Data / Rankings / Establishment entry rate / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by establishment entry rate, 2023

Pender County had the highest establishment entry rate of 100 counties in 2023, at 14.833%. Hertford County had the lowest, at 4.959%. The median was 9.687% and the figure for North Carolina was 10.711%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest14.833Pender County
Lowest4.959Hertford County
Median9.687100 counties
North Carolina10.711History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 9.952 %Alexander County: 7.116 %Alleghany County: 10.235 %Anson County: 6.18 %Ashe County: 11.229 %Avery County: 8.342 %Beaufort County: 10.192 %Bertie County: 7.942 %Bladen County: 6.816 %Brunswick County: 14.024 %Buncombe County: 11.024 %Burke County: 9.663 %Cabarrus County: 12.099 %Caldwell County: 9.32 %Camden County: 10.046 %Carteret County: 9.383 %Caswell County: 8.108 %Catawba County: 8.829 %Chatham County: 11.547 %Cherokee County: 10.23 %Chowan County: 10.189 %Clay County: 10.884 %Cleveland County: 7.853 %Columbus County: 9.78 %Craven County: 9.77 %Cumberland County: 10.095 %Currituck County: 11.102 %Dare County: 9.881 %Davidson County: 9.118 %Davie County: 9.108 %Duplin County: 9.153 %Durham County: 10.619 %Edgecombe County: 7.487 %Forsyth County: 10.176 %Franklin County: 12.774 %Gaston County: 9.107 %Gates County: 7.143 %Graham County: 14.085 %Granville County: 10.128 %Greene County: 10.266 %Guilford County: 10.028 %Halifax County: 9.395 %Harnett County: 10.706 %Haywood County: 11.969 %Henderson County: 10.592 %Hertford County: 4.959 %Hoke County: 11.594 %Hyde County: 6.767 %Iredell County: 10.683 %Jackson County: 10.065 %Johnston County: 12.11 %Jones County: 8 %Lee County: 8.445 %Lenoir County: 8.673 %Lincoln County: 10.884 %McDowell County: 8.627 %Macon County: 8.726 %Madison County: 12.303 %Martin County: 7.16 %Mecklenburg County: 11.932 %Mitchell County: 5.689 %Montgomery County: 9.273 %Moore County: 11.099 %Nash County: 10.292 %New Hanover County: 11.542 %Northampton County: 9.302 %Onslow County: 10.969 %Orange County: 11.553 %Pamlico County: 11.062 %Pasquotank County: 9.71 %Pender County: 14.833 %Perquimans County: 10.303 %Person County: 8.067 %Pitt County: 9.89 %Polk County: 12.108 %Randolph County: 9.026 %Richmond County: 7.682 %Robeson County: 7.349 %Rockingham County: 9.221 %Rowan County: 9.108 %Rutherford County: 9.056 %Sampson County: 9.585 %Scotland County: 5.817 %Stanly County: 10.256 %Stokes County: 8.564 %Surry County: 8.701 %Swain County: 9.316 %Transylvania County: 13.051 %Tyrrell County: 5.755 %Union County: 12.591 %Vance County: 8.123 %Wake County: 12.175 %Warren County: 8.511 %Washington County: 7.944 %Watauga County: 9.634 %Wayne County: 8.661 %Wilkes County: 8.31 %Wilson County: 7.793 %Yadkin County: 8.718 %Yancey County: 12.963 %
  • Under 8
  • 8 to 9
  • 9 to 9.7
  • 9.7 to 10
  • 10 to 12
  • 12 and over
%, 2023. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Pender County: 14.833 %Pender County14.833Graham County: 14.085 %Graham County14.085Brunswick County: 14.024 %Brunswick County14.024Transylvania County: 13.051 %Transylvania County13.051Yancey County: 12.963 %Yancey County12.963Franklin County: 12.774 %Franklin County12.774Union County: 12.591 %Union County12.591Madison County: 12.303 %Madison County12.303Wake County: 12.175 %Wake County12.175Johnston County: 12.11 %Johnston County12.11Polk County: 12.108 %Polk County12.108Cabarrus County: 12.099 %Cabarrus County12.099Haywood County: 11.969 %Haywood County11.969Mecklenburg County: 11.932 %Mecklenburg County11.932Hoke County: 11.594 %Hoke County11.594Orange County: 11.553 %Orange County11.553Chatham County: 11.547 %Chatham County11.547New Hanover County: 11.542 %New Hanover County11.542Ashe County: 11.229 %Ashe County11.229Currituck County: 11.102 %Currituck County11.102Moore County: 11.099 %Moore County11.099Pamlico County: 11.062 %Pamlico County11.062Buncombe County: 11.024 %Buncombe County11.024Onslow County: 10.969 %Onslow County10.969Clay County: 10.884 %Clay County10.884Lincoln County: 10.884 %Lincoln County10.884Harnett County: 10.706 %Harnett County10.706Iredell County: 10.683 %Iredell County10.683Durham County: 10.619 %Durham County10.619Henderson County: 10.592 %Henderson County10.592Perquimans County: 10.303 %Perquimans County10.303Nash County: 10.292 %Nash County10.292Greene County: 10.266 %Greene County10.266Stanly County: 10.256 %Stanly County10.256Alleghany County: 10.235 %Alleghany County10.235Cherokee County: 10.23 %Cherokee County10.23Beaufort County: 10.192 %Beaufort County10.192Chowan County: 10.189 %Chowan County10.189Forsyth County: 10.176 %Forsyth County10.176Granville County: 10.128 %Granville County10.128Pender County: 14.833 %Pender County14.833Graham County: 14.085 %Graham County14.085Brunswick County: 14.024 %Brunswick County14.024Transylvania County: 13.051 %Transylvania County13.051Yancey County: 12.963 %Yancey County12.963Franklin County: 12.774 %Franklin County12.774Union County: 12.591 %Union County12.591Madison County: 12.303 %Madison County12.303Wake County: 12.175 %Wake County12.175Johnston County: 12.11 %Johnston County12.11Polk County: 12.108 %Polk County12.108Cabarrus County: 12.099 %Cabarrus County12.099Haywood County: 11.969 %Haywood County11.969Mecklenburg County: 11.932 %Mecklenburg County11.932Hoke County: 11.594 %Hoke County11.594Orange County: 11.553 %Orange County11.553Chatham County: 11.547 %Chatham County11.547New Hanover County: 11.542 %New Hanover County11.542Ashe County: 11.229 %Ashe County11.229Currituck County: 11.102 %Currituck County11.102Moore County: 11.099 %Moore County11.099Pamlico County: 11.062 %Pamlico County11.062Buncombe County: 11.024 %Buncombe County11.024Onslow County: 10.969 %Onslow County10.969Clay County: 10.884 %Clay County10.884Lincoln County: 10.884 %Lincoln County10.884Harnett County: 10.706 %Harnett County10.706Iredell County: 10.683 %Iredell County10.683Durham County: 10.619 %Durham County10.619Henderson County: 10.592 %Henderson County10.592Perquimans County: 10.303 %Perquimans County10.303Nash County: 10.292 %Nash County10.292Greene County: 10.266 %Greene County10.266Stanly County: 10.256 %Stanly County10.256Alleghany County: 10.235 %Alleghany County10.235Cherokee County: 10.23 %Cherokee County10.23Beaufort County: 10.192 %Beaufort County10.192Chowan County: 10.189 %Chowan County10.189Forsyth County: 10.176 %Forsyth County10.176Granville County: 10.128 %Granville County10.128
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Pender County14.833+1.84 pts
2Graham County14.085+5.09 pts
3Brunswick County14.024+0.91 pts
4Transylvania County13.051+2.02 pts
5Yancey County12.963+1.82 pts
6Franklin County12.774+0.03 pts
7Union County12.591-0.38 pts
8Madison County12.303-2.81 pts
9Wake County12.175-0.41 pts
10Johnston County12.11-0.39 pts
11Polk County12.108+1.03 pts
12Cabarrus County12.099-1.89 pts
13Haywood County11.969+1.48 pts
14Mecklenburg County11.932-1.49 pts
15Hoke County11.594-5.93 pts
16Orange County11.553-1.21 pts
17Chatham County11.547-0.66 pts
18New Hanover County11.542-0.52 pts
19Ashe County11.229+1.3 pts
20Currituck County11.102+0.04 pts
21Moore County11.099+0.74 pts
22Pamlico County11.062-0.73 pts
23Buncombe County11.024-1.38 pts
24Onslow County10.969-0.05 pts
25Clay County10.884-0.46 pts
25Lincoln County10.884-0.57 pts
27Harnett County10.706-1.46 pts
28Iredell County10.683-0.95 pts
29Durham County10.619-2.09 pts
30Henderson County10.592-0.66 pts
31Perquimans County10.303+0.49 pts
32Nash County10.292+2.28 pts
33Greene County10.266+0.6 pts
34Stanly County10.256+1.37 pts
35Alleghany County10.235-1.4 pts
36Cherokee County10.23-0.59 pts
37Beaufort County10.192+1.53 pts
38Chowan County10.189+1.53 pts
39Forsyth County10.176-0.6 pts
40Granville County10.128+0.21 pts
41Cumberland County10.095-1.19 pts
