Counties in Tennessee by employer firms

Davidson County had the highest employer firms of 95 counties in 2020, at 14,609. Van Buren County had the lowest, at 39. The median was 428 and the figure for Tennessee was 92,487. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest14,609Davidson County
Median42895 counties
Tennessee92,487History

Map of counties, 2020

Anderson County: 1,227 countBedford County: 713 countBenton County: 251 countBledsoe County: 105 countBlount County: 1,946 countBradley County: 1,606 countCampbell County: 481 countCannon County: 177 countCarroll County: 372 countCarter County: 588 countCheatham County: 552 countChester County: 218 countClaiborne County: 366 countClay County: 83 countCocke County: 395 countCoffee County: 1,013 countCrockett County: 205 countCumberland County: 923 countDavidson County: 14,609 countDecatur County: 182 countDeKalb County: 265 countDickson County: 874 countDyer County: 671 countFayette County: 553 countFentress County: 221 countFranklin County: 600 countGibson County: 753 countGiles County: 471 countGrainger County: 184 countGreene County: 946 countGrundy County: 123 countHamblen County: 1,068 countHamilton County: 6,966 countHancock County: 46 countHardeman County: 300 countHardin County: 427 countHawkins County: 487 countHaywood County: 259 countHenderson County: 417 countHenry County: 594 countHickman County: 242 countHouston County: 93 countHumphreys County: 291 countJackson County: 94 countJefferson County: 618 countJohnson County: 196 countKnox County: 8,565 countLake County: 57 countLauderdale County: 259 countLawrence County: 628 countLewis County: 196 countLincoln County: 491 countLoudon County: 804 countMcMinn County: 767 countMcNairy County: 362 countMacon County: 282 countMadison County: 2,036 countMarion County: 387 countMarshall County: 440 countMaury County: 1,474 countMeigs County: 83 countMonroe County: 591 countMontgomery County: 2,358 countMoore County: 68 countMorgan County: 136 countObion County: 532 countOverton County: 297 countPerry County: 97 countPickett County: 74 countPolk County: 189 countPutnam County: 1,540 countRhea County: 428 countRoane County: 600 countRobertson County: 1,052 countRutherford County: 4,233 countScott County: 278 countSequatchie County: 166 countSevier County: 2,228 countShelby County: 13,187 countSmith County: 239 countStewart County: 142 countSullivan County: 2,464 countSumner County: 2,717 countTipton County: 617 countTrousdale County: 106 countUnicoi County: 211 countUnion County: 173 countVan Buren County: 39 countWarren County: 636 countWashington County: 2,366 countWayne County: 166 countWeakley County: 474 countWhite County: 350 countWilliamson County: 6,046 countWilson County: 2,397 count
  • Under 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 600
  • 600 to 1,500
  • 1,500 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

Davidson County: 14,609 countDavidson County14,609Shelby County: 13,187 countShelby County13,187Knox County: 8,565 countKnox County8,565Hamilton County: 6,966 countHamilton County6,966Williamson County: 6,046 countWilliamson County6,046Rutherford County: 4,233 countRutherford County4,233Sumner County: 2,717 countSumner County2,717Sullivan County: 2,464 countSullivan County2,464Wilson County: 2,397 countWilson County2,397Washington County: 2,366 countWashington County2,366Montgomery County: 2,358 countMontgomery County2,358Sevier County: 2,228 countSevier County2,228Madison County: 2,036 countMadison County2,036Blount County: 1,946 countBlount County1,946Bradley County: 1,606 countBradley County1,606Putnam County: 1,540 countPutnam County1,540Maury County: 1,474 countMaury County1,474Anderson County: 1,227 countAnderson County1,227Hamblen County: 1,068 countHamblen County1,068Robertson County: 1,052 countRobertson County1,052Coffee County: 1,013 countCoffee County1,013Greene County: 946 countGreene County946Cumberland County: 923 countCumberland County923Dickson County: 874 countDickson County874Loudon County: 804 countLoudon County804McMinn County: 767 countMcMinn County767Gibson County: 753 countGibson County753Bedford County: 713 countBedford County713Dyer County: 671 countDyer County671Warren County: 636 countWarren County636Lawrence County: 628 countLawrence County628Jefferson County: 618 countJefferson County618Tipton County: 617 countTipton County617Franklin County: 600 countFranklin County600Roane County: 600 countRoane County600Henry County: 594 countHenry County594Monroe County: 591 countMonroe County591Carter County: 588 countCarter County588Fayette County: 553 countFayette County553Cheatham County: 552 countCheatham County552Davidson County: 14,609 countDavidson County14,609Shelby County: 13,187 countShelby County13,187Knox County: 8,565 countKnox County8,565Hamilton County: 6,966 countHamilton County6,966Williamson County: 6,046 countWilliamson County6,046Rutherford County: 4,233 countRutherford County4,233Sumner County: 2,717 countSumner County2,717Sullivan County: 2,464 countSullivan County2,464Wilson County: 2,397 countWilson County2,397Washington County: 2,366 countWashington County2,366Montgomery County: 2,358 countMontgomery County2,358Sevier County: 2,228 countSevier County2,228Madison County: 2,036 countMadison County2,036Blount County: 1,946 countBlount County1,946Bradley County: 1,606 countBradley County1,606Putnam County: 1,540 countPutnam County1,540Maury County: 1,474 countMaury County1,474Anderson County: 1,227 countAnderson County1,227Hamblen County: 1,068 countHamblen County1,068Robertson County: 1,052 countRobertson County1,052Coffee County: 1,013 countCoffee County1,013Greene County: 946 countGreene County946Cumberland County: 923 countCumberland County923Dickson County: 874 countDickson County874Loudon County: 804 countLoudon County804McMinn County: 767 countMcMinn County767Gibson County: 753 countGibson County753Bedford County: 713 countBedford County713Dyer County: 671 countDyer County671Warren County: 636 countWarren County636Lawrence County: 628 countLawrence County628Jefferson County: 618 countJefferson County618Tipton County: 617 countTipton County617Franklin County: 600 countFranklin County600Roane County: 600 countRoane County600Henry County: 594 countHenry County594Monroe County: 591 countMonroe County591Carter County: 588 countCarter County588Fayette County: 553 countFayette County553Cheatham County: 552 countCheatham County552
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
1Davidson County14,609+0.7%
2Shelby County13,187+0.2%
3Knox County8,565+0.5%
4Hamilton County6,966+0.1%
5Williamson County6,046+2.9%
6Rutherford County4,233+1.4%
7Sumner County2,717+1.5%
8Sullivan County2,464-1.1%
9Wilson County2,397+2%
10Washington County2,366+1%
11Montgomery County2,358+1.7%
12Sevier County2,228+0.8%
13Madison County2,036-0.8%
14Blount County1,946+0.6%
15Bradley County1,606+0.8%
16Putnam County1,540+0.2%
17Maury County1,474+1.6%
18Anderson County1,227-0.5%
19Hamblen County1,068+0.5%
20Robertson County1,052+0.7%
21Coffee County1,013+0.1%
22Greene County946+0.6%
23Cumberland County923-2.2%
24Dickson County874+2.8%
25Loudon County804+0.6%
26McMinn County767-1.4%
27Gibson County753-0.8%
28Bedford County713-0.1%
29Dyer County671-2%
30Warren County636+1.3%
31Lawrence County628+0.8%
32Jefferson County618+2.3%
33Tipton County617-0.6%
34Franklin County600-3.1%
34Roane County600-0.2%
36Henry County594-3.1%
37Monroe County591-1.3%
38Carter County588-1.7%
39Fayette County553+3.6%
40Cheatham County552-1.1%
41Obion County532-0.2%
42Lincoln County491+2.1%
43Hawkins County487-2.2%
44Campbell County481-2.2%
45Weakley County474+0.6%
46Giles County471-2.1%
47Marshall County440+0.2%
48Rhea County428-0.9%
49Hardin County427+2.2%
50Henderson County417-1.7%
51Cocke County395-5%
52Marion County387+0.3%
53Carroll County372+1.9%
54Claiborne County366-2.1%
55McNairy County362-1.6%
56White County350-1.1%
57Hardeman County300+2.4%
58Overton County297-0.7%
59Humphreys County291+2.8%
60Macon County282+1.4%
61Scott County278+1.1%
62DeKalb County265+2.7%
63Haywood County259-2.6%
63Lauderdale County259-3%
65Benton County251-2.3%
66Hickman County242-1.6%
67Smith County239+0.4%
68Fentress County221-0.9%
69Chester County218+3.3%
70Unicoi County211+0.5%
71Crockett County205+3%
72Johnson County196-2.5%
72Lewis County196+0.5%
74Polk County189+5.6%
75Grainger County184+2.2%
76Decatur County182-3.7%
77Cannon County1770%
78Union County173-2.3%
79Sequatchie County166+3.1%
79Wayne County166+1.2%
81Stewart County142+0.7%
82Morgan County136+6.3%
83Grundy County123+2.5%
84Trousdale County106+1.9%
85Bledsoe County105+6.1%
86Perry County97-2%
87Jackson County94+4.4%
88Houston County93-3.1%
89Clay County83-9.8%
89Meigs County83-2.4%
91Pickett County74+4.2%
92Moore County68-2.9%
93Lake County57-8.1%
94Hancock County46-2.1%
95Van Buren County39-13.3%

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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

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

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/tennessee-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?

Davidson County, with 14,609 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Van Buren County, with 39 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 Tennessee: more rankings