Counties in Virginia by employer firm births, 2023

Fairfax County had the highest employer firm births of 131 counties in 2023, at 1,853. Greensville County had the lowest, at 4. The median was 30 and the figure for Virginia was 11,835. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,853Fairfax County
Median30131 counties
Virginia11,835History

Map of counties, 2023

Accomack County: 33 countAlbemarle County: 179 countAlleghany County: 6 countAmelia County: 20 countAmherst County: 31 countAppomattox County: 14 countArlington County: 322 countAugusta County: 76 countBath County: 7 countBedford County: 100 countBotetourt County: 39 countBrunswick County: 15 countBuchanan County: 19 countBuckingham County: 19 countCampbell County: 72 countCaroline County: 34 countCarroll County: 22 countCharles City County: 7 countCharlotte County: 14 countChesterfield County: 540 countClarke County: 21 countCraig County: 6 countCulpeper County: 62 countCumberland County: 9 countDickenson County: 10 countDinwiddie County: 23 countEssex County: 18 countFairfax County: 1,853 countFauquier County: 124 countFloyd County: 25 countFluvanna County: 26 countFranklin County: 69 countFrederick County: 115 countGiles County: 15 countGloucester County: 45 countGoochland County: 36 countGrayson County: 15 countGreene County: 20 countGreensville County: 4 countHalifax County: 34 countHanover County: 158 countHenrico County: 543 countHenry County: 26 countIsle of Wight County: 55 countJames City County: 124 countKing and Queen County: 6 countKing George County: 19 countKing William County: 16 countLancaster County: 22 countLee County: 9 countLoudoun County: 972 countLouisa County: 51 countLunenburg County: 10 countMadison County: 15 countMathews County: 8 countMecklenburg County: 37 countMiddlesex County: 18 countMontgomery County: 109 countNelson County: 23 countNew Kent County: 35 countNorthampton County: 17 countNorthumberland County: 13 countNottoway County: 12 countOrange County: 48 countPage County: 20 countPatrick County: 10 countPittsylvania County: 37 countPowhatan County: 49 countPrince Edward County: 30 countPrince George County: 14 countPrince William County: 605 countPulaski County: 30 countRappahannock County: 10 countRichmond County: 9 countRoanoke County: 117 countRockbridge County: 23 countRockingham County: 88 countRussell County: 11 countScott County: 12 countShenandoah County: 57 countSmyth County: 25 countSouthampton County: 12 countSpotsylvania County: 191 countStafford County: 203 countSurry County: 5 countSussex County: 14 countTazewell County: 30 countWarren County: 58 countWashington County: 59 countWestmoreland County: 21 countWise County: 23 countWythe County: 33 countYork County: 64 countAlexandria city: 201 countBristol city: 30 countBuena Vista city: 9 countCharlottesville city: 104 countChesapeake city: 338 countColonial Heights city: 22 countCovington city: 5 countDanville city: 37 countEmporia city: 8 countFairfax city: 112 countFalls Church city: 50 countFranklin city: 16 countFredericksburg city: 82 countGalax city: 13 countHampton city: 132 countHarrisonburg city: 72 countHopewell city: 19 countLexington city: 11 countLynchburg city: 98 countManassas city: 71 countManassas Park city: 22 countMartinsville city: 16 countNewport News city: 176 countNorfolk city: 244 countNorton city: 7 countPetersburg city: 36 countPoquoson city: 13 countPortsmouth city: 83 countRadford city: 13 countRichmond city: 390 countRoanoke city: 129 countSalem city: 34 countStaunton city: 33 countSuffolk city: 96 countVirginia Beach city: 711 countWaynesboro city: 25 countWilliamsburg city: 31 countWinchester city: 68 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 50
  • 50 to 110
  • 110 and over
  • No data
count, 2023. 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, 2023

