Counties in Tennessee by employer firms

Davidson County had the highest employer firms of 95 counties in 2015, at 13,673. Van Buren County had the lowest, at 36. The median was 425 and the figure for Tennessee was 88,986. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest13,673Davidson County
Median42595 counties
Tennessee88,986History

Map of counties, 2015

Anderson County: 1,239 countBedford County: 699 countBenton County: 272 countBledsoe County: 109 countBlount County: 1,887 countBradley County: 1,547 countCampbell County: 503 countCannon County: 156 countCarroll County: 358 countCarter County: 591 countCheatham County: 508 countChester County: 214 countClaiborne County: 359 countClay County: 88 countCocke County: 410 countCoffee County: 1,023 countCrockett County: 195 countCumberland County: 898 countDavidson County: 13,673 countDecatur County: 185 countDeKalb County: 254 countDickson County: 803 countDyer County: 669 countFayette County: 501 countFentress County: 212 countFranklin County: 608 countGibson County: 759 countGiles County: 470 countGrainger County: 174 countGreene County: 900 countGrundy County: 117 countHamblen County: 1,057 countHamilton County: 6,620 countHancock County: 47 countHardeman County: 303 countHardin County: 425 countHawkins County: 516 countHaywood County: 285 countHenderson County: 422 countHenry County: 617 countHickman County: 217 countHouston County: 97 countHumphreys County: 296 countJackson County: 93 countJefferson County: 558 countJohnson County: 212 countKnox County: 8,183 countLake County: 76 countLauderdale County: 277 countLawrence County: 595 countLewis County: 189 countLincoln County: 497 countLoudon County: 774 countMcMinn County: 752 countMcNairy County: 375 countMacon County: 278 countMadison County: 2,050 countMarion County: 398 countMarshall County: 415 countMaury County: 1,348 countMeigs County: 91 countMonroe County: 607 countMontgomery County: 2,197 countMoore County: 58 countMorgan County: 137 countObion County: 542 countOverton County: 269 countPerry County: 105 countPickett County: 73 countPolk County: 178 countPutnam County: 1,476 countRhea County: 440 countRoane County: 591 countRobertson County: 977 countRutherford County: 3,776 countScott County: 276 countSequatchie County: 167 countSevier County: 2,042 countShelby County: 13,192 countSmith County: 225 countStewart County: 135 countSullivan County: 2,507 countSumner County: 2,508 countTipton County: 613 countTrousdale County: 110 countUnicoi County: 210 countUnion County: 164 countVan Buren County: 36 countWarren County: 645 countWashington County: 2,280 countWayne County: 166 countWeakley County: 481 countWhite County: 337 countWilliamson County: 5,266 countWilson County: 2,107 count
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 600
  • 600 to 1,400
  • 1,400 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

