Counties in Missouri by employer firms

St. Louis County had the highest employer firms of 115 counties in 2020, at 21,951. Worth County had the lowest, at 42. The median was 322 and the figure for Missouri was 103,169. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest21,951St. Louis County
Lowest42Worth County
Median322115 counties
Missouri103,169History

Map of counties, 2020

Adair County: 489 countAndrew County: 241 countAtchison County: 151 countAudrain County: 423 countBarry County: 629 countBarton County: 206 countBates County: 288 countBenton County: 322 countBollinger County: 169 countBoone County: 3,696 countBuchanan County: 1,672 countButler County: 890 countCaldwell County: 132 countCallaway County: 596 countCamden County: 1,223 countCape Girardeau County: 1,891 countCarroll County: 171 countCarter County: 131 countCass County: 1,623 countCedar County: 245 countChariton County: 175 countChristian County: 1,528 countClark County: 121 countClay County: 4,178 countClinton County: 279 countCole County: 1,817 countCooper County: 311 countCrawford County: 410 countDade County: 119 countDallas County: 243 countDaviess County: 138 countDeKalb County: 185 countDent County: 271 countDouglas County: 177 countDunklin County: 525 countFranklin County: 2,125 countGasconade County: 355 countGentry County: 145 countGreene County: 6,455 countGrundy County: 201 countHarrison County: 153 countHenry County: 486 countHickory County: 118 countHolt County: 103 countHoward County: 152 countHowell County: 923 countIron County: 181 countJackson County: 13,020 countJasper County: 2,107 countJefferson County: 3,089 countJohnson County: 764 countKnox County: 73 countLaclede County: 634 countLafayette County: 565 countLawrence County: 580 countLewis County: 153 countLincoln County: 828 countLinn County: 248 countLivingston County: 355 countMcDonald County: 246 countMacon County: 288 countMadison County: 219 countMaries County: 112 countMarion County: 641 countMercer County: 66 countMiller County: 542 countMississippi County: 187 countMoniteau County: 293 countMonroe County: 145 countMontgomery County: 195 countMorgan County: 430 countNew Madrid County: 315 countNewton County: 1,089 countNodaway County: 414 countOregon County: 155 countOsage County: 246 countOzark County: 133 countPemiscot County: 267 countPerry County: 459 countPettis County: 856 countPhelps County: 868 countPike County: 333 countPlatte County: 1,946 countPolk County: 510 countPulaski County: 533 countPutnam County: 80 countRalls County: 193 countRandolph County: 447 countRay County: 299 countReynolds County: 100 countRipley County: 254 countSt. Charles County: 6,414 countSt. Clair County: 137 countSte. Genevieve County: 338 countSt. Francois County: 1,120 countSt. Louis County: 21,951 countSaline County: 399 countSchuyler County: 70 countScotland County: 126 countScott County: 869 countShannon County: 117 countShelby County: 138 countStoddard County: 537 countStone County: 581 countSullivan County: 88 countTaney County: 1,436 countTexas County: 385 countVernon County: 407 countWarren County: 518 countWashington County: 306 countWayne County: 203 countWebster County: 595 countWorth County: 42 countWright County: 336 countSt. Louis city: 6,999 count
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 500
  • 500 to 1,100
  • 1,100 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

