Counties in Michigan by employer firms

Oakland County had the highest employer firms of 83 counties in 2020, at 28,450. Keweenaw County had the lowest, at 42. The median was 674 and the figure for Michigan was 151,711. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest28,450Oakland County
Median67483 counties
Michigan151,711History

Map of counties, 2020

Alcona County: 137 countAlger County: 178 countAllegan County: 2,001 countAlpena County: 674 countAntrim County: 418 countArenac County: 238 countBaraga County: 157 countBarry County: 778 countBay County: 1,624 countBenzie County: 361 countBerrien County: 2,731 countBranch County: 664 countCalhoun County: 1,918 countCass County: 624 countCharlevoix County: 617 countCheboygan County: 526 countChippewa County: 602 countClare County: 427 countClinton County: 1,161 countCrawford County: 260 countDelta County: 826 countDickinson County: 702 countEaton County: 1,681 countEmmet County: 1,201 countGenesee County: 5,575 countGladwin County: 339 countGogebic County: 302 countGrand Traverse County: 2,824 countGratiot County: 584 countHillsdale County: 626 countHoughton County: 710 countHuron County: 687 countIngham County: 4,742 countIonia County: 734 countIosco County: 471 countIron County: 284 countIsabella County: 1,067 countJackson County: 2,311 countKalamazoo County: 4,310 countKalkaska County: 299 countKent County: 12,242 countKeweenaw County: 42 countLake County: 118 countLapeer County: 1,436 countLeelanau County: 554 countLenawee County: 1,446 countLivingston County: 3,498 countLuce County: 140 countMackinac County: 300 countMacomb County: 14,415 countManistee County: 448 countMarquette County: 1,319 countMason County: 604 countMecosta County: 591 countMenominee County: 383 countMidland County: 1,442 countMissaukee County: 249 countMonroe County: 1,888 countMontcalm County: 852 countMontmorency County: 159 countMuskegon County: 2,403 countNewaygo County: 684 countOakland County: 28,450 countOceana County: 360 countOgemaw County: 426 countOntonagon County: 138 countOsceola County: 341 countOscoda County: 162 countOtsego County: 674 countOttawa County: 5,201 countPresque Isle County: 255 countRoscommon County: 406 countSaginaw County: 3,181 countSt. Clair County: 2,327 countSt. Joseph County: 878 countSanilac County: 640 countSchoolcraft County: 180 countShiawassee County: 949 countTuscola County: 649 countVan Buren County: 1,019 countWashtenaw County: 6,488 countWayne County: 23,319 countWexford County: 735 count
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 500
  • 500 to 700
  • 700 to 1,100
  • 1,100 to 2,400
  • 2,400 and over
count, 2020. 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, 2020

