Counties in Virginia by employer firm births

Fairfax County had the highest employer firm births of 129 counties in 2019, at 1,785. Craig County had the lowest, at 3. The median was 26 and the figure for Virginia was 10,647. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,785Fairfax County
Median26129 counties
Virginia10,647History

Map of counties, 2019

Accomack County: 20 countAlbemarle County: 142 countAlleghany County: 7 countAmelia County: 13 countAmherst County: 23 countAppomattox County: 12 countArlington County: 302 countAugusta County: 57 countBath County: 4 countBedford County: 95 countBotetourt County: 32 countBrunswick County: 14 countBuchanan County: 16 countBuckingham County: 12 countCampbell County: 56 countCaroline County: 26 countCarroll County: 27 countCharles City County: 4 countCharlotte County: 7 countChesterfield County: 464 countClarke County: 19 countCraig County: 3 countCulpeper County: 52 countCumberland County: 8 countDickenson County: 4 countDinwiddie County: 20 countEssex County: 12 countFairfax County: 1,785 countFauquier County: 95 countFloyd County: 16 countFluvanna County: 24 countFranklin County: 62 countFrederick County: 76 countGiles County: 9 countGloucester County: 46 countGoochland County: 33 countGrayson County: 15 countGreene County: 24 countGreensville County: 6 countHalifax County: 19 countHanover County: 180 countHenrico County: 474 countHenry County: 31 countIsle of Wight County: 30 countJames City County: 99 countKing and Queen County: 5 countKing George County: 23 countKing William County: 20 countLancaster County: 16 countLee County: 9 countLoudoun County: 817 countLouisa County: 36 countLunenburg County: 6 countMadison County: 16 countMathews County: 16 countMecklenburg County: 40 countMiddlesex County: 17 countMontgomery County: 91 countNelson County: 26 countNew Kent County: 35 countNorthampton County: 16 countNorthumberland County: 14 countNottoway County: 16 countOrange County: 39 countPage County: 26 countPatrick County: 12 countPittsylvania County: 42 countPowhatan County: 38 countPrince Edward County: 24 countPrince George County: 21 countPrince William County: 579 countPulaski County: 24 countRappahannock County: 12 countRichmond County: 7 countRoanoke County: 102 countRockbridge County: 29 countRockingham County: 85 countRussell County: 20 countScott County: 4 countShenandoah County: 51 countSmyth County: 18 countSouthampton County: 12 countSpotsylvania County: 151 countStafford County: 152 countSurry County: 6 countSussex County: 9 countTazewell County: 42 countWarren County: 40 countWashington County: 46 countWestmoreland County: 7 countWise County: 17 countWythe County: 29 countYork County: 77 countAlexandria city: 219 countBristol city: 20 countBuena Vista city: 5 countCharlottesville city: 109 countChesapeake city: 323 countColonial Heights city: 18 countDanville city: 43 countEmporia city: 11 countFairfax city: 99 countFalls Church city: 40 countFranklin city: 8 countFredericksburg city: 61 countGalax city: 9 countHampton city: 91 countHarrisonburg city: 63 countHopewell city: 16 countLexington city: 6 countLynchburg city: 82 countManassas city: 95 countManassas Park city: 23 countMartinsville city: 4 countNewport News city: 166 countNorfolk city: 259 countPetersburg city: 29 countPoquoson city: 20 countPortsmouth city: 75 countRadford city: 9 countRichmond city: 363 countRoanoke city: 115 countSalem city: 31 countStaunton city: 39 countSuffolk city: 86 countVirginia Beach city: 603 countWaynesboro city: 27 countWilliamsburg city: 21 countWinchester city: 60 count
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 20
  • 20 to 30
  • 30 to 40
  • 40 to 100
  • 100 and over
  • No data
count, 2019. 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, 2019