St. Louis County: 21,951 countSt. Louis County21,951Jackson County: 13,020 countJackson County13,020St. Louis city: 6,999 countSt. Louis city6,999Greene County: 6,455 countGreene County6,455St. Charles County: 6,414 countSt. Charles County6,414Clay County: 4,178 countClay County4,178Boone County: 3,696 countBoone County3,696Jefferson County: 3,089 countJefferson County3,089Franklin County: 2,125 countFranklin County2,125Jasper County: 2,107 countJasper County2,107Platte County: 1,946 countPlatte County1,946Cape Girardeau County: 1,891 countCape Girardeau County1,891Cole County: 1,817 countCole County1,817Buchanan County: 1,672 countBuchanan County1,672Cass County: 1,623 countCass County1,623Christian County: 1,528 countChristian County1,528Taney County: 1,436 countTaney County1,436Camden County: 1,223 countCamden County1,223St. Francois County: 1,120 countSt. Francois County1,120Newton County: 1,089 countNewton County1,089Howell County: 923 countHowell County923Butler County: 890 countButler County890Scott County: 869 countScott County869Phelps County: 868 countPhelps County868Pettis County: 856 countPettis County856Lincoln County: 828 countLincoln County828Johnson County: 764 countJohnson County764Marion County: 641 countMarion County641Laclede County: 634 countLaclede County634Barry County: 629 countBarry County629Callaway County: 596 countCallaway County596Webster County: 595 countWebster County595Stone County: 581 countStone County581Lawrence County: 580 countLawrence County580Lafayette County: 565 countLafayette County565Miller County: 542 countMiller County542Stoddard County: 537 countStoddard County537Pulaski County: 533 countPulaski County533Dunklin County: 525 countDunklin County525Warren County: 518 countWarren County518St. Louis County: 21,951 countSt. Louis County21,951Jackson County: 13,020 countJackson County13,020St. Louis city: 6,999 countSt. Louis city6,999Greene County: 6,455 countGreene County6,455St. Charles County: 6,414 countSt. Charles County6,414Clay County: 4,178 countClay County4,178Boone County: 3,696 countBoone County3,696Jefferson County: 3,089 countJefferson County3,089Franklin County: 2,125 countFranklin County2,125Jasper County: 2,107 countJasper County2,107Platte County: 1,946 countPlatte County1,946Cape Girardeau County: 1,891 countCape Girardeau County1,891Cole County: 1,817 countCole County1,817Buchanan County: 1,672 countBuchanan County1,672Cass County: 1,623 countCass County1,623Christian County: 1,528 countChristian County1,528Taney County: 1,436 countTaney County1,436Camden County: 1,223 countCamden County1,223St. Francois County: 1,120 countSt. Francois County1,120Newton County: 1,089 countNewton County1,089Howell County: 923 countHowell County923Butler County: 890 countButler County890Scott County: 869 countScott County869Phelps County: 868 countPhelps County868Pettis County: 856 countPettis County856Lincoln County: 828 countLincoln County828Johnson County: 764 countJohnson County764Marion County: 641 countMarion County641Laclede County: 634 countLaclede County634Barry County: 629 countBarry County629Callaway County: 596 countCallaway County596Webster County: 595 countWebster County595Stone County: 581 countStone County581Lawrence County: 580 countLawrence County580Lafayette County: 565 countLafayette County565Miller County: 542 countMiller County542Stoddard County: 537 countStoddard County537Pulaski County: 533 countPulaski County533Dunklin County: 525 countDunklin County525Warren County: 518 countWarren County518
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
1St. Louis County21,951-1.3%
2Jackson County13,020+1%
3St. Louis city6,999-3%
4Greene County6,455-0.8%
5St. Charles County6,414-1.2%
6Clay County4,178+0.9%
7Boone County3,696-0.8%
8Jefferson County3,089-0.2%
9Franklin County2,125-0.5%
10Jasper County2,107-2.5%
11Platte County1,9460%
12Cape Girardeau County1,891-1.3%
13Cole County1,817+0.7%
14Buchanan County1,672-0.1%
15Cass County1,623-1.7%
16Christian County1,528+1%
17Taney County1,436-0.5%
18Camden County1,223-0.8%
19St. Francois County1,120-2.5%
20Newton County1,089-1%
21Howell County923-0.4%
22Butler County890-1.2%
23Scott County869-5.6%
24Phelps County868-4.2%
25Pettis County856-0.3%
26Lincoln County828-0.8%
27Johnson County764+1.3%
28Marion County6410%
29Laclede County634-1.9%
30Barry County629-1.3%
31Callaway County596-0.3%
32Webster County595+1.7%
33Stone County581-1.7%
34Lawrence County580-0.3%
35Lafayette County565-1.6%
36Miller County542+2.5%
37Stoddard County537-5.3%
38Pulaski County533-6%
39Dunklin County525+0.6%
40Warren County518-6%
41Polk County510-0.6%
42Adair County489-3.4%
43Henry County486-1.4%
44Perry County459-1.5%
45Randolph County447-2.8%
46Morgan County430+2.6%
47Audrain County423+1.7%
48Nodaway County414+2.2%
49Crawford County410+0.5%
50Vernon County407-1.7%
51Saline County399-2.4%
52Texas County385-5.6%
53Gasconade County355+0.3%
53Livingston County355-1.9%
55Ste. Genevieve County338-5.3%
56Wright County336-1.5%
57Pike County333+1.2%
58Benton County322+0.9%
59New Madrid County315-0.3%
60Cooper County311-1%
61Washington County306+0.3%
62Ray County299+2.4%
63Moniteau County293+1.7%
64Bates County288-2%
64Macon County288-2.4%
66Clinton County279-3.8%
67Dent County271-6.2%
68Pemiscot County267-1.5%
69Ripley County254-10.9%
70Linn County248+4.6%
71McDonald County246-0.4%
71Osage County246+2.9%
73Cedar County245+5.2%
74Dallas County243-2.4%
75Andrew County241-1.2%
76Madison County219-2.2%
77Barton County206+1.5%
78Wayne County203-3.8%
79Grundy County2010%
80Montgomery County195-5.8%
81Ralls County193+2.7%
82Mississippi County187-11%
83DeKalb County185-4.1%
84Iron County181-7.7%
85Douglas County177-0.6%
86Chariton County175+0.6%
87Carroll County171-5.5%
88Bollinger County1690%
89Oregon County155-5.5%
90Harrison County153-2.5%
90Lewis County153+3.4%
92Howard County152+0.7%
93Atchison County151-1.3%
94Gentry County145-2%
94Monroe County145+0.7%
96Daviess County138+3%
96Shelby County138+1.5%
98St. Clair County137-1.4%
99Ozark County133-2.2%
100Caldwell County132+6.5%
101Carter County131-4.4%
102Scotland County126+0.8%
103Clark County121-8.3%
104Dade County119-0.8%
105Hickory County118-1.7%
106Shannon County117-10%
107Maries County112-1.8%
108Holt County103-4.6%
109Reynolds County1000%
110Sullivan County88-2.2%
111Putnam County80+1.3%
112Knox County73-1.4%
113Schuyler County70+1.4%
114Mercer County66+4.8%
115Worth 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 Missouri 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 Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Missouri 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/missouri-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/missouri-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?

St. Louis County, with 21,951 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Worth 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 Missouri: more rankings