Counties in Virginia by employer firm births

Fairfax County had the highest employer firm births of 131 counties in 2014, at 1,749. Covington city had the lowest, at 3. The median was 22 and the figure for Virginia was 9,780. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,749Fairfax County
Median22131 counties
Virginia9,780History

Map of counties, 2014

Accomack County: 22 countAlbemarle County: 137 countAlleghany County: 9 countAmelia County: 13 countAmherst County: 22 countAppomattox County: 16 countArlington County: 322 countAugusta County: 48 countBedford County: 88 countBland County: 5 countBotetourt County: 23 countBrunswick County: 7 countBuchanan County: 14 countBuckingham County: 11 countCampbell County: 50 countCaroline County: 28 countCarroll County: 17 countCharles City County: 6 countCharlotte County: 11 countChesterfield County: 395 countClarke County: 15 countCraig County: 5 countCulpeper County: 47 countCumberland County: 5 countDickenson County: 4 countDinwiddie County: 17 countEssex County: 17 countFairfax County: 1,749 countFauquier County: 103 countFloyd County: 20 countFluvanna County: 22 countFranklin County: 62 countFrederick County: 72 countGiles County: 11 countGloucester County: 39 countGoochland County: 32 countGrayson County: 6 countGreene County: 27 countGreensville County: 6 countHalifax County: 23 countHanover County: 148 countHenrico County: 441 countHenry County: 32 countHighland County: 4 countIsle of Wight County: 42 countJames City County: 88 countKing and Queen County: 11 countKing George County: 24 countKing William County: 10 countLancaster County: 19 countLee County: 15 countLoudoun County: 759 countLouisa County: 21 countLunenburg County: 11 countMadison County: 10 countMathews County: 11 countMecklenburg County: 25 countMiddlesex County: 11 countMontgomery County: 72 countNelson County: 19 countNew Kent County: 19 countNorthampton County: 15 countNorthumberland County: 14 countNottoway County: 11 countOrange County: 29 countPage County: 22 countPatrick County: 4 countPittsylvania County: 31 countPowhatan County: 39 countPrince Edward County: 30 countPrince George County: 15 countPrince William County: 495 countPulaski County: 25 countRappahannock County: 14 countRichmond County: 5 countRoanoke County: 94 countRockbridge County: 20 countRockingham County: 52 countRussell County: 21 countScott County: 8 countShenandoah County: 38 countSmyth County: 17 countSouthampton County: 8 countSpotsylvania County: 142 countStafford County: 142 countSussex County: 12 countTazewell County: 33 countWarren County: 35 countWashington County: 60 countWestmoreland County: 12 countWise County: 15 countWythe County: 25 countYork County: 64 countAlexandria city: 219 countBristol city: 18 countBuena Vista city: 3 countCharlottesville city: 103 countChesapeake city: 260 countColonial Heights city: 18 countCovington city: 3 countDanville city: 40 countEmporia city: 13 countFairfax city: 96 countFalls Church city: 46 countFranklin city: 8 countFredericksburg city: 67 countGalax city: 5 countHampton city: 95 countHarrisonburg city: 70 countHopewell city: 21 countLexington city: 10 countLynchburg city: 89 countManassas city: 88 countManassas Park city: 18 countMartinsville city: 6 countNewport News city: 163 countNorfolk city: 180 countNorton city: 6 countPetersburg city: 27 countPoquoson city: 9 countPortsmouth city: 81 countRadford city: 12 countRichmond city: 282 countRoanoke city: 107 countSalem city: 30 countStaunton city: 31 countSuffolk city: 76 countVirginia Beach city: 568 countWaynesboro city: 26 countWilliamsburg city: 21 countWinchester city: 66 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 40
  • 40 to 90
  • 90 and over
  • No data
count, 2014. 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, 2014