42Jackson County10.065-3.42 pts
43Camden County10.046+2.9 pts
44Guilford County10.028-1 pts
45Alamance County9.952+0.18 pts
46Pitt County9.89-0.21 pts
47Dare County9.881-0.58 pts
48Columbus County9.78-1.05 pts
49Craven County9.77-2.19 pts
50Pasquotank County9.71+0.57 pts
51Burke County9.663-0.73 pts
52Watauga County9.634+0.51 pts
53Sampson County9.585-1.72 pts
54Halifax County9.395+0.49 pts
55Carteret County9.383-1.01 pts
56Caldwell County9.32+0.69 pts
57Swain County9.316-5.87 pts
58Northampton County9.302+1.77 pts
59Montgomery County9.273-1.8 pts
60Rockingham County9.221-0.06 pts
61Duplin County9.153+1.15 pts
62Davidson County9.118-1.82 pts
63Davie County9.108-2.75 pts
63Rowan County9.108-3.16 pts
65Gaston County9.107-1.7 pts
66Rutherford County9.056-0.84 pts
67Randolph County9.026-2.68 pts
68Catawba County8.829-0.44 pts
69Macon County8.726-3.97 pts
70Yadkin County8.718-2.01 pts
71Surry County8.701-1.29 pts
72Lenoir County8.673-0.36 pts
73Wayne County8.661-0.45 pts
74McDowell County8.627-1.06 pts
75Stokes County8.564-1.65 pts
76Warren County8.511-5.07 pts
77Lee County8.445-2.41 pts
78Avery County8.342-2.96 pts
79Wilkes County8.31+1.7 pts
80Vance County8.123-0.62 pts
81Caswell County8.108-4.42 pts
82Person County8.067-1.81 pts
83Jones County8-1.48 pts
84Washington County7.944-2.06 pts
85Bertie County7.942+1.49 pts
86Cleveland County7.853-1.43 pts
87Wilson County7.793-1.62 pts
88Richmond County7.682-1.94 pts
89Edgecombe County7.487-4.39 pts
90Robeson County7.349-1.84 pts
91Martin County7.16-0.09 pts
92Gates County7.143-1.83 pts
93Alexander County7.116-1.01 pts
94Bladen County6.816-2.99 pts
95Hyde County6.767-5.49 pts
96Anson County6.18-1.32 pts
97Scotland County5.817-0.83 pts
98Tyrrell County5.755-7.78 pts
99Mitchell County5.689-1.72 pts
100Hertford County4.959-1.31 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Establishments that opened during the year (employees in March of the year and none a year earlier), as a percentage of the average number of establishments in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

An establishment is a single physical location, so a new branch of an existing firm counts as an entry: this is not the rate of new firms. Not comparable with enterprise_birth_rate, which counts new enterprises in Europe. The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

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: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in North Carolina by establishment entry rate, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in North Carolina by establishment entry rate, 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/establishment-entry-rate/north-carolina-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in North Carolina by establishment entry rate, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-entry-rate/north-carolina-counties.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in North Carolina by establishment entry rate, 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/establishment-entry-rate/north-carolina-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in North Carolina by establishment entry rate, 2023}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-entry-rate/north-carolina-counties. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in North Carolina by establishment entry rate, 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/establishment-entry-rate/north-carolina-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-entry-rate/north-carolina-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest establishment entry rate?

Pender County, with 14.833% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment entry rate?

Hertford County, with 4.959% 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: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Establishment entry rate: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings