell County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 22 and the figure for Texas was 43,778. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest7,528Harris County
Median22231 counties
Texas43,778History

Map of counties, 2021

Anderson County: 39 countAndrews County: 27 countAngelina County: 96 countAransas County: 49 countArcher County: 16 countAtascosa County: 31 countAustin County: 44 countBandera County: 29 countBastrop County: 137 countBaylor County: 4 countBee County: 22 countBell County: 372 countBexar County: 2,381 countBlanco County: 24 countBorden County: 0 countBosque County: 19 countBowie County: 106 countBrazoria County: 422 countBrazos County: 261 countBrewster County: 17 countBrooks County: 3 countBrown County: 39 countBurleson County: 20 countBurnet County: 94 countCaldwell County: 49 countCalhoun County: 25 countCallahan County: 7 countCameron County: 338 countCamp County: 12 countCarson County: 6 countCass County: 25 countCastro County: 8 countChambers County: 57 countCherokee County: 51 countChildress County: 8 countClay County: 14 countCochran County: 3 countCoke County: 8 countColeman County: 11 countCollin County: 2,719 countCollingsworth County: 4 countColorado County: 24 countComal County: 349 countComanche County: 19 countCooke County: 58 countCoryell County: 40 countCottle County: 0 countCrane County: 4 countCrockett County: 0 countCulberson County: 3 countDallam County: 9 countDallas County: 4,902 countDawson County: 6 countDeaf Smith County: 12 countDelta County: 3 countDenton County: 1,730 countDeWitt County: 17 countDickens County: 0 countDimmit County: 4 countDuval County: 7 countEastland County: 25 countEctor County: 209 countEdwards County: 4 countEllis County: 326 countEl Paso County: 996 countErath County: 62 countFalls County: 11 countFannin County: 39 countFayette County: 32 countFloyd County: 6 countFort Bend County: 1,681 countFranklin County: 10 countFreestone County: 17 countFrio County: 12 countGaines County: 27 countGalveston County: 392 countGarza County: 4 countGillespie County: 69 countGoliad County: 14 countGonzales County: 22 countGray County: 19 countGrayson County: 167 countGregg County: 195 countGrimes County: 44 countGuadalupe County: 198 countHale County: 19 countHamilton County: 9 countHansford County: 11 countHardin County: 47 countHarris County: 7,528 countHarrison County: 62 countHartley County: 5 countHaskell County: 5 countHays County: 424 countHemphill County: 5 countHenderson County: 96 countHidalgo County: 736 countHill County: 33 countHockley County: 13 countHood County: 103 countHopkins County: 53 countHouston County: 26 countHoward County: 26 countHunt County: 110 countHutchinson County: 21 countJack County: 12 countJackson County: 18 countJasper County: 29 countJefferson County: 238 countJim Hogg County: 5 countJim Wells County: 19 countJohnson County: 239 countJones County: 10 countKarnes County: 11 countKaufman County: 190 countKendall County: 87 countKent County: 0 countKerr County: 83 countKimble County: 6 countKing County: 0 countKinney County: 0 countKleberg County: 27 countKnox County: 4 countLamar County: 59 countLamb County: 5 countLampasas County: 27 countLa Salle County: 9 countLavaca County: 20 countLee County: 16 countLeon County: 23 countLiberty County: 62 countLimestone County: 21 countLive Oak County: 9 countLlano County: 35 countLoving County: 0 countLubbock County: 441 countLynn County: 6 countMcCulloch County: 8 countMcLennan County: 302 countMadison County: 13 countMarion County: 9 countMartin County: 3 countMason County: 14 countMatagorda County: 36 countMaverick County: 49 countMedina County: 43 countMidland County: 313 countMilam County: 32 countMitchell County: 8 countMontague County: 30 countMontgomery County: 1,113 countMoore County: 19 countMorris County: 7 countNacogdoches County: 68 countNavarro County: 40 countNewton County: 14 countNolan County: 10 countNueces County: 391 countOchiltree County: 26 countOldham County: 3 countOrange County: 55 countPalo Pinto County: 27 countPanola County: 22 countParker County: 280 countParmer County: 10 countPecos County: 7 countPolk County: 61 countPotter County: 169 countPresidio County: 15 countRains County: 12 countRandall County: 161 countReagan County: 4 countReal County: 5 countRed River County: 17 countReeves County: 16 countRefugio County: 5 countRoberts County: 0 countRobertson County: 18 countRockwall County: 225 countRunnels County: 8 countRusk County: 50 countSabine County: 10 countSan Augustine County: 7 countSan Jacinto County: 19 countSan Patricio County: 86 countSan Saba County: 7 countSchleicher County: 3 countScurry County: 16 countShackelford County: 8 countShelby County: 45 countSmith County: 346 countSomervell County: 20 countStarr County: 22 countStephens County: 13 countStonewall County: 3 countSutton County: 3 countSwisher County: 8 countTarrant County: 3,236 countTaylor County: 191 countTerrell County: 0 countTerry County: 13 countThrockmorton County: 4 countTitus County: 30 countTom Green County: 151 countTravis County: 3,109 countTrinity County: 15 countTyler County: 5 countUpshur County: 43 countUpton County: 3 countUvalde County: 20 countVal Verde County: 31 countVan Zandt County: 73 countVictoria County: 69 countWalker County: 66 countWaller County: 59 countWard County: 15 countWashington County: 62 countWebb County: 322 countWharton County: 31 countWheeler County: 9 countWichita County: 124 countWilbarger County: 9 countWillacy County: 7 countWilliamson County: 1,149 countWilson County: 64 countWinkler County: 9 countWise County: 106 countWood County: 61 countYoakum County: 7 countYoung County: 24 countZapata County: 6 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 40
  • 40 to 150
  • 150 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

Harris County: 7,528 countHarris County7,528Dallas County: 4,902 countDallas County4,902Tarrant County: 3,236 countTarrant County3,236Travis County: 3,109 countTravis County3,109Collin County: 2,719 countCollin County2,719Bexar County: 2,381 countBexar County2,381Denton County: 1,730 countDenton County1,730Fort Bend County: 1,681 countFort Bend County1,681Williamson County: 1,149 countWilliamson County1,149Montgomery County: 1,113 countMontgomery County1,113El Paso County: 996 countEl Paso County996Hidalgo County: 736 countHidalgo County736Lubbock County: 441 countLubbock County441Hays County: 424 countHays County424Brazoria County: 422 countBrazoria County422Galveston County: 392 countGalveston County392Nueces County: 391 countNueces County391Bell County: 372 countBell County372Comal County: 349 countComal County349Smith County: 346 countSmith County346Cameron County: 338 countCameron County338Ellis County: 326 countEllis County326Webb County: 322 countWebb County322Midland County: 313 countMidland County313McLennan County: 302 countMcLennan County302Parker County: 280 countParker County280Brazos County: 261 countBrazos County261Johnson County: 239 countJohnson County239Jefferson County: 238 countJefferson County238Rockwall County: 225 countRockwall County225Ector County: 209 countEctor County209Guadalupe County: 198 countGuadalupe County198Gregg County: 195 countGregg County195Taylor County: 191 countTaylor County191Kaufman County: 190 countKaufman County190Potter County: 169 countPotter County169Grayson County: 167 countGrayson County167Randall County: 161 countRandall County161Tom Green County: 151 countTom Green County151Bastrop County: 137 countBastrop County137Harris County: 7,528 countHarris County7,528Dallas County: 4,902 countDallas County4,902Tarrant County: 3,236 countTarrant County3,236Travis County: 3,109 countTravis County3,109Collin County: 2,719 countCollin County2,719Bexar County: 2,381 countBexar County2,381Denton County: 1,730 countDenton County1,730Fort Bend County: 1,681 countFort Bend County1,681Williamson County: 1,149 countWilliamson County1,149Montgomery County: 1,113 countMontgomery County1,113El Paso County: 996 countEl Paso County996Hidalgo County: 736 countHidalgo County736Lubbock County: 441 countLubbock County441Hays County: 424 countHays County424Brazoria County: 422 countBrazoria County422Galveston County: 392 countGalveston County392Nueces County: 391 countNueces County391Bell County: 372 countBell County372Comal County: 349 countComal County349Smith County: 346 countSmith County346Cameron County: 338 countCameron County338Ellis County: 326 countEllis County326Webb County: 322 countWebb County322Midland County: 313 countMidland County313McLennan County: 302 countMcLennan County302Parker County: 280 countParker County280Brazos County: 261 countBrazos County261Johnson County: 239 countJohnson County239Jefferson County: 238 countJefferson County238Rockwall County: 225 countRockwall County225Ector County: 209 countEctor County209Guadalupe County: 198 countGuadalupe County198Gregg County: 195 countGregg County195Taylor County: 191 countTaylor County191Kaufman County: 190 countKaufman County190Potter County: 169 countPotter County169Grayson County: 167 countGrayson County167Randall County: 161 countRandall County161Tom Green County: 151 countTom Green County151Bastrop County: 137 countBastrop County137
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
1Harris County7,528+10.9%
2Dallas County4,902+15.9%
3Tarrant County3,236+12.7%
4Travis County3,109+5.1%
5Collin County2,719+20.4%
6Bexar County2,381+9.7%
7Denton County1,730+13.5%
8Fort Bend County1,681+10.8%
9Williamson County1,149+8%
10Montgomery County1,113+8.5%
11El Paso County996+17.9%
12Hidalgo County736+2.8%
13Lubbock County441-1.1%
14Hays County424+15.2%
15Brazoria County422+10.5%
16Galveston County392+8.3%
17Nueces County3910%
18Bell County372+3.9%
19Comal County349+7.7%
20Smith County346-0.3%
21Cameron County338-5.6%
22Ellis County326+32%
23Webb County322+5.9%
24Midland County313-27%
25McLennan County3020%
26Parker County280+6.5%
27Brazos County261-3%
28Johnson County239+18.3%
29Jefferson County2380%
30Rockwall County225-6.3%
31Ector County2090%
32Guadalupe County198+3.1%
33Gregg County195-4.9%
34Taylor County191+6.1%
35Kaufman County190+11.8%
36Potter County169+43.2%
37Grayson County167-5.1%
38Randall County161+3.2%
39Tom Green County151+15.3%
40Bastrop County137+5.4%
41Wichita County124-7.5%
42Hunt County110+11.1%
43Bowie County106+6%
43Wise County106+1.9%
45Hood County1030%
46Angelina County96+5.5%
46Henderson County96+47.7%
48Burnet County94+6.8%
49Kendall County87-20.9%
50San Patricio County86+38.7%
51Kerr County83+1.2%
52Van Zandt County73+15.9%
53Gillespie County69-5.5%
53Victoria County69-27.4%
55Nacogdoches County68+41.7%
56Walker County66+13.8%
57Wilson County64+20.8%
58Erath County62-4.6%
58Harrison County62-15.1%
58Liberty County62-10.1%
58Washington County62+63.2%
62Polk County61+17.3%
62Wood County61+15.1%
64Lamar County59+3.5%
64Waller County59-1.7%
66Cooke County580%
67Chambers County57+50%
68Orange County55-24.7%
69Hopkins County53+39.5%
70Cherokee County51+27.5%
71Rusk County50+11.1%
72Aransas County49+44.1%
72Caldwell County49+32.4%
72Maverick County49+28.9%
75Hardin County47-4.1%
76Shelby County45+50%
77Austin County44+15.8%
77Grimes County44+76%
79Medina County43+7.5%
79Upshur County43+48.3%
81Coryell County40-2.4%
81Navarro County400%
83Anderson County390%
83Brown County39+11.4%
83Fannin County39+21.9%
86Matagorda County36+20%
87Llano County35+25%
88Hill County33+3.1%
89Fayette County32+3.2%
89Milam County32+28%
91Atascosa County31+3.3%
91Val Verde County310%
91Wharton County31-36.7%
94Montague County30+57.9%
94Titus County30-3.2%
96Bandera County29-23.7%
96Jasper County29+11.5%
98Andrews County27+28.6%
98Gaines County27-22.9%
98Kleberg County270%
98Lampasas County27+8%
98Palo Pinto County27-25%
103Houston County26+116.7%
103Howard County26-31.6%
103Ochiltree County26+73.3%
106Calhoun County25+127.3%
106Cass County25-7.4%
106Eastland County25-40.5%
109Blanco County24-29.4%
109Colorado County24-4%
109Young County24+14.3%
112Leon County23-8%
113Bee County22+10%
113Gonzales County22+37.5%
113Panola County22+22.2%
113Starr County22-33.3%
117Hutchinson County21+40%
117Limestone County21+10.5%
119Burleson County20-16.7%
119Lavaca County20+25%
119Somervell County20+5.3%
119Uvalde County200%
123Bosque County190%
123Comanche County19+72.7%
123Gray County19+18.8%
123Hale County19-32.1%
123Jim Wells County19-38.7%
123Moore County19-5%
123San Jacinto County19-24%
130Jackson County18-14.3%
130Robertson County18+38.5%
132Brewster County17+13.3%
132DeWitt County17+41.7%
132Freestone County17+6.3%
132Red River County17+70%
136Archer County16-5.9%
136Lee County16-5.9%
136Reeves County16-36%
136Scurry County16-5.9%
140Presidio County15+25%
140Trinity County15+50%
140Ward County15-25%
143Clay County14+55.6%
143Goliad County14+75%
143Mason County14+180%
143Newton County14+133.3%
147Hockley County13-43.5%
147Madison County13-35%
147Stephens County13+116.7%
147Terry County13+8.3%
151Camp County12+20%
151Deaf Smith County12-29.4%
151Frio County12-14.3%
151Jack County12+20%
151Rains County12-29.4%
156Coleman County11+10%
156Falls County11+22.2%
156Hansford County11+10%
156Karnes County11-26.7%
160Franklin County10-9.1%
160Jones County10-9.1%
160Nolan County10+25%
160Parmer County10+25%
160Sabine County10-23.1%
165Dallam County90%
165Hamilton County9-10%
165La Salle County9-10%
165Live Oak County9+28.6%
165Marion County9-18.2%
165Wheeler County9+12.5%
165Wilbarger County9+80%
165Winkler County9+50%
173Castro County8+14.3%
173Childress County8+33.3%
173Coke County8n/a
173McCulloch County8+14.3%
173Mitchell County8n/a
173Runnels County8-27.3%
173Shackelford County8+14.3%
173Swisher County8n/a
181Callahan County7-61.1%
181Duval County7-36.4%
181Morris County7-56.3%
181Pecos County7-50%
181San Augustine County70%
181San Saba County70%
181Willacy County7-36.4%
181Yoakum County7+16.7%
189Carson County6+20%
189Dawson County6-50%
189Floyd County6+100%
189Kimble County6-50%
189Lynn County60%
189Zapata County6+20%
195Hartley County5-16.7%
195Haskell County5n/a
195Hemphill County5-28.6%
195Jim Hogg County5+25%
195Lamb County5-37.5%
195Real County5-37.5%
195Refugio County5-28.6%
195Tyler County5-72.2%
203Baylor County4-20%
203Collingsworth County4n/a
203Crane County4-20%
203Dimmit County4-60%
203Edwards County4n/a
203Garza County4-42.9%
203Knox County4n/a
203Reagan County4-33.3%
203Throckmorton County4n/a
212Brooks County3n/a
212Cochran County3n/a
212Culberson County3n/a
212Delta County3-25%
212Martin County3-70%
212Oldham County3n/a
212Schleicher County3n/a
212Stonewall County3n/a
212Sutton County3-40%
212Upton County3-40%
222Borden County0n/a
222Cottle County0n/a
222Crockett County0-100%
222Dickens County0-100%
222Kent County0n/a
222King County0n/a
222Kinney County0n/a
222Loving County0n/a
222Roberts County0n/a
222Terrell 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. 23 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 Texas 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 Texas 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/texas-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 Texas 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/texas-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 Texas 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/texas-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

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

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

Harris County, with 7,528 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Terrell County, with 0 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. 23 counties have no value for 2021 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Texas: more rankings