Data / Rankings / Establishment entry rate / Counties in Tennessee

Counties in Tennessee by establishment entry rate

Van Buren County had the highest establishment entry rate of 95 counties in 2021, at 23.81%. Bledsoe County had the lowest, at 4.651%. The median was 9.389% and the figure for Tennessee was 10.473%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest23.81Van Buren County
Lowest4.651Bledsoe County
Median9.38995 counties
Tennessee10.473History

Map of counties, 2021

Anderson County: 8.892 %Bedford County: 9.389 %Benton County: 7.197 %Bledsoe County: 4.651 %Blount County: 8.012 %Bradley County: 8.994 %Campbell County: 7.802 %Cannon County: 8.625 %Carroll County: 7.57 %Carter County: 10.245 %Cheatham County: 11.324 %Chester County: 12.664 %Claiborne County: 5.596 %Clay County: 6.977 %Cocke County: 8.009 %Coffee County: 8.718 %Crockett County: 10.384 %Cumberland County: 9.892 %Davidson County: 11.734 %Decatur County: 11.083 %DeKalb County: 10.491 %Dickson County: 8.943 %Dyer County: 7.372 %Fayette County: 16.84 %Fentress County: 11.765 %Franklin County: 8.623 %Gibson County: 9.496 %Giles County: 7.677 %Grainger County: 11.765 %Greene County: 7.819 %Grundy County: 5.344 %Hamblen County: 7.859 %Hamilton County: 10.88 %Hancock County: 9.804 %Hardeman County: 11.195 %Hardin County: 8.994 %Hawkins County: 9.389 %Haywood County: 9.381 %Henderson County: 8.398 %Henry County: 8.019 %Hickman County: 8.696 %Houston County: 12.245 %Humphreys County: 11.057 %Jackson County: 11.429 %Jefferson County: 9.713 %Johnson County: 11.737 %Knox County: 10.278 %Lake County: 9.677 %Lauderdale County: 6.922 %Lawrence County: 9.632 %Lewis County: 10.706 %Lincoln County: 8.103 %Loudon County: 7.506 %McMinn County: 8.11 %McNairy County: 9.474 %Macon County: 7.47 %Madison County: 8.678 %Marion County: 10.268 %Marshall County: 8.402 %Maury County: 10.979 %Meigs County: 11.111 %Monroe County: 8.895 %Montgomery County: 12.257 %Moore County: 10.959 %Morgan County: 5.054 %Obion County: 8.041 %Overton County: 10.476 %Perry County: 8.824 %Pickett County: 6.849 %Polk County: 12.903 %Putnam County: 9.735 %Rhea County: 7.359 %Roane County: 7.071 %Robertson County: 10.583 %Rutherford County: 11.432 %Scott County: 6.179 %Sequatchie County: 7.345 %Sevier County: 9.885 %Shelby County: 10.652 %Smith County: 10.136 %Stewart County: 10.323 %Sullivan County: 8.409 %Sumner County: 12.352 %Tipton County: 10.605 %Trousdale County: 14.414 %Unicoi County: 7.623 %Union County: 7.527 %Van Buren County: 23.81 %Warren County: 6.237 %Washington County: 8.596 %Wayne County: 12.821 %Weakley County: 6.564 %White County: 9.021 %Williamson County: 13.205 %Wilson County: 11.915 %
  • Under 7.5
  • 7.5 to 8.4
  • 8.4 to 9.4
  • 9.4 to 10
  • 10 to 11
  • 11 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

Van Buren County: 23.81 %Van Buren County23.81Fayette County: 16.84 %Fayette County16.84Trousdale County: 14.414 %Trousdale County14.414Williamson County: 13.205 %Williamson County13.205Polk County: 12.903 %Polk County12.903Wayne County: 12.821 %Wayne County12.821Chester County: 12.664 %Chester County12.664Sumner County: 12.352 %Sumner County12.352Montgomery County: 12.257 %Montgomery County12.257Houston County: 12.245 %Houston County12.245Wilson County: 11.915 %Wilson County11.915Fentress County: 11.765 %Fentress County11.765Grainger County: 11.765 %Grainger County11.765Johnson County: 11.737 %Johnson County11.737Davidson County: 11.734 %Davidson County11.734Rutherford County: 11.432 %Rutherford County11.432Jackson County: 11.429 %Jackson County11.429Cheatham County: 11.324 %Cheatham County11.324Hardeman County: 11.195 %Hardeman County11.195Meigs County: 11.111 %Meigs County11.111Decatur County: 11.083 %Decatur County11.083Humphreys County: 11.057 %Humphreys County11.057Maury County: 10.979 %Maury County10.979Moore County: 10.959 %Moore County10.959Hamilton County: 10.88 %Hamilton County10.88Lewis County: 10.706 %Lewis County10.706Shelby County: 10.652 %Shelby County10.652Tipton County: 10.605 %Tipton County10.605Robertson County: 10.583 %Robertson County10.583DeKalb County: 10.491 %DeKalb County10.491Overton County: 10.476 %Overton County10.476Crockett County: 10.384 %Crockett County10.384Stewart County: 10.323 %Stewart County10.323Knox County: 10.278 %Knox County10.278Marion County: 10.268 %Marion County10.268Carter County: 10.245 %Carter County10.245Smith County: 10.136 %Smith County10.136Cumberland County: 9.892 %Cumberland County9.892Sevier County: 9.885 %Sevier County9.885Hancock County: 9.804 %Hancock County9.804Van Buren County: 23.81 %Van Buren County23.81Fayette County: 16.84 %Fayette County16.84Trousdale County: 14.414 %Trousdale County14.414Williamson County: 13.205 %Williamson County13.205Polk County: 12.903 %Polk County12.903Wayne County: 12.821 %Wayne County12.821Chester County: 12.664 %Chester County12.664Sumner County: 12.352 %Sumner County12.352Montgomery County: 12.257 %Montgomery County12.257Houston County: 12.245 %Houston County12.245Wilson County: 11.915 %Wilson County11.915Fentress County: 11.765 %Fentress County11.765Grainger County: 11.765 %Grainger County11.765Johnson County: 11.737 %Johnson County11.737Davidson County: 11.734 %Davidson County11.734Rutherford County: 11.432 %Rutherford County11.432Jackson County: 11.429 %Jackson County11.429Cheatham County: 11.324 %Cheatham County11.324Hardeman County: 11.195 %Hardeman County11.195Meigs County: 11.111 %Meigs County11.111Decatur County: 11.083 %Decatur County11.083Humphreys County: 11.057 %Humphreys County11.057Maury County: 10.979 %Maury County10.979Moore County: 10.959 %Moore County10.959Hamilton County: 10.88 %Hamilton County10.88Lewis County: 10.706 %Lewis County10.706Shelby County: 10.652 %Shelby County10.652Tipton County: 10.605 %Tipton County10.605Robertson County: 10.583 %Robertson County10.583DeKalb County: 10.491 %DeKalb County10.491Overton County: 10.476 %Overton County10.476Crockett County: 10.384 %Crockett County10.384Stewart County: 10.323 %Stewart County10.323Knox County: 10.278 %Knox County10.278Marion County: 10.268 %Marion County10.268Carter County: 10.245 %Carter County10.245Smith County: 10.136 %Smith County10.136Cumberland County: 9.892 %Cumberland County9.892Sevier County: 9.885 %Sevier County9.885Hancock County: 9.804 %Hancock County9.804