Davidson County: 13,673 countDavidson County13,673Shelby County: 13,192 countShelby County13,192Knox County: 8,183 countKnox County8,183Hamilton County: 6,620 countHamilton County6,620Williamson County: 5,266 countWilliamson County5,266Rutherford County: 3,776 countRutherford County3,776Sumner County: 2,508 countSumner County2,508Sullivan County: 2,507 countSullivan County2,507Washington County: 2,280 countWashington County2,280Montgomery County: 2,197 countMontgomery County2,197Wilson County: 2,107 countWilson County2,107Madison County: 2,050 countMadison County2,050Sevier County: 2,042 countSevier County2,042Blount County: 1,887 countBlount County1,887Bradley County: 1,547 countBradley County1,547Putnam County: 1,476 countPutnam County1,476Maury County: 1,348 countMaury County1,348Anderson County: 1,239 countAnderson County1,239Hamblen County: 1,057 countHamblen County1,057Coffee County: 1,023 countCoffee County1,023Robertson County: 977 countRobertson County977Greene County: 900 countGreene County900Cumberland County: 898 countCumberland County898Dickson County: 803 countDickson County803Loudon County: 774 countLoudon County774Gibson County: 759 countGibson County759McMinn County: 752 countMcMinn County752Bedford County: 699 countBedford County699Dyer County: 669 countDyer County669Warren County: 645 countWarren County645Henry County: 617 countHenry County617Tipton County: 613 countTipton County613Franklin County: 608 countFranklin County608Monroe County: 607 countMonroe County607Lawrence County: 595 countLawrence County595Carter County: 591 countCarter County591Roane County: 591 countRoane County591Jefferson County: 558 countJefferson County558Obion County: 542 countObion County542Hawkins County: 516 countHawkins County516Davidson County: 13,673 countDavidson County13,673Shelby County: 13,192 countShelby County13,192Knox County: 8,183 countKnox County8,183Hamilton County: 6,620 countHamilton County6,620Williamson County: 5,266 countWilliamson County5,266Rutherford County: 3,776 countRutherford County3,776Sumner County: 2,508 countSumner County2,508Sullivan County: 2,507 countSullivan County2,507Washington County: 2,280 countWashington County2,280Montgomery County: 2,197 countMontgomery County2,197Wilson County: 2,107 countWilson County2,107Madison County: 2,050 countMadison County2,050Sevier County: 2,042 countSevier County2,042Blount County: 1,887 countBlount County1,887Bradley County: 1,547 countBradley County1,547Putnam County: 1,476 countPutnam County1,476Maury County: 1,348 countMaury County1,348Anderson County: 1,239 countAnderson County1,239Hamblen County: 1,057 countHamblen County1,057Coffee County: 1,023 countCoffee County1,023Robertson County: 977 countRobertson County977Greene County: 900 countGreene County900Cumberland County: 898 countCumberland County898Dickson County: 803 countDickson County803Loudon County: 774 countLoudon County774Gibson County: 759 countGibson County759McMinn County: 752 countMcMinn County752Bedford County: 699 countBedford County699Dyer County: 669 countDyer County669Warren County: 645 countWarren County645Henry County: 617 countHenry County617Tipton County: 613 countTipton County613Franklin County: 608 countFranklin County608Monroe County: 607 countMonroe County607Lawrence County: 595 countLawrence County595Carter County: 591 countCarter County591Roane County: 591 countRoane County591Jefferson County: 558 countJefferson County558Obion County: 542 countObion County542Hawkins County: 516 countHawkins County516
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
1Davidson County13,673+1.4%
2Shelby County13,192-0.4%
3Knox County8,183+1%
4Hamilton County6,620-0.1%
5Williamson County5,266+2.9%
6Rutherford County3,776+2.5%
7Sumner County2,508+2%
8Sullivan County2,507-0.8%
9Washington County2,280+0.6%
10Montgomery County2,197+1.9%
11Wilson County2,107+3%
12Madison County2,050-1.3%
13Sevier County2,042+3.2%
14Blount County1,887+0.9%
15Bradley County1,547+0.1%
16Putnam County1,476+0.1%
17Maury County1,348+1.3%
18Anderson County1,239-1%
19Hamblen County1,057-0.8%
20Coffee County1,023-1.1%
21Robertson County977+1.6%
22Greene County900-0.4%
23Cumberland County898-1.5%
24Dickson County803+1.3%
25Loudon County774-0.4%
26Gibson County759-0.3%
27McMinn County752+0.8%
28Bedford County699+1.3%
29Dyer County669+0.8%
30Warren County645+0.8%
31Henry County617-2.2%
32Tipton County613+3.2%
33Franklin County608+0.7%
34Monroe County607+1.8%
35Lawrence County595+0.8%
36Carter County591-0.7%
36Roane County591-4.2%
38Jefferson County558+1.3%
39Obion County542-0.4%
40Hawkins County516+1.6%
41Cheatham County508+4.7%
42Campbell County503+0.4%
43Fayette County501+0.4%
44Lincoln County497-2%
45Weakley County481-2.6%
46Giles County4700%
47Rhea County440-1.6%
48Hardin County425+0.5%
49Henderson County422-0.5%
50Marshall County415+1.5%
51Cocke County410-3.8%
52Marion County398+3.9%
53McNairy County375+1.9%
54Claiborne County359+0.3%
55Carroll County358-2.7%
56White County337+3.4%
57Hardeman County303-2.6%
58Humphreys County296+2.1%
59Haywood County285+1.4%
60Macon County278-2.8%
61Lauderdale County2770%
62Scott County276-0.4%
63Benton County272-2.2%
64Overton County269+2.7%
65DeKalb County254-1.6%
66Smith County225+2.7%
67Hickman County217-0.5%
68Chester County214+0.9%
69Fentress County212+3.9%
69Johnson County212+0.5%
71Unicoi County210-3.2%
72Crockett County195-2.5%
73Lewis County189+5.6%
74Decatur County1850%
75Polk County178+3.5%
76Grainger County174-1.1%
77Sequatchie County1670%
78Wayne County166+2.5%
79Union County164+0.6%
80Cannon County156+2.6%
81Morgan County137-2.8%
82Stewart County135+3.1%
83Grundy County117-6.4%
84Trousdale County110+3.8%
85Bledsoe County109+0.9%
86Perry County105-5.4%
87Houston County97-1%
88Jackson County93+6.9%
89Meigs County91+5.8%
90Clay County88+2.3%
91Lake County76+1.3%
92Pickett County73-5.2%
93Moore County58+3.6%
94Hancock County47+4.4%
95Van Buren County36-2.7%

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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

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

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/tennessee-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  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firms?

Davidson County, with 13,673 in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Van Buren County, with 36 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 Tennessee: more rankings