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

Counties in North Carolina by establishment entry rate

Greene County had the highest establishment entry rate of 100 counties in 2021, at 18.533%. Hertford County had the lowest, at 3.94%. The median was 9.795% and the figure for North Carolina was 11.092%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest18.533Greene County
Lowest3.94Hertford County
Median9.795100 counties
North Carolina11.092History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 9.014 %Alexander County: 8.629 %Alleghany County: 10.132 %Anson County: 8.939 %Ashe County: 11.377 %Avery County: 11.57 %Beaufort County: 7.161 %Bertie County: 9.437 %Bladen County: 8.175 %Brunswick County: 12.294 %Buncombe County: 13.506 %Burke County: 7.843 %Cabarrus County: 12.408 %Caldwell County: 7.179 %Camden County: 12.785 %Carteret County: 10.053 %Caswell County: 10.353 %Catawba County: 7.688 %Chatham County: 11.49 %Cherokee County: 10.698 %Chowan County: 7.418 %Clay County: 11.358 %Cleveland County: 8.786 %Columbus County: 8.338 %Craven County: 8.739 %Cumberland County: 10.468 %Currituck County: 11.396 %Dare County: 10.449 %Davidson County: 9.282 %Davie County: 9.109 %Duplin County: 9.17 %Durham County: 11.715 %Edgecombe County: 8.951 %Forsyth County: 9.14 %Franklin County: 13.541 %Gaston County: 10.859 %Gates County: 4.505 %Graham County: 11.644 %Granville County: 9.524 %Greene County: 18.533 %Guilford County: 9.769 %Halifax County: 7.878 %Harnett County: 10.383 %Haywood County: 11.098 %Henderson County: 10.87 %Hertford County: 3.94 %Hoke County: 13.964 %Hyde County: 16.129 %Iredell County: 11.505 %Jackson County: 10.611 %Johnston County: 12.084 %Jones County: 14.592 %Lee County: 10.206 %Lenoir County: 7.74 %Lincoln County: 11.668 %McDowell County: 11.852 %Macon County: 11.477 %Madison County: 13.272 %Martin County: 11.552 %Mecklenburg County: 13.178 %Mitchell County: 10 %Montgomery County: 5.319 %Moore County: 9.746 %Nash County: 8.18 %New Hanover County: 11.098 %Northampton County: 8.554 %Onslow County: 10.824 %Orange County: 11.179 %Pamlico County: 11.268 %Pasquotank County: 6.497 %Pender County: 15.51 %Perquimans County: 9.786 %Person County: 8.507 %Pitt County: 11.444 %Polk County: 8.045 %Randolph County: 8.627 %Richmond County: 7.253 %Robeson County: 8.698 %Rockingham County: 8.444 %Rowan County: 9.294 %Rutherford County: 7.78 %Sampson County: 8.123 %Scotland County: 9.641 %Stanly County: 8.392 %Stokes County: 8.292 %Surry County: 7.281 %Swain County: 13.846 %Transylvania County: 13.523 %Tyrrell County: 7.874 %Union County: 13.758 %Vance County: 7.895 %Wake County: 12.961 %Warren County: 12.879 %Washington County: 9.804 %Watauga County: 9.957 %Wayne County: 7.876 %Wilkes County: 7.865 %Wilson County: 9.407 %Yadkin County: 8.461 %Yancey County: 8.013 %
  • Under 7.9
  • 7.9 to 8.7
  • 8.7 to 9.8
  • 9.8 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 and over
%, 2021. 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, 2021

