Data / Rankings / Employer firms / Counties in Michigan

Counties in Michigan by employer firms

Oakland County had the highest employer firms of 83 counties in 2022, at 28,850. Keweenaw County had the lowest, at 36. The median was 671 and the figure for Michigan was 154,206. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest28,850Oakland County
Lowest36Keweenaw County
Median67183 counties
Michigan154,206History

Map of counties, 2022

Alcona County: 133 countAlger County: 160 countAllegan County: 2,079 countAlpena County: 671 countAntrim County: 451 countArenac County: 245 countBaraga County: 141 countBarry County: 787 countBay County: 1,594 countBenzie County: 379 countBerrien County: 2,684 countBranch County: 678 countCalhoun County: 1,907 countCass County: 647 countCharlevoix County: 667 countCheboygan County: 535 countChippewa County: 601 countClare County: 423 countClinton County: 1,197 countCrawford County: 271 countDelta County: 811 countDickinson County: 674 countEaton County: 1,709 countEmmet County: 1,240 countGenesee County: 5,589 countGladwin County: 342 countGogebic County: 293 countGrand Traverse County: 2,881 countGratiot County: 584 countHillsdale County: 655 countHoughton County: 713 countHuron County: 671 countIngham County: 4,762 countIonia County: 763 countIosco County: 466 countIron County: 285 countIsabella County: 1,092 countJackson County: 2,283 countKalamazoo County: 4,335 countKalkaska County: 309 countKent County: 12,706 countKeweenaw County: 36 countLake County: 133 countLapeer County: 1,428 countLeelanau County: 580 countLenawee County: 1,436 countLivingston County: 3,530 countLuce County: 133 countMackinac County: 291 countMacomb County: 14,790 countManistee County: 450 countMarquette County: 1,335 countMason County: 599 countMecosta County: 610 countMenominee County: 382 countMidland County: 1,447 countMissaukee County: 265 countMonroe County: 1,880 countMontcalm County: 868 countMontmorency County: 159 countMuskegon County: 2,377 countNewaygo County: 660 countOakland County: 28,850 countOceana County: 342 countOgemaw County: 421 countOntonagon County: 132 countOsceola County: 364 countOscoda County: 165 countOtsego County: 691 countOttawa County: 5,331 countPresque Isle County: 257 countRoscommon County: 401 countSaginaw County: 3,137 countSt. Clair County: 2,353 countSt. Joseph County: 891 countSanilac County: 646 countSchoolcraft County: 174 countShiawassee County: 956 countTuscola County: 664 countVan Buren County: 1,043 countWashtenaw County: 6,561 countWayne County: 23,858 countWexford County: 762 count
  • Under 300
  • 300 to 500
  • 500 to 700
  • 700 to 1,100
  • 1,100 to 2,400
  • 2,400 and over
count, 2022. 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, 2022