Fairfax County: 1,749 countFairfax County1,749Loudoun County: 759 countLoudoun County759Virginia Beach city: 568 countVirginia Beach city568Prince William County: 495 countPrince William County495Henrico County: 441 countHenrico County441Chesterfield County: 395 countChesterfield County395Arlington County: 322 countArlington County322Richmond city: 282 countRichmond city282Chesapeake city: 260 countChesapeake city260Alexandria city: 219 countAlexandria city219Norfolk city: 180 countNorfolk city180Newport News city: 163 countNewport News city163Hanover County: 148 countHanover County148Spotsylvania County: 142 countSpotsylvania County142Stafford County: 142 countStafford County142Albemarle County: 137 countAlbemarle County137Roanoke city: 107 countRoanoke city107Charlottesville city: 103 countCharlottesville city103Fauquier County: 103 countFauquier County103Fairfax city: 96 countFairfax city96Hampton city: 95 countHampton city95Roanoke County: 94 countRoanoke County94Lynchburg city: 89 countLynchburg city89Bedford County: 88 countBedford County88James City County: 88 countJames City County88Manassas city: 88 countManassas city88Portsmouth city: 81 countPortsmouth city81Suffolk city: 76 countSuffolk city76Frederick County: 72 countFrederick County72Montgomery County: 72 countMontgomery County72Harrisonburg city: 70 countHarrisonburg city70Fredericksburg city: 67 countFredericksburg city67Winchester city: 66 countWinchester city66York County: 64 countYork County64Franklin County: 62 countFranklin County62Washington County: 60 countWashington County60Rockingham County: 52 countRockingham County52Campbell County: 50 countCampbell County50Augusta County: 48 countAugusta County48Culpeper County: 47 countCulpeper County47Fairfax County: 1,749 countFairfax County1,749Loudoun County: 759 countLoudoun County759Virginia Beach city: 568 countVirginia Beach city568Prince William County: 495 countPrince William County495Henrico County: 441 countHenrico County441Chesterfield County: 395 countChesterfield County395Arlington County: 322 countArlington County322Richmond city: 282 countRichmond city282Chesapeake city: 260 countChesapeake city260Alexandria city: 219 countAlexandria city219Norfolk city: 180 countNorfolk city180Newport News city: 163 countNewport News city163Hanover County: 148 countHanover County148Spotsylvania County: 142 countSpotsylvania County142Stafford County: 142 countStafford County142Albemarle County: 137 countAlbemarle County137Roanoke city: 107 countRoanoke city107Charlottesville city: 103 countCharlottesville city103Fauquier County: 103 countFauquier County103Fairfax city: 96 countFairfax city96Hampton city: 95 countHampton city95Roanoke County: 94 countRoanoke County94Lynchburg city: 89 countLynchburg city89Bedford County: 88 countBedford County88James City County: 88 countJames City County88Manassas city: 88 countManassas city88Portsmouth city: 81 countPortsmouth city81Suffolk city: 76 countSuffolk city76Frederick County: 72 countFrederick County72Montgomery County: 72 countMontgomery County72Harrisonburg city: 70 countHarrisonburg city70Fredericksburg city: 67 countFredericksburg city67Winchester city: 66 countWinchester city66York County: 64 countYork County64Franklin County: 62 countFranklin County62Washington County: 60 countWashington County60Rockingham County: 52 countRockingham County52Campbell County: 50 countCampbell County50Augusta County: 48 countAugusta County48Culpeper County: 47 countCulpeper County47
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

