Counties in Minnesota by employer firms

Hennepin County had the highest employer firms of 87 counties in 2015, at 27,541. Red Lake County had the lowest, at 81. The median was 478 and the figure for Minnesota was 101,394. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest27,541Hennepin County
Median47887 counties
Minnesota101,394History

Map of counties, 2015

Aitkin County: 329 countAnoka County: 5,658 countBecker County: 788 countBeltrami County: 935 countBenton County: 736 countBig Stone County: 155 countBlue Earth County: 1,591 countBrown County: 641 countCarlton County: 554 countCarver County: 1,909 countCass County: 621 countChippewa County: 350 countChisago County: 938 countClay County: 1,025 countClearwater County: 173 countCook County: 221 countCottonwood County: 294 countCrow Wing County: 1,653 countDakota County: 7,544 countDodge County: 350 countDouglas County: 1,152 countFaribault County: 349 countFillmore County: 469 countFreeborn County: 678 countGoodhue County: 1,055 countGrant County: 164 countHennepin County: 27,541 countHouston County: 335 countHubbard County: 478 countIsanti County: 705 countItasca County: 930 countJackson County: 266 countKanabec County: 262 countKandiyohi County: 1,107 countKittson County: 120 countKoochiching County: 327 countLac qui Parle County: 180 countLake County: 244 countLake of the Woods County: 136 countLe Sueur County: 539 countLincoln County: 185 countLyon County: 646 countMcLeod County: 808 countMahnomen County: 98 countMarshall County: 213 countMartin County: 501 countMeeker County: 458 countMille Lacs County: 552 countMorrison County: 744 countMower County: 688 countMurray County: 265 countNicollet County: 536 countNobles County: 509 countNorman County: 161 countOlmsted County: 2,748 countOtter Tail County: 1,344 countPennington County: 336 countPine County: 483 countPipestone County: 283 countPolk County: 614 countPope County: 274 countRamsey County: 9,657 countRed Lake County: 81 countRedwood County: 435 countRenville County: 398 countRice County: 1,209 countRock County: 240 countRoseau County: 330 countSt. Louis County: 3,990 countScott County: 2,626 countSherburne County: 1,632 countSibley County: 282 countStearns County: 3,540 countSteele County: 849 countStevens County: 264 countSwift County: 276 countTodd County: 453 countTraverse County: 103 countWabasha County: 467 countWadena County: 330 countWaseca County: 379 countWashington County: 4,337 countWatonwan County: 253 countWilkin County: 140 countWinona County: 950 countWright County: 2,570 countYellow Medicine County: 280 count
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 500
  • 500 to 700
  • 700 to 1,300
  • 1,300 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