Oakland County: 28,450 countOakland County28,450Wayne County: 23,319 countWayne County23,319Macomb County: 14,415 countMacomb County14,415Kent County: 12,242 countKent County12,242Washtenaw County: 6,488 countWashtenaw County6,488Genesee County: 5,575 countGenesee County5,575Ottawa County: 5,201 countOttawa County5,201Ingham County: 4,742 countIngham County4,742Kalamazoo County: 4,310 countKalamazoo County4,310Livingston County: 3,498 countLivingston County3,498Saginaw County: 3,181 countSaginaw County3,181Grand Traverse County: 2,824 countGrand Traverse County2,824Berrien County: 2,731 countBerrien County2,731Muskegon County: 2,403 countMuskegon County2,403St. Clair County: 2,327 countSt. Clair County2,327Jackson County: 2,311 countJackson County2,311Allegan County: 2,001 countAllegan County2,001Calhoun County: 1,918 countCalhoun County1,918Monroe County: 1,888 countMonroe County1,888Eaton County: 1,681 countEaton County1,681Bay County: 1,624 countBay County1,624Lenawee County: 1,446 countLenawee County1,446Midland County: 1,442 countMidland County1,442Lapeer County: 1,436 countLapeer County1,436Marquette County: 1,319 countMarquette County1,319Emmet County: 1,201 countEmmet County1,201Clinton County: 1,161 countClinton County1,161Isabella County: 1,067 countIsabella County1,067Van Buren County: 1,019 countVan Buren County1,019Shiawassee County: 949 countShiawassee County949St. Joseph County: 878 countSt. Joseph County878Montcalm County: 852 countMontcalm County852Delta County: 826 countDelta County826Barry County: 778 countBarry County778Wexford County: 735 countWexford County735Ionia County: 734 countIonia County734Houghton County: 710 countHoughton County710Dickinson County: 702 countDickinson County702Huron County: 687 countHuron County687Newaygo County: 684 countNewaygo County684Oakland County: 28,450 countOakland County28,450Wayne County: 23,319 countWayne County23,319Macomb County: 14,415 countMacomb County14,415Kent County: 12,242 countKent County12,242Washtenaw County: 6,488 countWashtenaw County6,488Genesee County: 5,575 countGenesee County5,575Ottawa County: 5,201 countOttawa County5,201Ingham County: 4,742 countIngham County4,742Kalamazoo County: 4,310 countKalamazoo County4,310Livingston County: 3,498 countLivingston County3,498Saginaw County: 3,181 countSaginaw County3,181Grand Traverse County: 2,824 countGrand Traverse County2,824Berrien County: 2,731 countBerrien County2,731Muskegon County: 2,403 countMuskegon County2,403St. Clair County: 2,327 countSt. Clair County2,327Jackson County: 2,311 countJackson County2,311Allegan County: 2,001 countAllegan County2,001Calhoun County: 1,918 countCalhoun County1,918Monroe County: 1,888 countMonroe County1,888Eaton County: 1,681 countEaton County1,681Bay County: 1,624 countBay County1,624Lenawee County: 1,446 countLenawee County1,446Midland County: 1,442 countMidland County1,442Lapeer County: 1,436 countLapeer County1,436Marquette County: 1,319 countMarquette County1,319Emmet County: 1,201 countEmmet County1,201Clinton County: 1,161 countClinton County1,161Isabella County: 1,067 countIsabella County1,067Van Buren County: 1,019 countVan Buren County1,019Shiawassee County: 949 countShiawassee County949St. Joseph County: 878 countSt. Joseph County878Montcalm County: 852 countMontcalm County852Delta County: 826 countDelta County826Barry County: 778 countBarry County778Wexford County: 735 countWexford County735Ionia County: 734 countIonia County734Houghton County: 710 countHoughton County710Dickinson County: 702 countDickinson County702Huron County: 687 countHuron County687Newaygo County: 684 countNewaygo County684
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
count
Change on 2019
1Oakland County28,450-0.8%
2Wayne County23,319-0.5%
3Macomb County14,415-1.9%
4Kent County12,242+0.1%
5Washtenaw County6,488-0.4%
6Genesee County5,575-1.4%
7Ottawa County5,201+0.4%
8Ingham County4,742+0.1%
9Kalamazoo County4,310-1.1%
10Livingston County3,498-0.5%
11Saginaw County3,181-2.6%
12Grand Traverse County2,824-1.3%
13Berrien County2,731-1.2%
14Muskegon County2,4030%
15St. Clair County2,327-1.9%
16Jackson County2,311-1.2%
17Allegan County2,001-0.8%
18Calhoun County1,918-0.2%
19Monroe County1,888-0.3%
20Eaton County1,681-1.9%
21Bay County1,624-1.5%
22Lenawee County1,446-2.4%
23Midland County1,442-2.1%
24Lapeer County1,436+1.3%
25Marquette County1,319-0.7%
26Emmet County1,201-1.5%
27Clinton County1,1610%
28Isabella County1,067-1.6%
29Van Buren County1,019-2.1%
30Shiawassee County949-0.5%
31St. Joseph County878-1.2%
32Montcalm County852+1.5%
33Delta County826-0.8%
34Barry County778-0.1%
35Wexford County735+0.1%
36Ionia County734-0.4%
37Houghton County710-1.1%
38Dickinson County702+1%
39Huron County687-1.6%
40Newaygo County684-0.3%
41Alpena County674-1%
41Otsego County674-3%
43Branch County664-0.2%
44Tuscola County649-3.6%
45Sanilac County640-0.9%
46Hillsdale County626-4.3%
47Cass County624-2.2%
48Charlevoix County617-0.8%
49Mason County604-3.5%
50Chippewa County602+0.3%
51Mecosta County591-1.5%
52Gratiot County584-1.2%
53Leelanau County554+0.4%
54Cheboygan County526-0.4%
55Iosco County471+1.1%
56Manistee County448-0.2%
57Clare County427+0.9%
58Ogemaw County426-5.1%
59Antrim County418-4.1%
60Roscommon County406+1.2%
61Menominee County383+0.5%
62Benzie County361-1.9%
63Oceana County360+2.6%
64Osceola County341-1.4%
65Gladwin County3390%
66Gogebic County302-1%
67Mackinac County300+1%
68Kalkaska County299-1%
69Iron County284+1.1%
70Crawford County260-0.8%
71Presque Isle County2550%
72Missaukee County249+0.4%
73Arenac County238-1.7%
74Schoolcraft County1800%
75Alger County178+2.9%
76Oscoda County162+1.3%
77Montmorency County159+1.9%
78Baraga County1570%
79Luce County140-0.7%
80Ontonagon County138+3%
81Alcona County137-3.5%
82Lake County118-4.1%
83Keweenaw County42-2.3%

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, 2020) [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, 2020. 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=2020. 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, 2020. 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=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Michigan by employer firms, 2020 [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=2020 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_michigan_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Michigan by employer firms, 2020}},
  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=2020. 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, 2020
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=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/michigan-counties?period=2020.
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 28,450 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Keweenaw County, with 42 in 2020.

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