Counties in Ohio by employer firms

Cuyahoga County had the highest employer firms of 88 counties in 2017, at 22,707. Vinton County had the lowest, at 118. The median was 916 and the figure for Ohio was 165,455. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest22,707Cuyahoga County
Lowest118Vinton County
Median91688 counties
Ohio165,455History

Map of counties, 2017

Adams County: 316 countAllen County: 1,925 countAshland County: 878 countAshtabula County: 1,461 countAthens County: 842 countAuglaize County: 832 countBelmont County: 1,147 countBrown County: 425 countButler County: 5,520 countCarroll County: 429 countChampaign County: 500 countClark County: 1,816 countClermont County: 2,759 countClinton County: 624 countColumbiana County: 1,561 countCoshocton County: 547 countCrawford County: 688 countCuyahoga County: 22,707 countDarke County: 976 countDefiance County: 683 countDelaware County: 3,603 countErie County: 1,489 countFairfield County: 2,169 countFayette County: 510 countFranklin County: 19,185 countFulton County: 793 countGallia County: 463 countGeauga County: 2,144 countGreene County: 2,353 countGuernsey County: 715 countHamilton County: 14,721 countHancock County: 1,369 countHardin County: 385 countHarrison County: 224 countHenry County: 484 countHighland County: 564 countHocking County: 417 countHolmes County: 1,159 countHuron County: 918 countJackson County: 496 countJefferson County: 996 countKnox County: 914 countLake County: 4,442 countLawrence County: 624 countLicking County: 2,328 countLogan County: 702 countLorain County: 4,269 countLucas County: 6,899 countMadison County: 573 countMahoning County: 4,308 countMarion County: 902 countMedina County: 3,157 countMeigs County: 262 countMercer County: 850 countMiami County: 1,762 countMonroe County: 223 countMontgomery County: 7,968 countMorgan County: 149 countMorrow County: 319 countMuskingum County: 1,390 countNoble County: 186 countOttawa County: 789 countPaulding County: 268 countPerry County: 330 countPickaway County: 679 countPike County: 338 countPortage County: 2,398 countPreble County: 555 countPutnam County: 603 countRichland County: 2,100 countRoss County: 982 countSandusky County: 1,032 countScioto County: 1,024 countSeneca County: 921 countShelby County: 802 countStark County: 6,162 countSummit County: 9,735 countTrumbull County: 3,117 countTuscarawas County: 1,757 countUnion County: 934 countVan Wert County: 491 countVinton County: 118 countWarren County: 3,353 countWashington County: 1,132 countWayne County: 2,091 countWilliams County: 692 countWood County: 2,194 countWyandot County: 429 count
  • Under 400
  • 400 to 700
  • 700 to 900
  • 900 to 1,500
  • 1,500 to 2,900
  • 2,900 and over
count, 2017. 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, 2017