%. 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
1Van Buren County23.81+12.32 pts
2Fayette County16.84+6.34 pts
3Trousdale County14.414+6.08 pts
4Williamson County13.205+1.09 pts
5Polk County12.903+2.7 pts
6Wayne County12.821+3.87 pts
7Chester County12.664+1.4 pts
8Sumner County12.352+1.66 pts
9Montgomery County12.257+2.18 pts
10Houston County12.245+8.22 pts
11Wilson County11.915+1.18 pts
12Fentress County11.765+5.17 pts
12Grainger County11.765+4 pts
14Johnson County11.737+4.12 pts
15Davidson County11.734+1.87 pts
16Rutherford County11.432+1.51 pts
17Jackson County11.429-1.84 pts
18Cheatham County11.324+2.96 pts
19Hardeman County11.195+2.31 pts
20Meigs County11.111+5.56 pts
21Decatur County11.083+6.12 pts
22Humphreys County11.057+1.77 pts
23Maury County10.979+0.85 pts
24Moore County10.959+2.51 pts
25Hamilton County10.88+2.67 pts
26Lewis County10.706+5.23 pts
27Shelby County10.652+2.28 pts
28Tipton County10.605+1.69 pts
29Robertson County10.583+1.7 pts
30DeKalb County10.491+0.09 pts
31Overton County10.476+4.73 pts
32Crockett County10.384+2.09 pts
33Stewart County10.323-0.17 pts
34Knox County10.278+1.59 pts
35Marion County10.268+1.54 pts
36Carter County10.245+3.78 pts
37Smith County10.136+1.92 pts
38Cumberland County9.892+1.74 pts
39Sevier County9.885+1.07 pts
40Hancock County9.804+3.74 pts
41Putnam County9.735+1.35 pts
42Jefferson County9.713+1.21 pts
43Lake County9.677+5.03 pts
44Lawrence County9.632+0.56 pts
45Gibson County9.496+1.9 pts
46McNairy County9.474+2.88 pts
47Bedford County9.389+1.71 pts
47Hawkins County9.389+3.39 pts
49Haywood County9.381+3.15 pts
50White County9.021+2.04 pts
51Bradley County8.994+0.69 pts
51Hardin County8.994+1.1 pts
53Dickson County8.943+0.58 pts
54Monroe County8.895+1.45 pts
55Anderson County8.892+2.42 pts
56Perry County8.824+3.92 pts
57Coffee County8.718+1.96 pts
58Hickman County8.696-0.22 pts
59Madison County8.678+1.15 pts
60Cannon County8.625-0.44 pts
61Franklin County8.623+2.46 pts
62Washington County8.596+0.33 pts
63Sullivan County8.409+1.4 pts
64Marshall County8.402-0.95 pts
65Henderson County8.398+0.49 pts
66McMinn County8.11+2.31 pts
67Lincoln County8.103-0.47 pts
68Obion County8.041+0.92 pts
69Henry County8.019+1.64 pts
70Blount County8.012+0.28 pts
71Cocke County8.009+3.19 pts
72Hamblen County7.859+0.55 pts
73Greene County7.819-1.29 pts
74Campbell County7.802+1.8 pts
75Giles County7.677+1.46 pts
76Unicoi County7.623-0.07 pts
77Carroll County7.57-1.71 pts
78Union County7.527+1.09 pts
79Loudon County7.506-1.81 pts
80Macon County7.47-1.68 pts
81Dyer County7.372-0.24 pts
82Rhea County7.359-0.78 pts
83Sequatchie County7.345-0.06 pts
84Benton County7.197+1.61 pts
85Roane County7.071-0.79 pts
86Clay County6.977+2.56 pts
87Lauderdale County6.922+1.67 pts
88Pickett County6.849-5.4 pts
89Weakley County6.564-1.08 pts
90Warren County6.237-1.01 pts
91Scott County6.179-0.67 pts
92Claiborne County5.596-0.71 pts
93Grundy County5.344-6.11 pts
94Morgan County5.054-6.58 pts
95Bledsoe County4.651-3.8 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-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 Tennessee 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/tennessee-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

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

Van Buren County, with 23.81% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment entry rate?

Bledsoe County, with 4.651% 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 Tennessee: more rankings