Fairfax County: 1,785 countFairfax County1,785Loudoun County: 817 countLoudoun County817Virginia Beach city: 603 countVirginia Beach city603Prince William County: 579 countPrince William County579Henrico County: 474 countHenrico County474Chesterfield County: 464 countChesterfield County464Richmond city: 363 countRichmond city363Chesapeake city: 323 countChesapeake city323Arlington County: 302 countArlington County302Norfolk city: 259 countNorfolk city259Alexandria city: 219 countAlexandria city219Hanover County: 180 countHanover County180Newport News city: 166 countNewport News city166Stafford County: 152 countStafford County152Spotsylvania County: 151 countSpotsylvania County151Albemarle County: 142 countAlbemarle County142Roanoke city: 115 countRoanoke city115Charlottesville city: 109 countCharlottesville city109Roanoke County: 102 countRoanoke County102Fairfax city: 99 countFairfax city99James City County: 99 countJames City County99Bedford County: 95 countBedford County95Fauquier County: 95 countFauquier County95Manassas city: 95 countManassas city95Hampton city: 91 countHampton city91Montgomery County: 91 countMontgomery County91Suffolk city: 86 countSuffolk city86Rockingham County: 85 countRockingham County85Lynchburg city: 82 countLynchburg city82York County: 77 countYork County77Frederick County: 76 countFrederick County76Portsmouth city: 75 countPortsmouth city75Harrisonburg city: 63 countHarrisonburg city63Franklin County: 62 countFranklin County62Fredericksburg city: 61 countFredericksburg city61Winchester city: 60 countWinchester city60Augusta County: 57 countAugusta County57Campbell County: 56 countCampbell County56Culpeper County: 52 countCulpeper County52Shenandoah County: 51 countShenandoah County51Fairfax County: 1,785 countFairfax County1,785Loudoun County: 817 countLoudoun County817Virginia Beach city: 603 countVirginia Beach city603Prince William County: 579 countPrince William County579Henrico County: 474 countHenrico County474Chesterfield County: 464 countChesterfield County464Richmond city: 363 countRichmond city363Chesapeake city: 323 countChesapeake city323Arlington County: 302 countArlington County302Norfolk city: 259 countNorfolk city259Alexandria city: 219 countAlexandria city219Hanover County: 180 countHanover County180Newport News city: 166 countNewport News city166Stafford County: 152 countStafford County152Spotsylvania County: 151 countSpotsylvania County151Albemarle County: 142 countAlbemarle County142Roanoke city: 115 countRoanoke city115Charlottesville city: 109 countCharlottesville city109Roanoke County: 102 countRoanoke County102Fairfax city: 99 countFairfax city99James City County: 99 countJames City County99Bedford County: 95 countBedford County95Fauquier County: 95 countFauquier County95Manassas city: 95 countManassas city95Hampton city: 91 countHampton city91Montgomery County: 91 countMontgomery County91Suffolk city: 86 countSuffolk city86Rockingham County: 85 countRockingham County85Lynchburg city: 82 countLynchburg city82York County: 77 countYork County77Frederick County: 76 countFrederick County76Portsmouth city: 75 countPortsmouth city75Harrisonburg city: 63 countHarrisonburg city63Franklin County: 62 countFranklin County62Fredericksburg city: 61 countFredericksburg city61Winchester city: 60 countWinchester city60Augusta County: 57 countAugusta County57Campbell County: 56 countCampbell County56Culpeper County: 52 countCulpeper County52Shenandoah County: 51 countShenandoah County51
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