Fairfax County: 1,853 countFairfax County1,853Loudoun County: 972 countLoudoun County972Virginia Beach city: 711 countVirginia Beach city711Prince William County: 605 countPrince William County605Henrico County: 543 countHenrico County543Chesterfield County: 540 countChesterfield County540Richmond city: 390 countRichmond city390Chesapeake city: 338 countChesapeake city338Arlington County: 322 countArlington County322Norfolk city: 244 countNorfolk city244Stafford County: 203 countStafford County203Alexandria city: 201 countAlexandria city201Spotsylvania County: 191 countSpotsylvania County191Albemarle County: 179 countAlbemarle County179Newport News city: 176 countNewport News city176Hanover County: 158 countHanover County158Hampton city: 132 countHampton city132Roanoke city: 129 countRoanoke city129Fauquier County: 124 countFauquier County124James City County: 124 countJames City County124Roanoke County: 117 countRoanoke County117Frederick County: 115 countFrederick County115Fairfax city: 112 countFairfax city112Montgomery County: 109 countMontgomery County109Charlottesville city: 104 countCharlottesville city104Bedford County: 100 countBedford County100Lynchburg city: 98 countLynchburg city98Suffolk city: 96 countSuffolk city96Rockingham County: 88 countRockingham County88Portsmouth city: 83 countPortsmouth city83Fredericksburg city: 82 countFredericksburg city82Augusta County: 76 countAugusta County76Campbell County: 72 countCampbell County72Harrisonburg city: 72 countHarrisonburg city72Manassas city: 71 countManassas city71Franklin County: 69 countFranklin County69Winchester city: 68 countWinchester city68York County: 64 countYork County64Culpeper County: 62 countCulpeper County62Washington County: 59 countWashington County59Fairfax County: 1,853 countFairfax County1,853Loudoun County: 972 countLoudoun County972Virginia Beach city: 711 countVirginia Beach city711Prince William County: 605 countPrince William County605Henrico County: 543 countHenrico County543Chesterfield County: 540 countChesterfield County540Richmond city: 390 countRichmond city390Chesapeake city: 338 countChesapeake city338Arlington County: 322 countArlington County322Norfolk city: 244 countNorfolk city244Stafford County: 203 countStafford County203Alexandria city: 201 countAlexandria city201Spotsylvania County: 191 countSpotsylvania County191Albemarle County: 179 countAlbemarle County179Newport News city: 176 countNewport News city176Hanover County: 158 countHanover County158Hampton city: 132 countHampton city132Roanoke city: 129 countRoanoke city129Fauquier County: 124 countFauquier County124James City County: 124 countJames City County124Roanoke County: 117 countRoanoke County117Frederick County: 115 countFrederick County115Fairfax city: 112 countFairfax city112Montgomery County: 109 countMontgomery County109Charlottesville city: 104 countCharlottesville city104Bedford County: 100 countBedford County100Lynchburg city: 98 countLynchburg city98Suffolk city: 96 countSuffolk city96Rockingham County: 88 countRockingham County88Portsmouth city: 83 countPortsmouth city83Fredericksburg city: 82 countFredericksburg city82Augusta County: 76 countAugusta County76Campbell County: 72 countCampbell County72Harrisonburg city: 72 countHarrisonburg city72Manassas city: 71 countManassas city71Franklin County: 69 countFranklin County69Winchester city: 68 countWinchester city68York County: 64 countYork County64Culpeper County: 62 countCulpeper County62Washington County: 59 countWashington County59
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

RankCounties2023
count
Change on 2022
1Fairfax County1,853+1.8%
2Loudoun County972+11.2%
3Virginia Beach city711-1.5%
4Prince William County605-17.7%
5Henrico County543-0.9%
6Chesterfield County540-6.7%
7Richmond city390-5.3%
8Chesapeake city338+3%
9Arlington County322-8.3%
10Norfolk city244-18.9%
11Stafford County203+16.7%
12Alexandria city201-23.9%
13Spotsylvania County191-14.3%
14Albemarle County179+33.6%
15Newport News city176-4.9%
16Hanover County158-23.3%
17Hampton city132-5.7%
18Roanoke city129+10.3%
19Fauquier County124+6.9%
19James City County124+21.6%
21Roanoke County117+0.9%
22Frederick County115+1.8%
23Fairfax city112+1.8%
24Montgomery County109+12.4%
25Charlottesville city1040%
26Bedford County100-12.3%
27Lynchburg city98-10.1%
28Suffolk city96-16.5%
29Rockingham County88-15.4%
30Portsmouth city83-16.2%
31Fredericksburg city82+5.1%
32Augusta County76-11.6%
33Campbell County72+4.3%
33Harrisonburg city72-18.2%
35Manassas city71-29.7%
36Franklin County69+9.5%
37Winchester city68-1.4%
38York County64-5.9%
39Culpeper County62-22.5%
40Washington County59-13.2%
41Warren County58-3.3%
42Shenandoah County57+1.8%
43Isle of Wight County55+31%
44Louisa County51+10.9%
45Falls Church city50-10.7%
46Powhatan County49-9.3%
47Orange County48-17.2%
48Gloucester County450%
49Botetourt County39-17%
50Danville city37-19.6%
50Mecklenburg County37+5.7%
50Pittsylvania County37-32.7%
53Goochland County36-16.3%
53Petersburg city36-29.4%
55New Kent County35-34%
56Caroline County34-15%
56Halifax County34+13.3%
56Salem city34+36%
59Accomack County33-2.9%
59Staunton city33-15.4%
59Wythe County33+3.1%
62Amherst County31+3.3%
62Williamsburg city31+55%
64Bristol city300%
64Prince Edward County30+36.4%
64Pulaski County30-14.3%
64Tazewell County30+11.1%
68Fluvanna County260%
68Henry County26-43.5%
70Floyd County25+31.6%
70Smyth County25+66.7%
70Waynesboro city25-10.7%
73Dinwiddie County23+35.3%
73Nelson County23+9.5%
73Rockbridge County23-17.9%
73Wise County23-8%
77Carroll County22-12%
77Colonial Heights city22-31.3%
77Lancaster County22+15.8%
77Manassas Park city22-8.3%
81Clarke County21-16%
81Westmoreland County21-8.7%
83Amelia County20+17.6%
83Greene County20-33.3%
83Page County20-33.3%
86Buchanan County19+72.7%
86Buckingham County19+375%
86Hopewell city19-5%
86King George County19-24%
90Essex County18-5.3%
90Middlesex County18-10%
92Northampton County17-34.6%
93Franklin city16+60%
93King William County16+6.7%
93Martinsville city16-23.8%
96Brunswick County15-21.1%
96Giles County15+36.4%
96Grayson County15+114.3%
96Madison County15-6.3%
100Appomattox County14-46.2%
100Charlotte County14+40%
100Prince George County14-53.3%
100Sussex County14+133.3%
104Galax city13+44.4%
104Northumberland County13-18.8%
104Poquoson city13-35%
104Radford city13+116.7%
108Nottoway County120%
108Scott County12+71.4%
108Southampton County120%
111Lexington city110%
111Russell County11-50%
113Dickenson County10+42.9%
113Lunenburg County10-23.1%
113Patrick County10+11.1%
113Rappahannock County10+25%
117Buena Vista city9+200%
117Cumberland County9-30.8%
117Lee County90%
117Richmond County90%
121Emporia city8+14.3%
121Mathews County8-38.5%
123Bath County7+16.7%
123Charles City County7+133.3%
123Norton city7+40%
126Alleghany County6+20%
126Craig County6+50%
126King and Queen County6+50%
129Covington city5+25%
129Surry County5-37.5%
131Greensville County4+33.3%

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. 2 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2023 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 Virginia by employer firm births, 2023) [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 Virginia by employer firm births, 2023. 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/virginia-counties. 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 Virginia by employer firm births, 2023. 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/virginia-counties.

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 Virginia by employer firm births, 2023 [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/virginia-counties (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2023,
  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 Virginia by employer firm births, 2023}},
  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/virginia-counties. 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 Virginia by employer firm births, 2023
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/virginia-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/virginia-counties.
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 Virginia by employer firm births using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firm births?

Fairfax County, with 1,853 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Greensville County, with 4 in 2023.

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. 2 counties have no value for 2023 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings