Data / Rankings / Establishment entry rate / Counties in Virginia

Counties in Virginia by establishment entry rate

Louisa County had the highest establishment entry rate of 133 counties in 2021, at 14.901%. Galax city had the lowest, at 4%. The median was 8.762% and the figure for Virginia was 10.032%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest14.901Louisa County
Lowest4Galax city
Median8.762133 counties
Virginia10.032History

Map of counties, 2021

Accomack County: 10.359 %Albemarle County: 8.841 %Alleghany County: 7.933 %Amelia County: 7.531 %Amherst County: 9.03 %Appomattox County: 11.232 %Arlington County: 9.751 %Augusta County: 7.364 %Bath County: 7.619 %Bedford County: 10.631 %Bland County: 4.082 %Botetourt County: 9.396 %Brunswick County: 9.778 %Buchanan County: 4.464 %Buckingham County: 6.074 %Campbell County: 8.932 %Caroline County: 8.584 %Carroll County: 7.733 %Charles City County: 8.333 %Charlotte County: 9.756 %Chesterfield County: 11.921 %Clarke County: 9.212 %Craig County: 8.696 %Culpeper County: 9.696 %Cumberland County: 10.606 %Dickenson County: 5.978 %Dinwiddie County: 9.735 %Essex County: 9.872 %Fairfax County: 10.677 %Fauquier County: 10.372 %Floyd County: 8.799 %Fluvanna County: 9.551 %Franklin County: 9.319 %Frederick County: 9.973 %Giles County: 8.582 %Gloucester County: 7.581 %Goochland County: 8.302 %Grayson County: 10.563 %Greene County: 11.515 %Greensville County: 5.063 %Halifax County: 6.604 %Hanover County: 8.836 %Henrico County: 9.098 %Henry County: 5.718 %Highland County: 6.579 %Isle of Wight County: 9.465 %James City County: 10.768 %King and Queen County: 10.732 %King George County: 7.982 %King William County: 7.634 %Lancaster County: 9.124 %Lee County: 5.996 %Loudoun County: 13.194 %Louisa County: 14.901 %Lunenburg County: 6.92 %Madison County: 11.694 %Mathews County: 5.882 %Mecklenburg County: 7.55 %Middlesex County: 8.762 %Montgomery County: 8.707 %Nelson County: 11.854 %New Kent County: 10.169 %Northampton County: 7.143 %Northumberland County: 6.216 %Nottoway County: 5.776 %Orange County: 11.429 %Page County: 9.961 %Patrick County: 7.615 %Pittsylvania County: 8.777 %Powhatan County: 9.778 %Prince Edward County: 5.556 %Prince George County: 9.722 %Prince William County: 12.809 %Pulaski County: 8.17 %Rappahannock County: 10.112 %Richmond County: 10.398 %Roanoke County: 11.3 %Rockbridge County: 8.112 %Rockingham County: 7.978 %Russell County: 7.022 %Scott County: 4.583 %Shenandoah County: 8.559 %Smyth County: 7.584 %Southampton County: 5.926 %Spotsylvania County: 11.275 %Stafford County: 12.015 %Surry County: 12 %Sussex County: 5.9 %Tazewell County: 6.218 %Warren County: 10.196 %Washington County: 8.423 %Westmoreland County: 8.451 %Wise County: 4.708 %Wythe County: 6.245 %York County: 7.661 %Alexandria city: 9.267 %Bristol city: 7.181 %Buena Vista city: 5.435 %Charlottesville city: 8.186 %Chesapeake city: 10.309 %Colonial Heights city: 9.726 %Covington city: 5.714 %Danville city: 5.829 %Emporia city: 4.435 %Fairfax city: 7.719 %Falls Church city: 7.99 %Franklin city: 4.453 %Fredericksburg city: 11.958 %Galax city: 4 %Hampton city: 11.277 %Harrisonburg city: 8.052 %Hopewell city: 10.099 %Lexington city: 9.644 %Lynchburg city: 7.357 %Manassas city: 9.713 %Manassas Park city: 11.355 %Martinsville city: 7.182 %Newport News city: 10.08 %Norfolk city: 9.155 %Norton city: 6.846 %Petersburg city: 8.275 %Poquoson city: 10.256 %Portsmouth city: 9.973 %Radford city: 8.316 %Richmond city: 10.727 %Roanoke city: 9.232 %Salem city: 7.221 %Staunton city: 7.231 %Suffolk city: 11.38 %Virginia Beach city: 11.119 %Waynesboro city: 6.414 %Williamsburg city: 9.991 %Winchester city: 8.333 %
  • Under 6.2
  • 6.2 to 7.7
  • 7.7 to 8.8
  • 8.8 to 9.7
  • 9.7 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

