Counties in Virginia by employer firm births

Fairfax County had the highest employer firm births of 133 counties in 2012, at 1,753. King and Queen County had the lowest, at 3. The median was 25 and the figure for Virginia was 9,790. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,753Fairfax County
Median25133 counties
Virginia9,790History

Map of counties, 2012

Accomack County: 16 countAlbemarle County: 134 countAlleghany County: 8 countAmelia County: 10 countAmherst County: 26 countAppomattox County: 8 countArlington County: 318 countAugusta County: 55 countBath County: 5 countBedford County: 81 countBland County: 4 countBotetourt County: 31 countBrunswick County: 12 countBuchanan County: 19 countBuckingham County: 16 countCampbell County: 58 countCaroline County: 21 countCarroll County: 16 countCharles City County: 5 countCharlotte County: 15 countChesterfield County: 396 countClarke County: 11 countCraig County: 4 countCulpeper County: 63 countCumberland County: 10 countDickenson County: 7 countDinwiddie County: 13 countEssex County: 11 countFairfax County: 1,753 countFauquier County: 99 countFloyd County: 19 countFluvanna County: 18 countFranklin County: 44 countFrederick County: 75 countGiles County: 11 countGloucester County: 40 countGoochland County: 35 countGrayson County: 9 countGreene County: 14 countGreensville County: 3 countHalifax County: 21 countHanover County: 176 countHenrico County: 423 countHenry County: 37 countHighland County: 3 countIsle of Wight County: 42 countJames City County: 85 countKing and Queen County: 3 countKing George County: 23 countKing William County: 11 countLancaster County: 25 countLee County: 8 countLoudoun County: 674 countLouisa County: 33 countLunenburg County: 6 countMadison County: 7 countMathews County: 6 countMecklenburg County: 35 countMiddlesex County: 11 countMontgomery County: 82 countNelson County: 24 countNew Kent County: 30 countNorthampton County: 11 countNorthumberland County: 8 countNottoway County: 10 countOrange County: 31 countPage County: 18 countPatrick County: 13 countPittsylvania County: 36 countPowhatan County: 45 countPrince Edward County: 28 countPrince George County: 23 countPrince William County: 473 countPulaski County: 18 countRappahannock County: 13 countRichmond County: 6 countRoanoke County: 85 countRockbridge County: 26 countRockingham County: 45 countRussell County: 25 countScott County: 12 countShenandoah County: 40 countSmyth County: 19 countSouthampton County: 8 countSpotsylvania County: 135 countStafford County: 119 countSurry County: 4 countSussex County: 7 countTazewell County: 42 countWarren County: 46 countWashington County: 37 countWestmoreland County: 12 countWise County: 29 countWythe County: 30 countYork County: 84 countAlexandria city: 231 countBristol city: 23 countBuena Vista city: 5 countCharlottesville city: 109 countChesapeake city: 273 countColonial Heights city: 19 countCovington city: 9 countDanville city: 47 countEmporia city: 12 countFairfax city: 72 countFalls Church city: 56 countFranklin city: 9 countFredericksburg city: 60 countGalax city: 11 countHampton city: 103 countHarrisonburg city: 59 countHopewell city: 13 countLexington city: 14 countLynchburg city: 88 countManassas city: 65 countManassas Park city: 20 countMartinsville city: 17 countNewport News city: 162 countNorfolk city: 219 countNorton city: 8 countPetersburg city: 29 countPoquoson city: 14 countPortsmouth city: 80 countRadford city: 14 countRichmond city: 304 countRoanoke city: 107 countSalem city: 41 countStaunton city: 32 countSuffolk city: 69 countVirginia Beach city: 556 countWaynesboro city: 21 countWilliamsburg city: 32 countWinchester city: 50 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 30
  • 30 to 40
  • 40 to 90
  • 90 and over
count, 2012. 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, 2012

Fairfax County: 1,753 countFairfax County1,753Loudoun County: 674 countLoudoun County674Virginia Beach city: 556 countVirginia Beach city556Prince William County: 473 countPrince William County473Henrico County: 423 countHenrico County423Chesterfield County: 396 countChesterfield County396Arlington County: 318 countArlington County318Richmond city: 304 countRichmond city304Chesapeake city: 273 countChesapeake city273Alexandria city: 231 countAlexandria city231Norfolk city: 219 countNorfolk city219Hanover County: 176 countHanover County176Newport News city: 162 countNewport News city162Spotsylvania County: 135 countSpotsylvania County135Albemarle County: 134 countAlbemarle County134Stafford County: 119 countStafford County119Charlottesville city: 109 countCharlottesville city109Roanoke city: 107 countRoanoke city107Hampton city: 103 countHampton city103Fauquier County: 99 countFauquier County99Lynchburg city: 88 countLynchburg city88James City County: 85 countJames City County85Roanoke County: 85 countRoanoke County85York County: 84 countYork County84Montgomery County: 82 countMontgomery County82Bedford County: 81 countBedford County81Portsmouth city: 80 countPortsmouth city80Frederick County: 75 countFrederick County75Fairfax city: 72 countFairfax city72Suffolk city: 69 countSuffolk city69Manassas city: 65 countManassas city65Culpeper County: 63 countCulpeper County63Fredericksburg city: 60 countFredericksburg city60Harrisonburg city: 59 countHarrisonburg city59Campbell County: 58 countCampbell County58Falls Church city: 56 countFalls Church city56Augusta County: 55 countAugusta County55Winchester city: 50 countWinchester city50Danville city: 47 countDanville city47Warren County: 46 countWarren County46Fairfax County: 1,753 countFairfax County1,753Loudoun County: 674 countLoudoun County674Virginia Beach city: 556 countVirginia Beach city556Prince William County: 473 countPrince William County473Henrico County: 423 countHenrico County423Chesterfield County: 396 countChesterfield County396Arlington County: 318 countArlington County318Richmond city: 304 countRichmond city304Chesapeake city: 273 countChesapeake city273Alexandria city: 231 countAlexandria city231Norfolk city: 219 countNorfolk city219Hanover County: 176 countHanover County176Newport News city: 162 countNewport News city162Spotsylvania County: 135 countSpotsylvania County135Albemarle County: 134 countAlbemarle County134Stafford County: 119 countStafford County119Charlottesville city: 109 countCharlottesville city109Roanoke city: 107 countRoanoke city107Hampton city: 103 countHampton city103Fauquier County: 99 countFauquier County99Lynchburg city: 88 countLynchburg city88James City County: 85 countJames City County85Roanoke County: 85 countRoanoke County85York County: 84 countYork County84Montgomery County: 82 countMontgomery County82Bedford County: 81 countBedford County81Portsmouth city: 80 countPortsmouth city80Frederick County: 75 countFrederick County75Fairfax city: 72 countFairfax city72Suffolk city: 69 countSuffolk city69Manassas city: 65 countManassas city65Culpeper County: 63 countCulpeper County63Fredericksburg city: 60 countFredericksburg city60Harrisonburg city: 59 countHarrisonburg city59Campbell County: 58 countCampbell County58Falls Church city: 56 countFalls Church city56Augusta County: 55 countAugusta County55Winchester city: 50 countWinchester city50Danville city: 47 countDanville city47Warren County: 46 countWarren County46
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

RankCounties2012
count
Change on 2011
1Fairfax County1,753+4.3%
2Loudoun County674+1.4%
3Virginia Beach city556-1.9%
4Prince William County473-6.5%
5Henrico County423-4.1%
6Chesterfield County396+12.5%
7Arlington County318+9.3%
8Richmond city304+9%
9Chesapeake city273+5.4%
10Alexandria city231+10.5%
11Norfolk city219+18.4%
12Hanover County176+35.4%
13Newport News city162+14.9%
14Spotsylvania County135-2.2%
15Albemarle County134-2.2%
16Stafford County119-7.8%
17Charlottesville city109+18.5%
18Roanoke city107-7.8%
19Hampton city103+9.6%
20Fauquier County99-5.7%
21Lynchburg city88-1.1%
22James City County85-14.1%
22Roanoke County85-17.5%
24York County84+10.5%
25Montgomery County82-12.8%
26Bedford County81-6.9%
27Portsmouth city80-3.6%
28Frederick County75-17.6%
29Fairfax city72-2.7%
30Suffolk city69-18.8%
31Manassas city65-20.7%
32Culpeper County63+23.5%
33Fredericksburg city60+25%
34Harrisonburg city590%
35Campbell County58+48.7%
36Falls Church city56+33.3%
37Augusta County55-17.9%
38Winchester city50-9.1%
39Danville city47+4.4%
40Warren County46-2.1%
41Powhatan County45+28.6%
41Rockingham County45-16.7%
43Franklin County44-20%
44Isle of Wight County42+44.8%
44Tazewell County42-8.7%
46Salem city41+20.6%
47Gloucester County40+14.3%
47Shenandoah County40-4.8%
49Henry County37+54.2%
49Washington County37-22.9%
51Pittsylvania County36-16.3%
52Goochland County35+16.7%
52Mecklenburg County35-2.8%
54Louisa County330%
55Staunton city32+14.3%
55Williamsburg city32+60%
57Botetourt County31-13.9%
57Orange County31+3.3%
59New Kent County30+25%
59Wythe County30+15.4%
61Petersburg city29+26.1%
61Wise County29-17.1%
63Prince Edward County28+27.3%
64Amherst County260%
64Rockbridge County26+23.8%
66Lancaster County250%
66Russell County25+25%
68Nelson County24-11.1%
69Bristol city23-11.5%
69King George County23+9.5%
69Prince George County23-4.2%
72Caroline County21+162.5%
72Halifax County21-25%
72Waynesboro city21-34.4%
75Manassas Park city200%
76Buchanan County19-9.5%
76Colonial Heights city19-36.7%
76Floyd County19+11.8%
76Smyth County19-29.6%
80Fluvanna County18-14.3%
80Page County18+12.5%
80Pulaski County18-45.5%
83Martinsville city17-19%
84Accomack County16-46.7%
84Buckingham County16+100%
84Carroll County16-11.1%
87Charlotte County150%
88Greene County14-22.2%
88Lexington city14+250%
88Poquoson city14+16.7%
88Radford city14+16.7%
92Dinwiddie County13-58.1%
92Hopewell city13+18.2%
92Patrick County13+30%
92Rappahannock County13+62.5%
96Brunswick County12-7.7%
96Emporia city12+200%
96Scott County12+100%
96Westmoreland County12-33.3%
100Clarke County11-26.7%
100Essex County11+37.5%
100Galax city11+10%
100Giles County11+266.7%
100King William County11-45%
100Middlesex County11-21.4%
100Northampton County11+10%
107Amelia County10-28.6%
107Cumberland County10+25%
107Nottoway County10+11.1%
110Covington city9+12.5%
110Franklin city9-40%
110Grayson County9+28.6%
113Alleghany County8+100%
113Appomattox County8-27.3%
113Lee County8-11.1%
113Northumberland County8+33.3%
113Norton city80%
113Southampton County8+14.3%
119Dickenson County7-36.4%
119Madison County7-30%
119Sussex County7-36.4%
122Lunenburg County6-25%
122Mathews County60%
122Richmond County6+50%
125Bath County5-28.6%
125Buena Vista city50%
125Charles City County5-16.7%
128Bland County40%
128Craig County4-20%
128Surry County40%
131Greensville County3n/a
131Highland County3-57.1%
131King and Queen County3-25%

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. 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, 2012) [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, 2012. 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?period=2012. 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, 2012. 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?period=2012.

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, 2012 [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?period=2012 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2012,
  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, 2012}},
  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?period=2012. 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, 2012
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?period=2012
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/virginia-counties?period=2012.
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 1,753 in 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

King and Queen County, with 3 in 2012.

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.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings