Data / Rankings / Establishment entry rate / Counties in Virginia

Counties in Virginia by establishment entry rate

Surry County had the highest establishment entry rate of 133 counties in 2016, at 17.647%. Covington city had the lowest, at 2.564%. The median was 8.744% and the figure for Virginia was 9.644%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest17.647Surry County
Lowest2.564Covington city
Median8.744133 counties
Virginia9.644History

Map of counties, 2016

Accomack County: 7.506 %Albemarle County: 10.579 %Alleghany County: 8.8 %Amelia County: 9.339 %Amherst County: 8.744 %Appomattox County: 9.506 %Arlington County: 10.387 %Augusta County: 8.301 %Bath County: 8.889 %Bedford County: 8.162 %Bland County: 8.75 %Botetourt County: 10.731 %Brunswick County: 6.867 %Buchanan County: 6.485 %Buckingham County: 11.538 %Campbell County: 8.497 %Caroline County: 10.234 %Carroll County: 10.027 %Charles City County: 9.811 %Charlotte County: 6.771 %Chesterfield County: 9.403 %Clarke County: 10.592 %Craig County: 14.141 %Culpeper County: 9.644 %Cumberland County: 9.962 %Dickenson County: 7.634 %Dinwiddie County: 5.59 %Essex County: 5.585 %Fairfax County: 11.14 %Fauquier County: 9.475 %Floyd County: 11.966 %Fluvanna County: 7.267 %Franklin County: 7.078 %Frederick County: 8.227 %Giles County: 7.519 %Gloucester County: 8.953 %Goochland County: 10.667 %Grayson County: 11.278 %Greene County: 7.78 %Greensville County: 11.111 %Halifax County: 6.461 %Hanover County: 8.912 %Henrico County: 9.323 %Henry County: 5.37 %Highland County: 5.814 %Isle of Wight County: 8.878 %James City County: 7.937 %King and Queen County: 6.604 %King George County: 9.615 %King William County: 9.917 %Lancaster County: 8.401 %Lee County: 8.061 %Loudoun County: 12.786 %Louisa County: 8.929 %Lunenburg County: 7.101 %Madison County: 7.423 %Mathews County: 9.971 %Mecklenburg County: 6.237 %Middlesex County: 6.62 %Montgomery County: 8.176 %Nelson County: 10.286 %New Kent County: 10.756 %Northampton County: 9.983 %Northumberland County: 7.843 %Nottoway County: 7.586 %Orange County: 7.185 %Page County: 8.108 %Patrick County: 6.716 %Pittsylvania County: 7.673 %Powhatan County: 9.01 %Prince Edward County: 6.181 %Prince George County: 10.429 %Prince William County: 12.311 %Pulaski County: 7.608 %Rappahannock County: 14.245 %Richmond County: 7.101 %Roanoke County: 7.288 %Rockbridge County: 11.628 %Rockingham County: 9.087 %Russell County: 6.98 %Scott County: 4.059 %Shenandoah County: 9.2 %Smyth County: 8.542 %Southampton County: 8.867 %Spotsylvania County: 9.801 %Stafford County: 12.108 %Surry County: 17.647 %Sussex County: 7.514 %Tazewell County: 7.068 %Warren County: 9.85 %Washington County: 7.242 %Westmoreland County: 7.055 %Wise County: 5.109 %Wythe County: 8.784 %York County: 8.864 %Alexandria city: 8.569 %Bristol city: 5.916 %Buena Vista city: 7.729 %Charlottesville city: 9.064 %Chesapeake city: 9.552 %Colonial Heights city: 7.155 %Covington city: 2.564 %Danville city: 6.925 %Emporia city: 5.97 %Fairfax city: 8.328 %Falls Church city: 9.916 %Franklin city: 5.078 %Fredericksburg city: 10.572 %Galax city: 6.689 %Hampton city: 8.161 %Harrisonburg city: 9.309 %Hopewell city: 7.311 %Lexington city: 7.103 %Lynchburg city: 7.864 %Manassas city: 11.643 %Manassas Park city: 9.208 %Martinsville city: 7.935 %Newport News city: 8.975 %Norfolk city: 8.727 %Norton city: 6.926 %Petersburg city: 7.278 %Poquoson city: 10.468 %Portsmouth city: 9.888 %Radford city: 9.073 %Richmond city: 9.816 %Roanoke city: 7.187 %Salem city: 9.427 %Staunton city: 7.268 %Suffolk city: 9.824 %Virginia Beach city: 10.051 %Waynesboro city: 7.86 %Williamsburg city: 8.752 %Winchester city: 9.745 %
  • Under 7
  • 7 to 7.6
  • 7.6 to 8.7
  • 8.7 to 9.4
  • 9.4 to 10
  • 10 and over
%, 2016. 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, 2016

Surry County: 17.647 %Surry County17.647Rappahannock County: 14.245 %Rappahannock County14.245Craig County: 14.141 %Craig County14.141Loudoun County: 12.786 %Loudoun County12.786Prince William County: 12.311 %Prince William County12.311Stafford County: 12.108 %Stafford County12.108Floyd County: 11.966 %Floyd County11.966Manassas city: 11.643 %Manassas city11.643Rockbridge County: 11.628 %Rockbridge County11.628Buckingham County: 11.538 %Buckingham County11.538Grayson County: 11.278 %Grayson County11.278Fairfax County: 11.14 %Fairfax County11.14Greensville County: 11.111 %Greensville County11.111New Kent County: 10.756 %New Kent County10.756Botetourt County: 10.731 %Botetourt County10.731Goochland County: 10.667 %Goochland County10.667Clarke County: 10.592 %Clarke County10.592Albemarle County: 10.579 %Albemarle County10.579Fredericksburg city: 10.572 %Fredericksburg city10.572Poquoson city: 10.468 %Poquoson city10.468Prince George County: 10.429 %Prince George County10.429Arlington County: 10.387 %Arlington County10.387Nelson County: 10.286 %Nelson County10.286Caroline County: 10.234 %Caroline County10.234Virginia Beach city: 10.051 %Virginia Beach city10.051Carroll County: 10.027 %Carroll County10.027Northampton County: 9.983 %Northampton County9.983Mathews County: 9.971 %Mathews County9.971Cumberland County: 9.962 %Cumberland County9.962King William County: 9.917 %King William County9.917Falls Church city: 9.916 %Falls Church city9.916Portsmouth city: 9.888 %Portsmouth city9.888Warren County: 9.85 %Warren County9.85Suffolk city: 9.824 %Suffolk city9.824Richmond city: 9.816 %Richmond city9.816Charles City County: 9.811 %Charles City County9.811Spotsylvania County: 9.801 %Spotsylvania County9.801Winchester city: 9.745 %Winchester city9.745Culpeper County: 9.644 %Culpeper County9.644King George County: 9.615 %King George County9.615Surry County: 17.647 %Surry County17.647Rappahannock County: 14.245 %Rappahannock County14.245Craig County: 14.141 %Craig County14.141Loudoun County: 12.786 %Loudoun County12.786Prince William County: 12.311 %Prince William County12.311Stafford County: 12.108 %Stafford County12.108Floyd County: 11.966 %Floyd County11.966Manassas city: 11.643 %Manassas city11.643Rockbridge County: 11.628 %Rockbridge County11.628Buckingham County: 11.538 %Buckingham County11.538Grayson County: 11.278 %Grayson County11.278Fairfax County: 11.14 %Fairfax County11.14Greensville County: 11.111 %Greensville County11.111New Kent County: 10.756 %New Kent County10.756Botetourt County: 10.731 %Botetourt County10.731Goochland County: 10.667 %Goochland County10.667Clarke County: 10.592 %Clarke County10.592Albemarle County: 10.579 %Albemarle County10.579Fredericksburg city: 10.572 %Fredericksburg city10.572Poquoson city: 10.468 %Poquoson city10.468Prince George County: 10.429 %Prince George County10.429Arlington County: 10.387 %Arlington County10.387Nelson County: 10.286 %Nelson County10.286Caroline County: 10.234 %Caroline County10.234Virginia Beach city: 10.051 %Virginia Beach city10.051Carroll County: 10.027 %Carroll County10.027Northampton County: 9.983 %Northampton County9.983Mathews County: 9.971 %Mathews County9.971Cumberland County: 9.962 %Cumberland County9.962King William County: 9.917 %King William County9.917Falls Church city: 9.916 %Falls Church city9.916Portsmouth city: 9.888 %Portsmouth city9.888Warren County: 9.85 %Warren County9.85Suffolk city: 9.824 %Suffolk city9.824Richmond city: 9.816 %Richmond city9.816Charles City County: 9.811 %Charles City County9.811Spotsylvania County: 9.801 %Spotsylvania County9.801Winchester city: 9.745 %Winchester city9.745Culpeper County: 9.644 %Culpeper County9.644King George County: 9.615 %King George County9.615
%. 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

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Surry County17.647n/a
2Rappahannock County14.245+0.18 pts
3Craig County14.141+3.62 pts
4Loudoun County12.786-0.99 pts
5Prince William County12.311+0.67 pts
6Stafford County12.108+2 pts
7Floyd County11.966+3.45 pts
8Manassas city11.643+1.13 pts
9Rockbridge County11.628+5.14 pts
10Buckingham County11.538+1.58 pts
11Grayson County11.278+4.69 pts
12Fairfax County11.14-0.15 pts
13Greensville County11.111+6.23 pts
14New Kent County10.756+2.5 pts
15Botetourt County10.731+0.6 pts
16Goochland County10.667+3.32 pts
17Clarke County10.592-0.55 pts
18Albemarle County10.579+0.75 pts
19Fredericksburg city10.572+2.54 pts
20Poquoson city10.468+1.08 pts
21Prince George County10.429+2.25 pts
22Arlington County10.387-0.11 pts
23Nelson County10.286+3.05 pts
24Caroline County10.234+0.5 pts
25Virginia Beach city10.051-0.35 pts
26Carroll County10.027+3.3 pts
27Northampton County9.983+2.4 pts
28Mathews County9.971+4.63 pts
29Cumberland County9.962-2.3 pts
30King William County9.917-1.21 pts
31Falls Church city9.916+1.65 pts
32Portsmouth city9.888+2.05 pts
33Warren County9.85+1.82 pts
34Suffolk city9.824-0.23 pts
35Richmond city9.816+0.45 pts
36Charles City County9.811+2.83 pts
37Spotsylvania County9.801-1.4 pts
38Winchester city9.745+0.53 pts
39Culpeper County9.644+0.27 pts
40King George County9.615-3.27 pts
41Chesapeake city9.552+0.71 pts
42Appomattox County9.506+0.3 pts
43Fauquier County9.475+0.72 pts
44Salem city9.427+2.76 pts
45Chesterfield County9.403-0.15 pts
46Amelia County9.339-0.86 pts
47Henrico County9.323-0.61 pts
48Harrisonburg city9.309+2.24 pts
49Manassas Park city9.208-2.29 pts
50Shenandoah County9.2+2.57 pts
51Rockingham County9.087+1.53 pts
52Radford city9.073+1.03 pts
53Charlottesville city9.064+0.29 pts
54Powhatan County9.01-0.21 pts
55Newport News city8.975+1.12 pts
56Gloucester County8.953+0.56 pts
57Louisa County8.929-3.51 pts
58Hanover County8.912+0.81 pts
59Bath County8.889-0.37 pts
60Isle of Wight County8.878+1.74 pts
61Southampton County8.867+5.5 pts
62York County8.864+0.13 pts
63Alleghany County8.8+6.06 pts
64Wythe County8.784+1.31 pts
65Williamsburg city8.752+0.47 pts
66Bland County8.75+1.16 pts
67Amherst County8.744+1.89 pts
68Norfolk city8.727+0.92 pts
69Alexandria city8.569-1.21 pts
70Smyth County8.542+1.88 pts
71Campbell County8.497+1.11 pts
72Lancaster County8.401+2.81 pts
73Fairfax city8.328-0.34 pts
74Augusta County8.301+0.62 pts
75Frederick County8.227-1.85 pts
76Montgomery County8.176+0.85 pts
77Bedford County8.162-0.41 pts
78Hampton city8.161-0.4 pts
79Page County8.108+1.69 pts
80Lee County8.061+1.22 pts
81James City County7.937-0.78 pts
82Martinsville city7.935+2.29 pts
83Lynchburg city7.864-0.17 pts
84Waynesboro city7.86-0.57 pts
85Northumberland County7.843+0.49 pts
86Greene County7.78-1.77 pts
87Buena Vista city7.729-0.97 pts
88Pittsylvania County7.673-1.04 pts
89Dickenson County7.634-1.99 pts
90Pulaski County7.608+1.64 pts
91Nottoway County7.586-1.57 pts
92Giles County7.519-0.8 pts
93Sussex County7.514+4.09 pts
94Accomack County7.506-1.63 pts
95Madison County7.423-3.76 pts
96Hopewell city7.311+1.49 pts
97Roanoke County7.288-0.41 pts
98Petersburg city7.278-0.02 pts
99Staunton city7.268-1.08 pts
100Fluvanna County7.267-3.91 pts
101Washington County7.242+0.14 pts
102Roanoke city7.187-0.28 pts
103Orange County7.185-1.4 pts
104Colonial Heights city7.155-0.84 pts
105Lexington city7.103+0.76 pts
106Lunenburg County7.101-4.88 pts
106Richmond County7.101-2.48 pts
108Franklin County7.078-1.55 pts
109Tazewell County7.068+1.47 pts
110Westmoreland County7.055+0.42 pts
111Russell County6.98+1.31 pts
112Norton city6.926-1.25 pts
113Danville city6.925+2.24 pts
114Brunswick County6.867-0.78 pts
115Charlotte County6.771+1.8 pts
116Patrick County6.716-0.76 pts
117Galax city6.689+1.91 pts
118Middlesex County6.62-1.52 pts
119King and Queen County6.604-0.94 pts
120Buchanan County6.485+2.2 pts
121Halifax County6.461-0.12 pts
122Mecklenburg County6.237-0.79 pts
123Prince Edward County6.181-2.16 pts
124Emporia city5.97+1.75 pts
125Bristol city5.916-1.34 pts
126Highland County5.814-2.37 pts
127Dinwiddie County5.59-1.72 pts
128Essex County5.585-3.19 pts
129Henry County5.37-0.69 pts
130Wise County5.109-2.31 pts
131Franklin city5.078-1.1 pts
132Scott County4.059-1.35 pts
133Covington city2.564-3.11 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 Virginia by establishment entry rate, 2016) [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 Virginia by establishment entry rate, 2016. 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/virginia-counties?period=2016. 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 Virginia by establishment entry rate, 2016. 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/virginia-counties?period=2016.

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 Virginia by establishment entry rate, 2016 [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/virginia-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2016,
  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 Virginia by establishment entry rate, 2016}},
  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/virginia-counties?period=2016. 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 Virginia by establishment entry rate, 2016
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/virginia-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-entry-rate/virginia-counties?period=2016.
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?

Surry County, with 17.647% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment entry rate?

Covington city, with 2.564% in 2016.

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 Virginia: more rankings