Louisa County: 14.901 %Louisa County14.901Loudoun County: 13.194 %Loudoun County13.194Prince William County: 12.809 %Prince William County12.809Stafford County: 12.015 %Stafford County12.015Surry County: 12 %Surry County12Fredericksburg city: 11.958 %Fredericksburg city11.958Chesterfield County: 11.921 %Chesterfield County11.921Nelson County: 11.854 %Nelson County11.854Madison County: 11.694 %Madison County11.694Greene County: 11.515 %Greene County11.515Orange County: 11.429 %Orange County11.429Suffolk city: 11.38 %Suffolk city11.38Manassas Park city: 11.355 %Manassas Park city11.355Roanoke County: 11.3 %Roanoke County11.3Hampton city: 11.277 %Hampton city11.277Spotsylvania County: 11.275 %Spotsylvania County11.275Appomattox County: 11.232 %Appomattox County11.232Virginia Beach city: 11.119 %Virginia Beach city11.119James City County: 10.768 %James City County10.768King and Queen County: 10.732 %King and Queen County10.732Richmond city: 10.727 %Richmond city10.727Fairfax County: 10.677 %Fairfax County10.677Bedford County: 10.631 %Bedford County10.631Cumberland County: 10.606 %Cumberland County10.606Grayson County: 10.563 %Grayson County10.563Richmond County: 10.398 %Richmond County10.398Fauquier County: 10.372 %Fauquier County10.372Accomack County: 10.359 %Accomack County10.359Chesapeake city: 10.309 %Chesapeake city10.309Poquoson city: 10.256 %Poquoson city10.256Warren County: 10.196 %Warren County10.196New Kent County: 10.169 %New Kent County10.169Rappahannock County: 10.112 %Rappahannock County10.112Hopewell city: 10.099 %Hopewell city10.099Newport News city: 10.08 %Newport News city10.08Williamsburg city: 9.991 %Williamsburg city9.991Frederick County: 9.973 %Frederick County9.973Portsmouth city: 9.973 %Portsmouth city9.973Page County: 9.961 %Page County9.961Essex County: 9.872 %Essex County9.872Louisa County: 14.901 %Louisa County14.901Loudoun County: 13.194 %Loudoun County13.194Prince William County: 12.809 %Prince William County12.809Stafford County: 12.015 %Stafford County12.015Surry County: 12 %Surry County12Fredericksburg city: 11.958 %Fredericksburg city11.958Chesterfield County: 11.921 %Chesterfield County11.921Nelson County: 11.854 %Nelson County11.854Madison County: 11.694 %Madison County11.694Greene County: 11.515 %Greene County11.515Orange County: 11.429 %Orange County11.429Suffolk city: 11.38 %Suffolk city11.38Manassas Park city: 11.355 %Manassas Park city11.355Roanoke County: 11.3 %Roanoke County11.3Hampton city: 11.277 %Hampton city11.277Spotsylvania County: 11.275 %Spotsylvania County11.275Appomattox County: 11.232 %Appomattox County11.232Virginia Beach city: 11.119 %Virginia Beach city11.119James City County: 10.768 %James City County10.768King and Queen County: 10.732 %King and Queen County10.732Richmond city: 10.727 %Richmond city10.727Fairfax County: 10.677 %Fairfax County10.677Bedford County: 10.631 %Bedford County10.631Cumberland County: 10.606 %Cumberland County10.606Grayson County: 10.563 %Grayson County10.563Richmond County: 10.398 %Richmond County10.398Fauquier County: 10.372 %Fauquier County10.372Accomack County: 10.359 %Accomack County10.359Chesapeake city: 10.309 %Chesapeake city10.309Poquoson city: 10.256 %Poquoson city10.256Warren County: 10.196 %Warren County10.196New Kent County: 10.169 %New Kent County10.169Rappahannock County: 10.112 %Rappahannock County10.112Hopewell city: 10.099 %Hopewell city10.099Newport News city: 10.08 %Newport News city10.08Williamsburg city: 9.991 %Williamsburg city9.991Frederick County: 9.973 %Frederick County9.973Portsmouth city: 9.973 %Portsmouth city9.973Page County: 9.961 %Page County9.961Essex County: 9.872 %Essex County9.872
%. 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
1Louisa County14.901+3.78 pts
2Loudoun County13.194+1.18 pts
3Prince William County12.809+2.14 pts
4Stafford County12.015+1.96 pts
5Surry County12+5.33 pts
6Fredericksburg city11.958+4.46 pts
7Chesterfield County11.921+2.7 pts
8Nelson County11.854+5.74 pts
9Madison County11.694+2.48 pts
10Greene County11.515+0.65 pts
11Orange County11.429+4.3 pts
12Suffolk city11.38+2.12 pts
13Manassas Park city11.355+2.33 pts
14Roanoke County11.3+5.3 pts
15Hampton city11.277+2.83 pts
16Spotsylvania County11.275+2.6 pts
17Appomattox County11.232+3.41 pts
18Virginia Beach city11.119+1.06 pts
19James City County10.768+1.36 pts
20King and Queen County10.732+2.93 pts