RankCounties2014
count
Change on 2013
1Fairfax County1,749+0.9%
2Loudoun County759+6%
3Virginia Beach city568+2.3%
4Prince William County495+4.4%
5Henrico County441-3.7%
6Chesterfield County395+0.8%
7Arlington County322+1.3%
8Richmond city282-4.7%
9Chesapeake city260+0.4%
10Alexandria city219+5.8%
11Norfolk city180-11.3%
12Newport News city163+16.4%
13Hanover County148-3.3%
14Spotsylvania County142+29.1%
14Stafford County142+12.7%
16Albemarle County137+0.7%
17Roanoke city107-5.3%
18Charlottesville city103+6.2%
18Fauquier County103+3%
20Fairfax city96+3.2%
21Hampton city95-8.7%
22Roanoke County94+22.1%
23Lynchburg city89+2.3%
24Bedford County88-10.2%
24James City County88+2.3%
24Manassas city88+23.9%
27Portsmouth city810%
28Suffolk city76-7.3%
29Frederick County72+7.5%
29Montgomery County72-5.3%
31Harrisonburg city70+4.5%
32Fredericksburg city67+8.1%
33Winchester city66+20%
34York County64-8.6%
35Franklin County62+40.9%
36Washington County60+46.3%
37Rockingham County52-24.6%
38Campbell County50+13.6%
39Augusta County48-21.3%
40Culpeper County47-20.3%
41Falls Church city46-11.5%
42Isle of Wight County42+10.5%
43Danville city40+2.6%
44Gloucester County39+5.4%
44Powhatan County39+18.2%
46Shenandoah County38+31%
47Warren County35+2.9%
48Tazewell County33-21.4%
49Goochland County32-13.5%
49Henry County32-8.6%
51Pittsylvania County31-20.5%
51Staunton city31+14.8%
53Prince Edward County30+57.9%
53Salem city30-6.3%
55Orange County29-6.5%
56Caroline County28+27.3%
57Greene County27+80%
57Petersburg city270%
59Waynesboro city26-7.1%
60Mecklenburg County25+8.7%
60Pulaski County25-10.7%
60Wythe County25-41.9%
63King George County24-11.1%
64Botetourt County23-42.5%
64Halifax County23-20.7%
66Accomack County22-18.5%
66Amherst County22+15.8%
66Fluvanna County22-4.3%
66Page County22+4.8%
70Hopewell city21+50%
70Louisa County21-4.5%
70Russell County21+40%
70Williamsburg city21-34.4%
74Floyd County200%
74Rockbridge County20+25%
76Lancaster County190%
76Nelson County19+137.5%
76New Kent County19-29.6%
79Bristol city18-28%
79Colonial Heights city18-18.2%
79Manassas Park city18-21.7%
82Carroll County17-10.5%
82Dinwiddie County17+30.8%
82Essex County17+54.5%
82Smyth County17+13.3%
86Appomattox County16+33.3%
87Clarke County150%
87Lee County15+200%
87Northampton County15+15.4%
87Prince George County150%
87Wise County15-31.8%
92Buchanan County14-12.5%
92Northumberland County14-6.7%
92Rappahannock County14+40%
95Amelia County13-35%
95Emporia city13+44.4%
97Radford city12-7.7%
97Sussex County120%
97Westmoreland County120%
100Buckingham County11-15.4%
100Charlotte County11+10%
100Giles County11-26.7%
100King and Queen County11+83.3%
100Lunenburg County11+10%
100Mathews County11+22.2%
100Middlesex County11-21.4%
100Nottoway County11+22.2%
108King William County10-16.7%
108Lexington city10+66.7%
108Madison County100%
111Alleghany County9-40%
111Poquoson city9-35.7%
113Franklin city80%
113Scott County8-50%
113Southampton County8-42.9%
116Brunswick County7-12.5%
117Charles City County6-25%
117Grayson County60%
117Greensville County6+50%
117Martinsville city6-53.8%
117Norton city6n/a
122Bland County5+66.7%
122Craig County5+66.7%
122Cumberland County50%
122Galax city5-28.6%
122Richmond County50%
127Dickenson County4-20%
127Highland County4+33.3%
127Patrick County4-71.4%
130Buena Vista city3-50%
130Covington city30%

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 2014 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, 2014) [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, 2014. 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=2014. 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, 2014. 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=2014.

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, 2014 [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=2014 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2014,
  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, 2014}},
  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=2014. 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, 2014
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=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/virginia-counties?period=2014.
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 1,749 in 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Covington city, with 3 in 2014.

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 2014 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings