Counties in Michigan by employer firms

Oakland County had the highest employer firms of 83 counties in 2015, at 28,417. Keweenaw County had the lowest, at 39. The median was 675 and the figure for Michigan was 151,922. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest28,417Oakland County
Median67583 counties
Michigan151,922History

Map of counties, 2015

Alcona County: 136 countAlger County: 172 countAllegan County: 1,927 countAlpena County: 658 countAntrim County: 421 countArenac County: 249 countBaraga County: 174 countBarry County: 773 countBay County: 1,743 countBenzie County: 346 countBerrien County: 2,814 countBranch County: 680 countCalhoun County: 2,050 countCass County: 637 countCharlevoix County: 602 countCheboygan County: 516 countChippewa County: 623 countClare County: 420 countClinton County: 1,116 countCrawford County: 267 countDelta County: 878 countDickinson County: 742 countEaton County: 1,687 countEmmet County: 1,164 countGenesee County: 5,699 countGladwin County: 336 countGogebic County: 321 countGrand Traverse County: 2,791 countGratiot County: 607 countHillsdale County: 664 countHoughton County: 710 countHuron County: 716 countIngham County: 4,782 countIonia County: 734 countIosco County: 476 countIron County: 295 countIsabella County: 1,104 countJackson County: 2,334 countKalamazoo County: 4,352 countKalkaska County: 299 countKent County: 11,681 countKeweenaw County: 39 countLake County: 123 countLapeer County: 1,394 countLeelanau County: 565 countLenawee County: 1,491 countLivingston County: 3,390 countLuce County: 138 countMackinac County: 293 countMacomb County: 14,461 countManistee County: 430 countMarquette County: 1,342 countMason County: 622 countMecosta County: 619 countMenominee County: 389 countMidland County: 1,630 countMissaukee County: 244 countMonroe County: 1,879 countMontcalm County: 832 countMontmorency County: 161 countMuskegon County: 2,437 countNewaygo County: 675 countOakland County: 28,417 countOceana County: 358 countOgemaw County: 435 countOntonagon County: 140 countOsceola County: 346 countOscoda County: 160 countOtsego County: 663 countOttawa County: 4,837 countPresque Isle County: 266 countRoscommon County: 416 countSaginaw County: 3,356 countSt. Clair County: 2,415 countSt. Joseph County: 911 countSanilac County: 672 countSchoolcraft County: 199 countShiawassee County: 974 countTuscola County: 686 countVan Buren County: 972 countWashtenaw County: 6,342 countWayne County: 22,869 countWexford County: 703 count
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 700
  • 700 to 1,100
  • 1,100 to 2,400
  • 2,400 and over
count, 2015. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2015

