Counties in Missouri by employer firms

St. Louis County had the highest employer firms of 115 counties in 2016, at 23,476. Worth County had the lowest, at 38. The median was 345 and the figure for Missouri was 109,729. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest23,476St. Louis County
Lowest38Worth County
Median345115 counties
Missouri109,729History

Map of counties, 2016

Adair County: 541 countAndrew County: 256 countAtchison County: 172 countAudrain County: 441 countBarry County: 626 countBarton County: 220 countBates County: 302 countBenton County: 324 countBollinger County: 170 countBoone County: 3,712 countBuchanan County: 1,825 countButler County: 1,043 countCaldwell County: 134 countCallaway County: 607 countCamden County: 1,258 countCape Girardeau County: 1,991 countCarroll County: 195 countCarter County: 154 countCass County: 1,629 countCedar County: 253 countChariton County: 182 countChristian County: 1,460 countClark County: 125 countClay County: 4,094 countClinton County: 311 countCole County: 1,851 countCooper County: 333 countCrawford County: 437 countDade County: 119 countDallas County: 259 countDaviess County: 121 countDeKalb County: 204 countDent County: 299 countDouglas County: 172 countDunklin County: 620 countFranklin County: 2,149 countGasconade County: 367 countGentry County: 164 countGreene County: 6,497 countGrundy County: 224 countHarrison County: 173 countHenry County: 502 countHickory County: 128 countHolt County: 118 countHoward County: 165 countHowell County: 924 countIron County: 202 countJackson County: 13,623 countJasper County: 2,180 countJefferson County: 3,214 countJohnson County: 771 countKnox County: 77 countLaclede County: 681 countLafayette County: 593 countLawrence County: 622 countLewis County: 155 countLincoln County: 808 countLinn County: 257 countLivingston County: 370 countMcDonald County: 253 countMacon County: 299 countMadison County: 268 countMaries County: 118 countMarion County: 678 countMercer County: 64 countMiller County: 526 countMississippi County: 217 countMoniteau County: 288 countMonroe County: 150 countMontgomery County: 220 countMorgan County: 411 countNew Madrid County: 360 countNewton County: 1,098 countNodaway County: 408 countOregon County: 179 countOsage County: 252 countOzark County: 153 countPemiscot County: 339 countPerry County: 453 countPettis County: 858 countPhelps County: 938 countPike County: 340 countPlatte County: 1,943 countPolk County: 507 countPulaski County: 599 countPutnam County: 84 countRalls County: 181 countRandolph County: 487 countRay County: 317 countReynolds County: 118 countRipley County: 366 countSt. Charles County: 6,346 countSt. Clair County: 151 countSte. Genevieve County: 367 countSt. Francois County: 1,247 countSt. Louis County: 23,476 countSaline County: 413 countSchuyler County: 61 countScotland County: 123 countScott County: 943 countShannon County: 141 countShelby County: 147 countStoddard County: 600 countStone County: 569 countSullivan County: 94 countTaney County: 1,434 countTexas County: 431 countVernon County: 467 countWarren County: 504 countWashington County: 316 countWayne County: 272 countWebster County: 593 countWorth County: 38 countWright County: 345 countSt. Louis city: 8,981 count
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 500
  • 500 to 1,100
  • 1,100 and over
count, 2016. 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, 2016

