Counties in Tennessee by employer firms, 2023

Davidson County had the highest employer firms of 95 counties in 2023, at 15,722. Van Buren County had the lowest, at 35. The median was 467 and the figure for Tennessee was 97,956. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest15,722Davidson County
Median46795 counties
Tennessee97,956History

Map of counties, 2023

Anderson County: 1,261 countBedford County: 786 countBenton County: 257 countBledsoe County: 108 countBlount County: 2,037 countBradley County: 1,648 countCampbell County: 497 countCannon County: 196 countCarroll County: 373 countCarter County: 625 countCheatham County: 586 countChester County: 223 countClaiborne County: 388 countClay County: 85 countCocke County: 412 countCoffee County: 1,060 countCrockett County: 200 countCumberland County: 972 countDavidson County: 15,722 countDecatur County: 198 countDeKalb County: 283 countDickson County: 933 countDyer County: 682 countFayette County: 582 countFentress County: 239 countFranklin County: 640 countGibson County: 775 countGiles County: 488 countGrainger County: 204 countGreene County: 987 countGrundy County: 129 countHamblen County: 1,119 countHamilton County: 7,336 countHancock County: 51 countHardeman County: 268 countHardin County: 467 countHawkins County: 508 countHaywood County: 263 countHenderson County: 435 countHenry County: 618 countHickman County: 248 countHouston County: 101 countHumphreys County: 290 countJackson County: 110 countJefferson County: 638 countJohnson County: 215 countKnox County: 9,054 countLake County: 53 countLauderdale County: 253 countLawrence County: 637 countLewis County: 213 countLincoln County: 531 countLoudon County: 838 countMcMinn County: 797 countMcNairy County: 388 countMacon County: 294 countMadison County: 2,072 countMarion County: 408 countMarshall County: 476 countMaury County: 1,617 countMeigs County: 86 countMonroe County: 622 countMontgomery County: 2,626 countMoore County: 73 countMorgan County: 143 countObion County: 513 countOverton County: 312 countPerry County: 104 countPickett County: 71 countPolk County: 191 countPutnam County: 1,631 countRhea County: 446 countRoane County: 612 countRobertson County: 1,117 countRutherford County: 4,681 countScott County: 294 countSequatchie County: 185 countSevier County: 2,360 countShelby County: 13,273 countSmith County: 267 countStewart County: 151 countSullivan County: 2,481 countSumner County: 3,003 countTipton County: 647 countTrousdale County: 124 countUnicoi County: 221 countUnion County: 185 countVan Buren County: 35 countWarren County: 659 countWashington County: 2,473 countWayne County: 170 countWeakley County: 495 countWhite County: 366 countWilliamson County: 6,728 countWilson County: 2,659 count
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 500
  • 500 to 600
  • 600 to 1,600
  • 1,600 and over
count, 2023. 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, 2023

Davidson County: 15,722 countDavidson County15,722Shelby County: 13,273 countShelby County13,273Knox County: 9,054 countKnox County9,054Hamilton County: 7,336 countHamilton County7,336Williamson County: 6,728 countWilliamson County6,728Rutherford County: 4,681 countRutherford County4,681Sumner County: 3,003 countSumner County3,003Wilson County: 2,659 countWilson County2,659Montgomery County: 2,626 countMontgomery County2,626Sullivan County: 2,481 countSullivan County2,481Washington County: 2,473 countWashington County2,473Sevier County: 2,360 countSevier County2,360Madison County: 2,072 countMadison County2,072Blount County: 2,037 countBlount County2,037Bradley County: 1,648 countBradley County1,648Putnam County: 1,631 countPutnam County1,631Maury County: 1,617 countMaury County1,617Anderson County: 1,261 countAnderson County1,261Hamblen County: 1,119 countHamblen County1,119Robertson County: 1,117 countRobertson County1,117Coffee County: 1,060 countCoffee County1,060Greene County: 987 countGreene County987Cumberland County: 972 countCumberland County972Dickson County: 933 countDickson County933Loudon County: 838 countLoudon County838McMinn County: 797 countMcMinn County797Bedford County: 786 countBedford County786Gibson County: 775 countGibson County775Dyer County: 682 countDyer County682Warren County: 659 countWarren County659Tipton County: 647 countTipton County647Franklin County: 640 countFranklin County640Jefferson County: 638 countJefferson County638Lawrence County: 637 countLawrence County637Carter County: 625 countCarter County625Monroe County: 622 countMonroe County622Henry County: 618 countHenry County618Roane County: 612 countRoane County612Cheatham County: 586 countCheatham County586Fayette County: 582 countFayette County582Davidson County: 15,722 countDavidson County15,722Shelby County: 13,273 countShelby County13,273Knox County: 9,054 countKnox County9,054Hamilton County: 7,336 countHamilton County7,336Williamson County: 6,728 countWilliamson County6,728Rutherford County: 4,681 countRutherford County4,681Sumner County: 3,003 countSumner County3,003Wilson County: 2,659 countWilson County2,659Montgomery County: 2,626 countMontgomery County2,626Sullivan County: 2,481 countSullivan County2,481Washington County: 2,473 countWashington County2,473Sevier County: 2,360 countSevier County2,360Madison County: 2,072 countMadison County2,072Blount County: 2,037 countBlount County2,037Bradley County: 1,648 countBradley County1,648Putnam County: 1,631 countPutnam County1,631Maury County: 1,617 countMaury County1,617Anderson County: 1,261 countAnderson County1,261Hamblen County: 1,119 countHamblen County1,119Robertson County: 1,117 countRobertson County1,117Coffee County: 1,060 countCoffee County1,060Greene County: 987 countGreene County987Cumberland County: 972 countCumberland County972Dickson County: 933 countDickson County933Loudon County: 838 countLoudon County838McMinn County: 797 countMcMinn County797Bedford County: 786 countBedford County786Gibson County: 775 countGibson County775Dyer County: 682 countDyer County682Warren County: 659 countWarren County659Tipton County: 647 countTipton County647Franklin County: 640 countFranklin County640Jefferson County: 638 countJefferson County638Lawrence County: 637 countLawrence County637Carter County: 625 countCarter County625Monroe County: 622 countMonroe County622Henry County: 618 countHenry County618Roane County: 612 countRoane County612Cheatham County: 586 countCheatham County586Fayette County: 582 countFayette County582
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023
count
Change on 2022
1Davidson County15,722+2.3%
2Shelby County13,273-0.6%
3Knox County9,054+1.2%
4Hamilton County7,336+1.5%
5Williamson County6,728+3.6%
6Rutherford County4,681+3.3%
7Sumner County3,003+3.4%
8Wilson County2,659+3.6%
9Montgomery County2,626+3.4%
10Sullivan County2,481+1.3%
11Washington County2,473+2%
12Sevier County2,360+0.9%
13Madison County2,072-0.6%
14Blount County2,037+0.4%
15Bradley County1,648+1.7%
16Putnam County1,631+1.4%
17Maury County1,617+4.1%
18Anderson County1,261+1.3%
19Hamblen County1,119+0.8%
20Robertson County1,117+3.3%
21Coffee County1,060-0.5%
22Greene County987+2%
23Cumberland County972+0.8%
24Dickson County933+1.7%
25Loudon County838+1.6%
26McMinn County797+1%
27Bedford County786+3.3%
28Gibson County775+0.1%
29Dyer County682-0.7%
30Warren County659+1.5%
31Tipton County647+1.3%
32Franklin County640+2.9%
33Jefferson County638+2.7%
34Lawrence County637-1.2%
35Carter County625+0.5%
36Monroe County622+2.3%
37Henry County618+5.5%
38Roane County612+2.3%
39Cheatham County586+4.1%
40Fayette County582+4.5%
41Lincoln County531+6%
42Obion County513-2.1%
43Hawkins County508+3.3%
44Campbell County497+1.6%
45Weakley County495+3.8%
46Giles County4880%
47Marshall County476+4.2%
48Hardin County467+5.9%
49Rhea County446+2.8%
50Henderson County435+4.8%
51Cocke County412+0.2%
52Marion County408+5.2%
53Claiborne County388+1.8%
53McNairy County388+1%
55Carroll County373+2.5%
56White County366+3.1%
57Overton County312+0.3%
58Macon County294+1%
58Scott County294+3.5%
60Humphreys County290-0.7%
61DeKalb County283+5.6%
62Hardeman County268-6.6%
63Smith County267+3.9%
64Haywood County263+1.5%
65Benton County257-0.8%
66Lauderdale County253-0.4%
67Hickman County248+3.3%
68Fentress County239+4.4%
69Chester County223+0.5%
70Unicoi County221+3.8%
71Johnson County215+5.9%
72Lewis County213+2.9%
73Grainger County204+1%
74Crockett County200-6.1%
75Decatur County198+4.8%
76Cannon County196+5.4%
77Polk County191+1.6%
78Sequatchie County185+6.3%
78Union County185-3.1%
80Wayne County170+1.2%
81Stewart County151+3.4%
82Morgan County143+0.7%
83Grundy County129-5.1%
84Trousdale County124+7.8%
85Jackson County110+8.9%
86Bledsoe County108-3.6%
87Perry County1040%
88Houston County101+5.2%
89Meigs County86-1.1%
90Clay County850%
91Moore County73+2.8%
92Pickett County710%
93Lake County530%
94Hancock County510%
95Van Buren County35-18.6%

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 Tennessee by employer firms, 2023) [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 Tennessee by employer firms, 2023. 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/tennessee-counties. 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 Tennessee by employer firms, 2023. 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/tennessee-counties.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Tennessee by employer firms, 2023 [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/tennessee-counties (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Tennessee by employer firms, 2023}},
  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/tennessee-counties. 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 Tennessee by employer firms, 2023
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/tennessee-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/tennessee-counties.
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?

Davidson County, with 15,722 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Van Buren County, with 35 in 2023.

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 Tennessee: more rankings