Greene County: 18.533 %Greene County18.533Hyde County: 16.129 %Hyde County16.129Pender County: 15.51 %Pender County15.51Jones County: 14.592 %Jones County14.592Hoke County: 13.964 %Hoke County13.964Swain County: 13.846 %Swain County13.846Union County: 13.758 %Union County13.758Franklin County: 13.541 %Franklin County13.541Transylvania County: 13.523 %Transylvania County13.523Buncombe County: 13.506 %Buncombe County13.506Madison County: 13.272 %Madison County13.272Mecklenburg County: 13.178 %Mecklenburg County13.178Wake County: 12.961 %Wake County12.961Warren County: 12.879 %Warren County12.879Camden County: 12.785 %Camden County12.785Cabarrus County: 12.408 %Cabarrus County12.408Brunswick County: 12.294 %Brunswick County12.294Johnston County: 12.084 %Johnston County12.084McDowell County: 11.852 %McDowell County11.852Durham County: 11.715 %Durham County11.715Lincoln County: 11.668 %Lincoln County11.668Graham County: 11.644 %Graham County11.644Avery County: 11.57 %Avery County11.57Martin County: 11.552 %Martin County11.552Iredell County: 11.505 %Iredell County11.505Chatham County: 11.49 %Chatham County11.49Macon County: 11.477 %Macon County11.477Pitt County: 11.444 %Pitt County11.444Currituck County: 11.396 %Currituck County11.396Ashe County: 11.377 %Ashe County11.377Clay County: 11.358 %Clay County11.358Pamlico County: 11.268 %Pamlico County11.268Orange County: 11.179 %Orange County11.179Haywood County: 11.098 %Haywood County11.098New Hanover County: 11.098 %New Hanover County11.098Henderson County: 10.87 %Henderson County10.87Gaston County: 10.859 %Gaston County10.859Onslow County: 10.824 %Onslow County10.824Cherokee County: 10.698 %Cherokee County10.698Jackson County: 10.611 %Jackson County10.611Greene County: 18.533 %Greene County18.533Hyde County: 16.129 %Hyde County16.129Pender County: 15.51 %Pender County15.51Jones County: 14.592 %Jones County14.592Hoke County: 13.964 %Hoke County13.964Swain County: 13.846 %Swain County13.846Union County: 13.758 %Union County13.758Franklin County: 13.541 %Franklin County13.541Transylvania County: 13.523 %Transylvania County13.523Buncombe County: 13.506 %Buncombe County13.506Madison County: 13.272 %Madison County13.272Mecklenburg County: 13.178 %Mecklenburg County13.178Wake County: 12.961 %Wake County12.961Warren County: 12.879 %Warren County12.879Camden County: 12.785 %Camden County12.785Cabarrus County: 12.408 %Cabarrus County12.408Brunswick County: 12.294 %Brunswick County12.294Johnston County: 12.084 %Johnston County12.084McDowell County: 11.852 %McDowell County11.852Durham County: 11.715 %Durham County11.715Lincoln County: 11.668 %Lincoln County11.668Graham County: 11.644 %Graham County11.644Avery County: 11.57 %Avery County11.57Martin County: 11.552 %Martin County11.552Iredell County: 11.505 %Iredell County11.505Chatham County: 11.49 %Chatham County11.49Macon County: 11.477 %Macon County11.477Pitt County: 11.444 %Pitt County11.444Currituck County: 11.396 %Currituck County11.396Ashe County: 11.377 %Ashe County11.377Clay County: 11.358 %Clay County11.358Pamlico County: 11.268 %Pamlico County11.268Orange County: 11.179 %Orange County11.179Haywood County: 11.098 %Haywood County11.098New Hanover County: 11.098 %New Hanover County11.098Henderson County: 10.87 %Henderson County10.87Gaston County: 10.859 %Gaston County10.859Onslow County: 10.824 %Onslow County10.824Cherokee County: 10.698 %Cherokee County10.698Jackson County: 10.611 %Jackson County10.611
%. 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

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Greene County18.533+12.39 pts
2Hyde County16.129+9.98 pts
3Pender County15.51+4.26 pts
4Jones County14.592+7.75 pts
5Hoke County13.964+3.62 pts
6Swain County13.846+6.08 pts
7Union County13.758+2.11 pts
8Franklin County13.541+3.24 pts
9Transylvania County13.523+2.13 pts
10Buncombe County13.506+3.15 pts
11Madison County13.272+4.17 pts
12Mecklenburg County13.178+1.77 pts
13Wake County12.961+2.11 pts
14Warren County12.879+4.53 pts
15Camden County12.785+2.98 pts
16Cabarrus County12.408+1.73 pts
17Brunswick County12.294+2.84 pts
18Johnston County12.084+1.9 pts
19McDowell County11.852+3.71 pts
20Durham County11.715+2.14 pts
21Lincoln County11.668+1.36 pts
22Graham County11.644+2.77 pts
23Avery County11.57+5.83 pts
24Martin County11.552+6.52 pts
25Iredell County11.505+0.15 pts
26Chatham County11.49+1.26 pts
27Macon County11.477+0.85 pts
28Pitt County11.444+3.03 pts
29Currituck County11.396+1.29 pts
30Ashe County11.377+2.22 pts
31Clay County11.358+7.43 pts
32Pamlico County11.268-0.27 pts
33Orange County11.179+0.83 pts
34Haywood County11.098+1.42 pts
34New Hanover County11.098+1.16 pts
36Henderson County10.87+0.76 pts
37Gaston County10.859+1.52 pts
38Onslow County10.824+1.91 pts
39Cherokee County10.698+3.21 pts
40Jackson County10.611+1.5 pts
41Cumberland County10.468+2.21 pts
42Dare County10.449+1.13 pts
43Harnett County10.383+1.79 pts
44Caswell County10.353+2.95 pts
45Lee County10.206+2.56 pts
46Alleghany County10.132+3.5 pts
47Carteret County10.053-0.49 pts
48Mitchell County10+3.8 pts
49Watauga County9.957-0.24 pts
50Washington County9.804+2.45 pts
51Perquimans County9.786+3.3 pts
52Guilford County9.769+0.85 pts
53Moore County9.746+0.85 pts
54Scotland County9.641+3.9 pts
55Granville County9.524+1.2 pts
56Bertie County9.437+3.27 pts
57Wilson County9.407+2.79 pts
58Rowan County9.294+0.94 pts
59Davidson County9.282+0.23 pts
60Duplin County9.17+2.33 pts
61Forsyth County9.14-0.18 pts
62Davie County9.109+0.29 pts
63Alamance County9.014+0.76 pts
64Edgecombe County8.951+2.35 pts
65Anson County8.939+2.58 pts
66Cleveland County8.786+1.42 pts
67Craven County8.739+1.85 pts
68Robeson County8.698+0.55 pts
69Alexander County8.629+2.02 pts
70Randolph County8.627+0.99 pts
71Northampton County8.554-0.43 pts
72Person County8.507+1.73 pts
73Yadkin County8.461+0.6 pts
74Rockingham County8.444+1.65 pts
75Stanly County8.392+1.38 pts
76Columbus County8.338+2.66 pts
77Stokes County8.292-1.68 pts
78Nash County8.18+1.85 pts
79Bladen County8.175+1.41 pts
80Sampson County8.123+2.1 pts
81Polk County8.045-2.56 pts
82Yancey County8.013+0.28 pts
83Vance County7.895-0.27 pts
84Halifax County7.878-0.06 pts
85Wayne County7.876+1.65 pts
86Tyrrell County7.874n/a
87Wilkes County7.865+1.26 pts
88Burke County7.843+0.1 pts
89Rutherford County7.78+0.4 pts
90Lenoir County7.74+1.69 pts
91Catawba County7.688+0.33 pts
92Chowan County7.418-0.23 pts
93Surry County7.281+0.68 pts
94Richmond County7.253-0.48 pts
95Caldwell County7.179+0.58 pts
96Beaufort County7.161+0.17 pts
97Pasquotank County6.497-1.65 pts
98Montgomery County5.319-1.77 pts
99Gates County4.505-5.5 pts
100Hertford County3.94+0.76 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, 2021) [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, 2021. 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?period=2021. 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, 2021. 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?period=2021.

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, 2021 [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?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  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?period=2021. 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, 2021
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?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-entry-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.
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?

Greene County, with 18.533% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment entry rate?

Hertford County, with 3.94% in 2021.

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