Hennepin County: 27,541 countHennepin County27,541Ramsey County: 9,657 countRamsey County9,657Dakota County: 7,544 countDakota County7,544Anoka County: 5,658 countAnoka County5,658Washington County: 4,337 countWashington County4,337St. Louis County: 3,990 countSt. Louis County3,990Stearns County: 3,540 countStearns County3,540Olmsted County: 2,748 countOlmsted County2,748Scott County: 2,626 countScott County2,626Wright County: 2,570 countWright County2,570Carver County: 1,909 countCarver County1,909Crow Wing County: 1,653 countCrow Wing County1,653Sherburne County: 1,632 countSherburne County1,632Blue Earth County: 1,591 countBlue Earth County1,591Otter Tail County: 1,344 countOtter Tail County1,344Rice County: 1,209 countRice County1,209Douglas County: 1,152 countDouglas County1,152Kandiyohi County: 1,107 countKandiyohi County1,107Goodhue County: 1,055 countGoodhue County1,055Clay County: 1,025 countClay County1,025Winona County: 950 countWinona County950Chisago County: 938 countChisago County938Beltrami County: 935 countBeltrami County935Itasca County: 930 countItasca County930Steele County: 849 countSteele County849McLeod County: 808 countMcLeod County808Becker County: 788 countBecker County788Morrison County: 744 countMorrison County744Benton County: 736 countBenton County736Isanti County: 705 countIsanti County705Mower County: 688 countMower County688Freeborn County: 678 countFreeborn County678Lyon County: 646 countLyon County646Brown County: 641 countBrown County641Cass County: 621 countCass County621Polk County: 614 countPolk County614Carlton County: 554 countCarlton County554Mille Lacs County: 552 countMille Lacs County552Le Sueur County: 539 countLe Sueur County539Nicollet County: 536 countNicollet County536Hennepin County: 27,541 countHennepin County27,541Ramsey County: 9,657 countRamsey County9,657Dakota County: 7,544 countDakota County7,544Anoka County: 5,658 countAnoka County5,658Washington County: 4,337 countWashington County4,337St. Louis County: 3,990 countSt. Louis County3,990Stearns County: 3,540 countStearns County3,540Olmsted County: 2,748 countOlmsted County2,748Scott County: 2,626 countScott County2,626Wright County: 2,570 countWright County2,570Carver County: 1,909 countCarver County1,909Crow Wing County: 1,653 countCrow Wing County1,653Sherburne County: 1,632 countSherburne County1,632Blue Earth County: 1,591 countBlue Earth County1,591Otter Tail County: 1,344 countOtter Tail County1,344Rice County: 1,209 countRice County1,209Douglas County: 1,152 countDouglas County1,152Kandiyohi County: 1,107 countKandiyohi County1,107Goodhue County: 1,055 countGoodhue County1,055Clay County: 1,025 countClay County1,025Winona County: 950 countWinona County950Chisago County: 938 countChisago County938Beltrami County: 935 countBeltrami County935Itasca County: 930 countItasca County930Steele County: 849 countSteele County849McLeod County: 808 countMcLeod County808Becker County: 788 countBecker County788Morrison County: 744 countMorrison County744Benton County: 736 countBenton County736Isanti County: 705 countIsanti County705Mower County: 688 countMower County688Freeborn County: 678 countFreeborn County678Lyon County: 646 countLyon County646Brown County: 641 countBrown County641Cass County: 621 countCass County621Polk County: 614 countPolk County614Carlton County: 554 countCarlton County554Mille Lacs County: 552 countMille Lacs County552Le Sueur County: 539 countLe Sueur County539Nicollet County: 536 countNicollet County536
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
1Hennepin County27,541+1.2%
2Ramsey County9,657+0.1%
3Dakota County7,544+0.8%
4Anoka County5,658+1.6%
5Washington County4,337+2%
6St. Louis County3,990+0.1%
7Stearns County3,540-0.1%
8Olmsted County2,748+0.7%
9Scott County2,626+1.1%
10Wright County2,570+1.9%
11Carver County1,909+0.5%
12Crow Wing County1,653+1.1%
13Sherburne County1,632+3.7%
14Blue Earth County1,591+1.2%
15Otter Tail County1,344-0.5%
16Rice County1,209+2.4%
17Douglas County1,152+2.9%
18Kandiyohi County1,107-0.7%
19Goodhue County1,055+0.3%
20Clay County1,025+3.1%
21Winona County950-1.1%
22Chisago County938-0.4%
23Beltrami County935+0.4%
24Itasca County930+1.1%
25Steele County849+0.7%
26McLeod County808-0.4%
27Becker County788+1.5%
28Morrison County744-0.1%
29Benton County736-0.9%
30Isanti County705+1%
31Mower County688-3.8%
32Freeborn County678-2.2%
33Lyon County646-2.1%
34Brown County641+1.9%
35Cass County621+0.8%
36Polk County614-0.8%
37Carlton County554+1.8%
38Mille Lacs County552+3.2%
39Le Sueur County539+1.9%
40Nicollet County536+1.5%
41Nobles County509-1.4%
42Martin County501+0.6%
43Pine County483-0.8%
44Hubbard County478-0.8%
45Fillmore County469-0.8%
46Wabasha County467-0.8%
47Meeker County458-1.9%
48Todd County453+1.1%
49Redwood County4350%
50Renville County398+1.3%
51Waseca County379-0.3%
52Chippewa County350-2.8%
52Dodge County350-0.3%
54Faribault County349-1.1%
55Pennington County336+0.6%
56Houston County335-1.8%
57Roseau County330+0.9%
57Wadena County330+2.2%
59Aitkin County329-0.3%
60Koochiching County327+0.3%
61Cottonwood County294-0.3%
62Pipestone County283+2.2%
63Sibley County282-3.8%
64Yellow Medicine County280+0.7%
65Swift County276-1.1%
66Pope County2740%
67Jackson County266-0.7%
68Murray County265+2.7%
69Stevens County264-0.4%
70Kanabec County262+3.6%
71Watonwan County253-1.6%
72Lake County244-1.6%
73Rock County240+4.8%
74Cook County221+0.9%
75Marshall County213+2.9%
76Lincoln County185+2.2%
77Lac qui Parle County180-1.6%
78Clearwater County173+0.6%
79Grant County164-5.7%
80Norman County161+5.9%
81Big Stone County1550%
82Wilkin County140-1.4%
83Lake of the Woods County136-2.9%
84Kittson County120-0.8%
85Traverse County103-5.5%
86Mahnomen County980%
87Red Lake County81-3.6%

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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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/minnesota-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 Minnesota 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/minnesota-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Minnesota 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/minnesota-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_minnesota_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Minnesota 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/minnesota-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 Minnesota 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/minnesota-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/minnesota-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  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Minnesota by employer firms using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"employer_firms","level":"province","within":"Minnesota","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=employer_firms&level=province&within=Minnesota&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest employer firms?

Hennepin County, with 27,541 in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Red Lake County, with 81 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 Minnesota: more rankings