Cuyahoga County: 22,707 countCuyahoga County22,707Franklin County: 19,185 countFranklin County19,185Hamilton County: 14,721 countHamilton County14,721Summit County: 9,735 countSummit County9,735Montgomery County: 7,968 countMontgomery County7,968Lucas County: 6,899 countLucas County6,899Stark County: 6,162 countStark County6,162Butler County: 5,520 countButler County5,520Lake County: 4,442 countLake County4,442Mahoning County: 4,308 countMahoning County4,308Lorain County: 4,269 countLorain County4,269Delaware County: 3,603 countDelaware County3,603Warren County: 3,353 countWarren County3,353Medina County: 3,157 countMedina County3,157Trumbull County: 3,117 countTrumbull County3,117Clermont County: 2,759 countClermont County2,759Portage County: 2,398 countPortage County2,398Greene County: 2,353 countGreene County2,353Licking County: 2,328 countLicking County2,328Wood County: 2,194 countWood County2,194Fairfield County: 2,169 countFairfield County2,169Geauga County: 2,144 countGeauga County2,144Richland County: 2,100 countRichland County2,100Wayne County: 2,091 countWayne County2,091Allen County: 1,925 countAllen County1,925Clark County: 1,816 countClark County1,816Miami County: 1,762 countMiami County1,762Tuscarawas County: 1,757 countTuscarawas County1,757Columbiana County: 1,561 countColumbiana County1,561Erie County: 1,489 countErie County1,489Ashtabula County: 1,461 countAshtabula County1,461Muskingum County: 1,390 countMuskingum County1,390Hancock County: 1,369 countHancock County1,369Holmes County: 1,159 countHolmes County1,159Belmont County: 1,147 countBelmont County1,147Washington County: 1,132 countWashington County1,132Sandusky County: 1,032 countSandusky County1,032Scioto County: 1,024 countScioto County1,024Jefferson County: 996 countJefferson County996Ross County: 982 countRoss County982Cuyahoga County: 22,707 countCuyahoga County22,707Franklin County: 19,185 countFranklin County19,185Hamilton County: 14,721 countHamilton County14,721Summit County: 9,735 countSummit County9,735Montgomery County: 7,968 countMontgomery County7,968Lucas County: 6,899 countLucas County6,899Stark County: 6,162 countStark County6,162Butler County: 5,520 countButler County5,520Lake County: 4,442 countLake County4,442Mahoning County: 4,308 countMahoning County4,308Lorain County: 4,269 countLorain County4,269Delaware County: 3,603 countDelaware County3,603Warren County: 3,353 countWarren County3,353Medina County: 3,157 countMedina County3,157Trumbull County: 3,117 countTrumbull County3,117Clermont County: 2,759 countClermont County2,759Portage County: 2,398 countPortage County2,398Greene County: 2,353 countGreene County2,353Licking County: 2,328 countLicking County2,328Wood County: 2,194 countWood County2,194Fairfield County: 2,169 countFairfield County2,169Geauga County: 2,144 countGeauga County2,144Richland County: 2,100 countRichland County2,100Wayne County: 2,091 countWayne County2,091Allen County: 1,925 countAllen County1,925Clark County: 1,816 countClark County1,816Miami County: 1,762 countMiami County1,762Tuscarawas County: 1,757 countTuscarawas County1,757Columbiana County: 1,561 countColumbiana County1,561Erie County: 1,489 countErie County1,489Ashtabula County: 1,461 countAshtabula County1,461Muskingum County: 1,390 countMuskingum County1,390Hancock County: 1,369 countHancock County1,369Holmes County: 1,159 countHolmes County1,159Belmont County: 1,147 countBelmont County1,147Washington County: 1,132 countWashington County1,132Sandusky County: 1,032 countSandusky County1,032Scioto County: 1,024 countScioto County1,024Jefferson County: 996 countJefferson County996Ross County: 982 countRoss County982
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
count
Change on 2016
1Cuyahoga County22,707-1.6%
2Franklin County19,185+0.6%
3Hamilton County14,721-0.1%
4Summit County9,735-1.6%
5Montgomery County7,968-0.8%
6Lucas County6,899-0.4%
7Stark County6,162-1.2%
8Butler County5,520+1.1%
9Lake County4,442-1%
10Mahoning County4,308-0.8%
11Lorain County4,269-1.8%
12Delaware County3,603+3.5%
13Warren County3,353+1.6%
14Medina County3,157-1.3%
15Trumbull County3,117-2.4%
16Clermont County2,759-0.7%
17Portage County2,398-1.2%
18Greene County2,353-0.4%
19Licking County2,328-0.6%
20Wood County2,194+0.5%
21Fairfield County2,1690%
22Geauga County2,144+0.3%
23Richland County2,100+0.3%
24Wayne County2,091+1.3%
25Allen County1,925-1.2%
26Clark County1,816-1.9%
27Miami County1,762-0.7%
28Tuscarawas County1,757-1.5%
29Columbiana County1,561-1.7%
30Erie County1,489-1.8%
31Ashtabula County1,461-1.5%
32Muskingum County1,390-0.9%
33Hancock County1,369-0.9%
34Holmes County1,159+4.2%
35Belmont County1,147-1%
36Washington County1,132-1.7%
37Sandusky County1,032-0.9%
38Scioto County1,024-1.2%
39Jefferson County996-0.3%
40Ross County982+0.1%
41Darke County976-1%
42Union County934-0.5%
43Seneca County921-2%
44Huron County918-3%
45Knox County914+0.3%
46Marion County902-1.8%
47Ashland County878+0.6%
48Mercer County850-0.8%
49Athens County842+1%
50Auglaize County832-1.3%
51Shelby County802-2.3%
52Fulton County793-1.2%
53Ottawa County789+0.8%
54Guernsey County715-2.1%
55Logan County702-1.4%
56Williams County692-0.6%
57Crawford County688-1%
58Defiance County683-1.9%
59Pickaway County679+1.6%
60Clinton County624-0.8%
60Lawrence County624-0.5%
62Putnam County603-0.3%
63Madison County573+0.4%
64Highland County564+0.4%
65Preble County555-0.9%
66Coshocton County547+1.7%
67Fayette County510+0.4%
68Champaign County500-0.6%
69Jackson County496-1.6%
70Van Wert County491-1%
71Henry County484+0.4%
72Gallia County463-1.9%
73Carroll County429+0.5%
73Wyandot County429-2.9%
75Brown County425-1.4%
76Hocking County417-0.7%
77Hardin County385-2.8%
78Pike County3380%
79Perry County330-0.6%
80Morrow County319-0.9%
81Adams County316+1%
82Paulding County268+2.3%
83Meigs County262-3.7%
84Harrison County224-3.4%
85Monroe County223+0.5%
86Noble County186-5.6%
87Morgan County149-2%
88Vinton County118-0.8%

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 Ohio by employer firms, 2017) [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 Ohio by employer firms, 2017. 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/ohio-counties?period=2017. 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 Ohio by employer firms, 2017. 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/ohio-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Ohio by employer firms, 2017 [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/ohio-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_ohio_by_2017,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Ohio by employer firms, 2017}},
  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/ohio-counties?period=2017. 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 Ohio by employer firms, 2017
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/ohio-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/ohio-counties?period=2017.
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?

Cuyahoga County, with 22,707 in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Vinton County, with 118 in 2017.

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 Ohio: more rankings