21Richmond city10.727+1.22 pts
22Fairfax County10.677+1.14 pts
23Bedford County10.631+2.22 pts
24Cumberland County10.606+2.14 pts
25Grayson County10.563+3.64 pts
26Richmond County10.398+2.3 pts
27Fauquier County10.372+1.13 pts
28Accomack County10.359+0.89 pts
29Chesapeake city10.309+2.22 pts
30Poquoson city10.256+4.17 pts
31Warren County10.196+0.1 pts
32New Kent County10.169+2.06 pts
33Rappahannock County10.112+1.96 pts
34Hopewell city10.099+3.96 pts
35Newport News city10.08+2.04 pts
36Williamsburg city9.991+4.64 pts
37Frederick County9.973+0.15 pts
37Portsmouth city9.973+1.92 pts
39Page County9.961-0.56 pts
40Essex County9.872+3.31 pts
41Brunswick County9.7780 pts
41Powhatan County9.778+1.81 pts
43Charlotte County9.756+3.87 pts
44Arlington County9.751+0.74 pts
45Dinwiddie County9.735+2.01 pts
46Colonial Heights city9.726+4.16 pts
47Prince George County9.722+0.17 pts
48Manassas city9.713+1 pts
49Culpeper County9.696+0.82 pts
50Lexington city9.644+4.19 pts
51Fluvanna County9.551+1.36 pts
52Isle of Wight County9.465+1.1 pts
53Botetourt County9.396+1 pts
54Franklin County9.319+1.23 pts
55Alexandria city9.267+0.54 pts
56Roanoke city9.232+2.83 pts
57Clarke County9.212+0.13 pts
58Norfolk city9.155+0.94 pts
59Lancaster County9.124+0.4 pts
60Henrico County9.098+0.69 pts
61Amherst County9.03+2.95 pts
62Campbell County8.932+1.23 pts
63Albemarle County8.841-0.18 pts
64Hanover County8.836+0.04 pts
65Floyd County8.799+2.37 pts
66Pittsylvania County8.777+2.02 pts
67Middlesex County8.762+1.82 pts
68Montgomery County8.707+0.81 pts
69Craig County8.696+1.74 pts
70Caroline County8.584-1.4 pts
71Giles County8.582+1.08 pts
72Shenandoah County8.559+1.21 pts
73Westmoreland County8.451+3.5 pts
74Washington County8.423+1.03 pts
75Charles City County8.333-4.71 pts
75Winchester city8.333+1.56 pts
77Radford city8.316+1.86 pts
78Goochland County8.302-1.1 pts
79Petersburg city8.275+1.39 pts
80Charlottesville city8.186+1.19 pts
81Pulaski County8.17+0.2 pts
82Rockbridge County8.112+0.05 pts
83Harrisonburg city8.052+0.67 pts
84Falls Church city7.99-0.42 pts
85King George County7.982+0.55 pts
86Rockingham County7.978-0.89 pts
87Alleghany County7.933+3.37 pts
88Carroll County7.733+0.81 pts
89Fairfax city7.719-0.94 pts
90York County7.661-0.63 pts
91King William County7.634-3.51 pts
92Bath County7.619+1.08 pts
93Patrick County7.615-2.97 pts
94Smyth County7.584+0.46 pts
95Gloucester County7.581-0.23 pts
96Mecklenburg County7.55+1.67 pts
97Amelia County7.531+3.19 pts
98Augusta County7.364+0.66 pts
99Lynchburg city7.357-0.48 pts
100Staunton city7.231+1.87 pts
101Salem city7.221+1.25 pts
102Martinsville city7.182+1.85 pts
103Bristol city7.181-0.8 pts
104Northampton County7.143+0.51 pts
105Russell County7.022-0.92 pts
106Lunenburg County6.92+3.55 pts
107Norton city6.846+0.24 pts
108Halifax County6.604+0.58 pts
109Highland County6.579-2.4 pts
110Waynesboro city6.414+0.96 pts
111Wythe County6.245+0.07 pts
112Tazewell County6.218-0.58 pts
113Northumberland County6.216-3.66 pts
114Buckingham County6.074-3.06 pts
115Lee County5.996-0.27 pts
116Dickenson County5.978-0.46 pts
117Southampton County5.926-2.98 pts
118Sussex County5.9+0.82 pts
119Mathews County5.882+0.77 pts
120Danville city5.829+0.18 pts
121Nottoway County5.776+0.17 pts
122Henry County5.718-1.41 pts
123Covington city5.714+3.48 pts
124Prince Edward County5.556-1.29 pts
125Buena Vista city5.435+2.26 pts
126Greensville County5.063-2.48 pts
127Wise County4.708-0.34 pts
128Scott County4.583-0.68 pts
129Buchanan County4.464-0.68 pts
130Franklin city4.453-3.44 pts
131Emporia city4.435-2.83 pts
132Bland County4.082-1.18 pts
133Galax city40 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, 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 Virginia 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/virginia-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 Virginia 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/virginia-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 Virginia 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/virginia-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

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

Louisa County, with 14.901% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment entry rate?

Galax city, with 4% 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 Virginia: more rankings