Oakland County: 28,850 countOakland County28,850Wayne County: 23,858 countWayne County23,858Macomb County: 14,790 countMacomb County14,790Kent County: 12,706 countKent County12,706Washtenaw County: 6,561 countWashtenaw County6,561Genesee County: 5,589 countGenesee County5,589Ottawa County: 5,331 countOttawa County5,331Ingham County: 4,762 countIngham County4,762Kalamazoo County: 4,335 countKalamazoo County4,335Livingston County: 3,530 countLivingston County3,530Saginaw County: 3,137 countSaginaw County3,137Grand Traverse County: 2,881 countGrand Traverse County2,881Berrien County: 2,684 countBerrien County2,684Muskegon County: 2,377 countMuskegon County2,377St. Clair County: 2,353 countSt. Clair County2,353Jackson County: 2,283 countJackson County2,283Allegan County: 2,079 countAllegan County2,079Calhoun County: 1,907 countCalhoun County1,907Monroe County: 1,880 countMonroe County1,880Eaton County: 1,709 countEaton County1,709Bay County: 1,594 countBay County1,594Midland County: 1,447 countMidland County1,447Lenawee County: 1,436 countLenawee County1,436Lapeer County: 1,428 countLapeer County1,428Marquette County: 1,335 countMarquette County1,335Emmet County: 1,240 countEmmet County1,240Clinton County: 1,197 countClinton County1,197Isabella County: 1,092 countIsabella County1,092Van Buren County: 1,043 countVan Buren County1,043Shiawassee County: 956 countShiawassee County956St. Joseph County: 891 countSt. Joseph County891Montcalm County: 868 countMontcalm County868Delta County: 811 countDelta County811Barry County: 787 countBarry County787Ionia County: 763 countIonia County763Wexford County: 762 countWexford County762Houghton County: 713 countHoughton County713Otsego County: 691 countOtsego County691Branch County: 678 countBranch County678Dickinson County: 674 countDickinson County674Oakland County: 28,850 countOakland County28,850Wayne County: 23,858 countWayne County23,858Macomb County: 14,790 countMacomb County14,790Kent County: 12,706 countKent County12,706Washtenaw County: 6,561 countWashtenaw County6,561Genesee County: 5,589 countGenesee County5,589Ottawa County: 5,331 countOttawa County5,331Ingham County: 4,762 countIngham County4,762Kalamazoo County: 4,335 countKalamazoo County4,335Livingston County: 3,530 countLivingston County3,530Saginaw County: 3,137 countSaginaw County3,137Grand Traverse County: 2,881 countGrand Traverse County2,881Berrien County: 2,684 countBerrien County2,684Muskegon County: 2,377 countMuskegon County2,377St. Clair County: 2,353 countSt. Clair County2,353Jackson County: 2,283 countJackson County2,283Allegan County: 2,079 countAllegan County2,079Calhoun County: 1,907 countCalhoun County1,907Monroe County: 1,880 countMonroe County1,880Eaton County: 1,709 countEaton County1,709Bay County: 1,594 countBay County1,594Midland County: 1,447 countMidland County1,447Lenawee County: 1,436 countLenawee County1,436Lapeer County: 1,428 countLapeer County1,428Marquette County: 1,335 countMarquette County1,335Emmet County: 1,240 countEmmet County1,240Clinton County: 1,197 countClinton County1,197Isabella County: 1,092 countIsabella County1,092Van Buren County: 1,043 countVan Buren County1,043Shiawassee County: 956 countShiawassee County956St. Joseph County: 891 countSt. Joseph County891Montcalm County: 868 countMontcalm County868Delta County: 811 countDelta County811Barry County: 787 countBarry County787Ionia County: 763 countIonia County763Wexford County: 762 countWexford County762Houghton County: 713 countHoughton County713Otsego County: 691 countOtsego County691Branch County: 678 countBranch County678Dickinson County: 674 countDickinson County674
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022
count		Change on 2021
1Oakland County28,850+1.9%
2Wayne County23,858+2.9%
3Macomb County14,790+3.6%
4Kent County12,706+2.6%
5Washtenaw County6,561+2.2%
6Genesee County5,589+1.3%
7Ottawa County5,331+1.5%
8Ingham County4,762+1.7%
9Kalamazoo County4,335+0.8%
10Livingston County3,530+3.3%
11Saginaw County3,137+0.4%
12Grand Traverse County2,881+1.6%
13Berrien County2,684+0.4%
14Muskegon County2,377+1.5%
15St. Clair County2,353+2.9%
16Jackson County2,283-0.5%
17Allegan County2,079+2.3%
18Calhoun County1,907+1%
19Monroe County1,880+0.4%
20Eaton County1,709+1.1%
21Bay County1,594+2.1%
22Midland County1,447+2.6%
23Lenawee County1,436+1.4%
24Lapeer County1,428+2%
25Marquette County1,335+1.4%
26Emmet County1,240+4%
27Clinton County1,197+3.3%
28Isabella County1,092+2.2%
29Van Buren County1,043+4.7%
30Shiawassee County956+3%
31St. Joseph County891+1.5%
32Montcalm County868+2.4%
33Delta County811+0.2%
34Barry County787+1.9%
35Ionia County763+4.8%
36Wexford County762+2.3%
37Houghton County713+1.3%
38Otsego County691+0.1%
39Branch County678+1.5%
40Dickinson County674-0.6%
41Alpena County671+1.8%
41Huron County671+0.6%
43Charlevoix County667+2.9%
44Tuscola County664+1.8%
45Newaygo County660-1.6%
46Hillsdale County655+6.7%
47Cass County647+1.6%
48Sanilac County646+0.3%
49Mecosta County610+4.5%
50Chippewa County601+2.4%
51Mason County599+3.5%
52Gratiot County5840%
53Leelanau County580+3.4%
54Cheboygan County535+1.1%
55Iosco County4660%
56Antrim County451+2.7%
57Manistee County450+2.5%
58Clare County423+1%
59Ogemaw County421+2.2%
60Roscommon County401+1%
61Menominee County382+1.1%
62Benzie County379+4.7%
63Osceola County364+4.9%
64Gladwin County342+3.6%
64Oceana County342-1.2%
66Kalkaska County309+5.8%
67Gogebic County293-0.3%
68Mackinac County291+1%
69Iron County285+1.8%
70Crawford County271+3.8%
71Missaukee County265+1.9%
72Presque Isle County257+7.1%
73Arenac County245+4.7%
74Schoolcraft County1740%
75Oscoda County165+3.1%
76Alger County160-3%
77Montmorency County159+1.3%
78Baraga County141-2.8%
79Alcona County133+4.7%
79Lake County133+18.8%
79Luce County133-4.3%
82Ontonagon County132+3.1%
83Keweenaw County36-12.2%

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, 2022) [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, 2022. 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=2022. 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, 2022. 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=2022.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Michigan by employer firms, 2022 [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=2022 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_michigan_by_2022,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Michigan by employer firms, 2022}},
  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=2022. 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, 2022
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=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/michigan-counties?period=2022.
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 28,850 in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Keweenaw County, with 36 in 2022.

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