St. Louis County: 23,476 countSt. Louis County23,476Jackson County: 13,623 countJackson County13,623St. Louis city: 8,981 countSt. Louis city8,981Greene County: 6,497 countGreene County6,497St. Charles County: 6,346 countSt. Charles County6,346Clay County: 4,094 countClay County4,094Boone County: 3,712 countBoone County3,712Jefferson County: 3,214 countJefferson County3,214Jasper County: 2,180 countJasper County2,180Franklin County: 2,149 countFranklin County2,149Cape Girardeau County: 1,991 countCape Girardeau County1,991Platte County: 1,943 countPlatte County1,943Cole County: 1,851 countCole County1,851Buchanan County: 1,825 countBuchanan County1,825Cass County: 1,629 countCass County1,629Christian County: 1,460 countChristian County1,460Taney County: 1,434 countTaney County1,434Camden County: 1,258 countCamden County1,258St. Francois County: 1,247 countSt. Francois County1,247Newton County: 1,098 countNewton County1,098Butler County: 1,043 countButler County1,043Scott County: 943 countScott County943Phelps County: 938 countPhelps County938Howell County: 924 countHowell County924Pettis County: 858 countPettis County858Lincoln County: 808 countLincoln County808Johnson County: 771 countJohnson County771Laclede County: 681 countLaclede County681Marion County: 678 countMarion County678Barry County: 626 countBarry County626Lawrence County: 622 countLawrence County622Dunklin County: 620 countDunklin County620Callaway County: 607 countCallaway County607Stoddard County: 600 countStoddard County600Pulaski County: 599 countPulaski County599Lafayette County: 593 countLafayette County593Webster County: 593 countWebster County593Stone County: 569 countStone County569Adair County: 541 countAdair County541Miller County: 526 countMiller County526St. Louis County: 23,476 countSt. Louis County23,476Jackson County: 13,623 countJackson County13,623St. Louis city: 8,981 countSt. Louis city8,981Greene County: 6,497 countGreene County6,497St. Charles County: 6,346 countSt. Charles County6,346Clay County: 4,094 countClay County4,094Boone County: 3,712 countBoone County3,712Jefferson County: 3,214 countJefferson County3,214Jasper County: 2,180 countJasper County2,180Franklin County: 2,149 countFranklin County2,149Cape Girardeau County: 1,991 countCape Girardeau County1,991Platte County: 1,943 countPlatte County1,943Cole County: 1,851 countCole County1,851Buchanan County: 1,825 countBuchanan County1,825Cass County: 1,629 countCass County1,629Christian County: 1,460 countChristian County1,460Taney County: 1,434 countTaney County1,434Camden County: 1,258 countCamden County1,258St. Francois County: 1,247 countSt. Francois County1,247Newton County: 1,098 countNewton County1,098Butler County: 1,043 countButler County1,043Scott County: 943 countScott County943Phelps County: 938 countPhelps County938Howell County: 924 countHowell County924Pettis County: 858 countPettis County858Lincoln County: 808 countLincoln County808Johnson County: 771 countJohnson County771Laclede County: 681 countLaclede County681Marion County: 678 countMarion County678Barry County: 626 countBarry County626Lawrence County: 622 countLawrence County622Dunklin County: 620 countDunklin County620Callaway County: 607 countCallaway County607Stoddard County: 600 countStoddard County600Pulaski County: 599 countPulaski County599Lafayette County: 593 countLafayette County593Webster County: 593 countWebster County593Stone County: 569 countStone County569Adair County: 541 countAdair County541Miller County: 526 countMiller County526
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
count
Change on 2015
1St. Louis County23,476+2%
2Jackson County13,623+2.9%
3St. Louis city8,981+6.3%
4Greene County6,497+1.6%
5St. Charles County6,346+1.8%
6Clay County4,094+2.2%
7Boone County3,712+1.3%
8Jefferson County3,214+0.7%
9Jasper County2,180+1.3%
10Franklin County2,149+2.3%
11Cape Girardeau County1,991+0.8%
12Platte County1,943+1.9%
13Cole County1,851+0.2%
14Buchanan County1,825+1%
15Cass County1,629+1.5%
16Christian County1,460+3.8%
17Taney County1,434+3.5%
18Camden County1,258+4.2%
19St. Francois County1,247+4.4%
20Newton County1,098+1.9%
21Butler County1,043-1.8%
22Scott County943+1.5%
23Phelps County938-1.1%
24Howell County924+0.3%
25Pettis County858+0.5%
26Lincoln County808+1.4%
27Johnson County771+1.3%
28Laclede County681+2.4%
29Marion County678+0.4%
30Barry County626-2%
31Lawrence County622+3.3%
32Dunklin County620+1%
33Callaway County607-1.8%
34Stoddard County600+2.2%
35Pulaski County599+0.7%
36Lafayette County593+3.7%
36Webster County593+3.3%
38Stone County569+1.4%
39Adair County541+1.9%
40Miller County526+1.2%
41Polk County507-0.4%
42Warren County504+4.6%
43Henry County502+0.2%
44Randolph County4870%
45Vernon County467-2.7%
46Perry County453+2.5%
47Audrain County441-2.6%
48Crawford County437+2.1%
49Texas County431-0.2%
50Saline County413-1.4%
51Morgan County411+0.5%
52Nodaway County408+0.2%
53Livingston County370-0.8%
54Gasconade County367-0.8%
54Ste. Genevieve County367-0.8%
56Ripley County366+4%
57New Madrid County360+3.4%
58Wright County345-3.1%
59Pike County340-1.4%
60Pemiscot County339-2.9%
61Cooper County333+4.7%
62Benton County324+3.8%
63Ray County317+2.3%
64Washington County316+1.6%
65Clinton County311+5.1%
66Bates County302+0.7%
67Dent County299-2%
67Macon County299+3.1%
69Moniteau County288-2.4%
70Wayne County272-0.7%
71Madison County268+4.7%
72Dallas County259+6.1%
73Linn County2570%
74Andrew County256+4.1%
75Cedar County2530%
75McDonald County253+2.4%
77Osage County252-4.5%
78Grundy County2240%
79Barton County220+2.8%
79Montgomery County220+0.9%
81Mississippi County217+5.3%
82DeKalb County204-0.5%
83Iron County202-1.5%
84Carroll County195-2%
85Chariton County182-2.2%
86Ralls County181+0.6%
87Oregon County179+0.6%
88Harrison County173+1.2%
89Atchison County172-2.3%
89Douglas County172+4.2%
91Bollinger County170-6.1%
92Howard County165+1.9%
93Gentry County164-1.2%
94Lewis County155-3.1%
95Carter County154+6.2%
96Ozark County153+3.4%
97St. Clair County151-8.5%
98Monroe County150-3.8%
99Shelby County1470%
100Shannon County141+2.9%
101Caldwell County134+3.1%
102Hickory County128+6.7%
103Clark County125-0.8%
104Scotland County123+2.5%
105Daviess County121-3.2%
106Dade County119+0.8%
107Holt County118-2.5%
107Maries County118+1.7%
107Reynolds County118+4.4%
110Sullivan County94-3.1%
111Putnam County84+7.7%
112Knox County77-3.8%
113Mercer County64+4.9%
114Schuyler County61+1.7%
115Worth County38+2.7%

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 Missouri by employer firms, 2016) [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 Missouri by employer firms, 2016. 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/missouri-counties?period=2016. 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 Missouri by employer firms, 2016. 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/missouri-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Missouri by employer firms, 2016 [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/missouri-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Missouri by employer firms, 2016}},
  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/missouri-counties?period=2016. 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 Missouri by employer firms, 2016
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/missouri-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/missouri-counties?period=2016.
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?

St. Louis County, with 23,476 in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Worth County, with 38 in 2016.

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 Missouri: more rankings