Oakland County: 28,417 countOakland County28,417Wayne County: 22,869 countWayne County22,869Macomb County: 14,461 countMacomb County14,461Kent County: 11,681 countKent County11,681Washtenaw County: 6,342 countWashtenaw County6,342Genesee County: 5,699 countGenesee County5,699Ottawa County: 4,837 countOttawa County4,837Ingham County: 4,782 countIngham County4,782Kalamazoo County: 4,352 countKalamazoo County4,352Livingston County: 3,390 countLivingston County3,390Saginaw County: 3,356 countSaginaw County3,356Berrien County: 2,814 countBerrien County2,814Grand Traverse County: 2,791 countGrand Traverse County2,791Muskegon County: 2,437 countMuskegon County2,437St. Clair County: 2,415 countSt. Clair County2,415Jackson County: 2,334 countJackson County2,334Calhoun County: 2,050 countCalhoun County2,050Allegan County: 1,927 countAllegan County1,927Monroe County: 1,879 countMonroe County1,879Bay County: 1,743 countBay County1,743Eaton County: 1,687 countEaton County1,687Midland County: 1,630 countMidland County1,630Lenawee County: 1,491 countLenawee County1,491Lapeer County: 1,394 countLapeer County1,394Marquette County: 1,342 countMarquette County1,342Emmet County: 1,164 countEmmet County1,164Clinton County: 1,116 countClinton County1,116Isabella County: 1,104 countIsabella County1,104Shiawassee County: 974 countShiawassee County974Van Buren County: 972 countVan Buren County972St. Joseph County: 911 countSt. Joseph County911Delta County: 878 countDelta County878Montcalm County: 832 countMontcalm County832Barry County: 773 countBarry County773Dickinson County: 742 countDickinson County742Ionia County: 734 countIonia County734Huron County: 716 countHuron County716Houghton County: 710 countHoughton County710Wexford County: 703 countWexford County703Tuscola County: 686 countTuscola County686Oakland County: 28,417 countOakland County28,417Wayne County: 22,869 countWayne County22,869Macomb County: 14,461 countMacomb County14,461Kent County: 11,681 countKent County11,681Washtenaw County: 6,342 countWashtenaw County6,342Genesee County: 5,699 countGenesee County5,699Ottawa County: 4,837 countOttawa County4,837Ingham County: 4,782 countIngham County4,782Kalamazoo County: 4,352 countKalamazoo County4,352Livingston County: 3,390 countLivingston County3,390Saginaw County: 3,356 countSaginaw County3,356Berrien County: 2,814 countBerrien County2,814Grand Traverse County: 2,791 countGrand Traverse County2,791Muskegon County: 2,437 countMuskegon County2,437St. Clair County: 2,415 countSt. Clair County2,415Jackson County: 2,334 countJackson County2,334Calhoun County: 2,050 countCalhoun County2,050Allegan County: 1,927 countAllegan County1,927Monroe County: 1,879 countMonroe County1,879Bay County: 1,743 countBay County1,743Eaton County: 1,687 countEaton County1,687Midland County: 1,630 countMidland County1,630Lenawee County: 1,491 countLenawee County1,491Lapeer County: 1,394 countLapeer County1,394Marquette County: 1,342 countMarquette County1,342Emmet County: 1,164 countEmmet County1,164Clinton County: 1,116 countClinton County1,116Isabella County: 1,104 countIsabella County1,104Shiawassee County: 974 countShiawassee County974Van Buren County: 972 countVan Buren County972St. Joseph County: 911 countSt. Joseph County911Delta County: 878 countDelta County878Montcalm County: 832 countMontcalm County832Barry County: 773 countBarry County773Dickinson County: 742 countDickinson County742Ionia County: 734 countIonia County734Huron County: 716 countHuron County716Houghton County: 710 countHoughton County710Wexford County: 703 countWexford County703Tuscola County: 686 countTuscola County686
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
count
Change on 2014
1Oakland County28,417+0.5%
2Wayne County22,869+0.4%
3Macomb County14,461+1.4%
4Kent County11,681+1.7%
5Washtenaw County6,342+0.6%
6Genesee County5,699+0.3%
7Ottawa County4,837+1.6%
8Ingham County4,782-0.3%
9Kalamazoo County4,352-0%
10Livingston County3,390+1.9%
11Saginaw County3,356-0.7%
12Berrien County2,814+0.4%
13Grand Traverse County2,791+1.2%
14Muskegon County2,437+0.3%
15St. Clair County2,415+0.1%
16Jackson County2,334-0.6%
17Calhoun County2,050+1.1%
18Allegan County1,927+2.3%
19Monroe County1,879-0.3%
20Bay County1,743-1.3%
21Eaton County1,687+1.3%
22Midland County1,630+7.2%
23Lenawee County1,491-0.1%
24Lapeer County1,394+4%
25Marquette County1,342+0.2%
26Emmet County1,164+0.6%
27Clinton County1,116+1.3%
28Isabella County1,104-0.7%
29Shiawassee County974-1.3%
30Van Buren County972-1%
31St. Joseph County911-0.1%
32Delta County878-1.1%
33Montcalm County832+0.5%
34Barry County773+3.1%
35Dickinson County742-0.7%
36Ionia County734+1.5%
37Huron County716-1.1%
38Houghton County710-0.3%
39Wexford County703-0.7%
40Tuscola County686+1%
41Branch County680-1%
42Newaygo County675+1.8%
43Sanilac County672+1.2%
44Hillsdale County664-0.2%
45Otsego County663+1.1%
46Alpena County658-1.8%
47Cass County637+0.5%
48Chippewa County623-0.8%
49Mason County622+1.3%
50Mecosta County619-2.8%
51Gratiot County607+1.5%
52Charlevoix County602+3.4%
53Leelanau County565+5.2%
54Cheboygan County516+2%
55Iosco County476+2.6%
56Ogemaw County435-2.2%
57Manistee County430-3.2%
58Antrim County421+1.4%
59Clare County420+4%
60Roscommon County4160%
61Menominee County389-0.8%
62Oceana County358-2.2%
63Benzie County346+2.1%
63Osceola County346+2.4%
65Gladwin County336+3.4%
66Gogebic County321-4.7%
67Kalkaska County299+2.7%
68Iron County295-2%
69Mackinac County293+0.7%
70Crawford County267+1.5%
71Presque Isle County266+0.4%
72Arenac County249+1.6%
73Missaukee County244-1.2%
74Schoolcraft County199+3.1%
75Baraga County174-3.9%
76Alger County172-3.4%
77Montmorency County161+5.2%
78Oscoda County160-2.4%
79Ontonagon County140-3.4%
80Luce County138+2.2%
81Alcona County136-11.1%
82Lake County123-1.6%
83Keweenaw County39+8.3%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of firms in the private nonfarm sectors covered by the US Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics. Establishments under common ownership form one firm.

Excludes nonemployer businesses. Differs from active_companies, the INE DIRCE count, which includes businesses without employees.

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: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

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: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties (Counties in Michigan by employer firms, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Michigan by employer firms, 2015. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/michigan-counties?period=2015. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Counties in Michigan by employer firms, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/michigan-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Michigan by employer firms, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/michigan-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_michigan_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Michigan by employer firms, 2015}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-11},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/michigan-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Michigan by employer firms, 2015
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.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/michigan-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/michigan-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firms?

Oakland County, with 28,417 in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Keweenaw County, with 39 in 2015.

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: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Employer firms: other rankings

Counties in Michigan: more rankings