RankCounties2019
count
Change on 2018
1Fairfax County1,785+0.7%
2Loudoun County817-0.6%
3Virginia Beach city603+3.6%
4Prince William County579+6%
5Henrico County474-0.8%
6Chesterfield County464+0.9%
7Richmond city363+4%
8Chesapeake city323+13.3%
9Arlington County302-10.1%
10Norfolk city259+7.9%
11Alexandria city219+3.8%
12Hanover County180+22.4%
13Newport News city166+3.1%
14Stafford County152+2%
15Spotsylvania County151-1.3%
16Albemarle County142-10.7%
17Roanoke city115-5%
18Charlottesville city109-0.9%
19Roanoke County102+18.6%
20Fairfax city99+10%
20James City County99+7.6%
22Bedford County95+11.8%
22Fauquier County95-9.5%
22Manassas city95-2.1%
25Hampton city91-16.5%
25Montgomery County91+24.7%
27Suffolk city86-16.5%
28Rockingham County85+18.1%
29Lynchburg city82-4.7%
30York County77-1.3%
31Frederick County76-11.6%
32Portsmouth city75-9.6%
33Harrisonburg city63-4.5%
34Franklin County62+19.2%
35Fredericksburg city61-4.7%
36Winchester city60+15.4%
37Augusta County57+35.7%
38Campbell County560%
39Culpeper County52+4%
40Shenandoah County51+45.7%
41Gloucester County46+17.9%
41Washington County46+4.5%
43Danville city43+13.2%
44Pittsylvania County42+7.7%
44Tazewell County42+2.4%
46Falls Church city40-11.1%
46Mecklenburg County40+37.9%
46Warren County40+2.6%
49Orange County39+34.5%
49Staunton city39+39.3%
51Powhatan County38+15.2%
52Louisa County36-2.7%
53New Kent County35+12.9%
54Goochland County33-13.2%
55Botetourt County32-25.6%
56Henry County31+3.3%
56Salem city31-13.9%
58Isle of Wight County30-41.2%
59Petersburg city29-29.3%
59Rockbridge County29+70.6%
59Wythe County29+26.1%
62Carroll County27+80%
62Waynesboro city27+3.8%
64Caroline County26+44.4%
64Nelson County26+116.7%
64Page County26+8.3%
67Fluvanna County24+26.3%
67Greene County24+33.3%
67Prince Edward County24-20%
67Pulaski County24+4.3%
71Amherst County230%
71King George County23+15%
71Manassas Park city23+21.1%
74Prince George County210%
74Williamsburg city21-4.5%
76Accomack County20-20%
76Bristol city20+25%
76Dinwiddie County20+17.6%
76King William County200%
76Poquoson city20+100%
76Russell County20+5.3%
82Clarke County19+11.8%
82Halifax County19-36.7%
84Colonial Heights city180%
84Smyth County18-5.3%
86Middlesex County17+54.5%
86Wise County17-5.6%
88Buchanan County160%
88Floyd County16+23.1%
88Hopewell city16+23.1%
88Lancaster County16-5.9%
88Madison County16+77.8%
88Mathews County16+166.7%
88Northampton County16+23.1%
88Nottoway County16+45.5%
96Grayson County15+150%
97Brunswick County140%
97Northumberland County14+40%
99Amelia County13+62.5%
100Appomattox County12-14.3%
100Buckingham County12+9.1%
100Essex County12+9.1%
100Patrick County12+9.1%
100Rappahannock County12-14.3%
100Southampton County12+200%
106Emporia city11+57.1%
107Galax city9-10%
107Giles County9-18.2%
107Lee County9+125%
107Radford city9+28.6%
107Sussex County9+12.5%
112Cumberland County8+14.3%
112Franklin city8-20%
114Alleghany County70%
114Charlotte County70%
114Richmond County7+40%
114Westmoreland County7-63.2%
118Greensville County60%
118Lexington city6-25%
118Lunenburg County6-14.3%
118Surry County60%
122Buena Vista city5+25%
122King and Queen County5+25%
124Bath County40%
124Charles City County4-20%
124Dickenson County4-50%
124Martinsville city4-80%
124Scott County4-20%
129Craig County3-40%

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. 4 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2019 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, 2019) [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, 2019. 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=2019. 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, 2019. 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=2019.

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, 2019 [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=2019 (Accessed: 22 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2019,
  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, 2019}},
  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=2019. 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, 2019
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=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/22
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firm-births/virginia-counties?period=2019.
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?

Fairfax County, with 1,785 in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firm births?

Craig County, with 3 in 2019.

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. 4 counties have no value for 2019 and are not ranked.

Employer firm births: other rankings

Counties in Virginia: more rankings