Data / Rankings / Establishment exit rate / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by establishment exit rate

Taylor County had the highest establishment exit rate of 99 counties in 2020, at 16.129%. Clarke County had the lowest, at 3.021%. The median was 7.732% and the figure for Iowa was 7.635%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest16.129Taylor County
Lowest3.021Clarke County
Median7.73299 counties
Iowa7.635History

Map of counties, 2020

Adair County: 6.176 %Adams County: 10.309 %Allamakee County: 11.263 %Appanoose County: 6.214 %Audubon County: 10.089 %Benton County: 6.8 %Black Hawk County: 7.139 %Boone County: 8.511 %Bremer County: 5.287 %Buchanan County: 6.943 %Buena Vista County: 8.008 %Butler County: 6.689 %Calhoun County: 7.843 %Carroll County: 6.359 %Cass County: 5.219 %Cedar County: 7.547 %Cerro Gordo County: 8.512 %Cherokee County: 7.74 %Chickasaw County: 9.014 %Clarke County: 3.021 %Clay County: 5.616 %Clayton County: 7.547 %Clinton County: 9.547 %Crawford County: 7.087 %Dallas County: 8.768 %Davis County: 6.769 %Decatur County: 8.955 %Delaware County: 5.934 %Des Moines County: 7.07 %Dickinson County: 10 %Dubuque County: 6.903 %Emmet County: 8.155 %Fayette County: 7.984 %Floyd County: 6.63 %Franklin County: 8 %Fremont County: 6.78 %Greene County: 8.316 %Grundy County: 8.727 %Guthrie County: 9.658 %Hamilton County: 6.497 %Hancock County: 7.207 %Hardin County: 8.333 %Harrison County: 8.735 %Henry County: 8.646 %Howard County: 9.544 %Humboldt County: 4.797 %Ida County: 6.667 %Iowa County: 8.037 %Jackson County: 7.188 %Jasper County: 8.813 %Jefferson County: 7.279 %Johnson County: 7.685 %Jones County: 7.333 %Keokuk County: 7.732 %Kossuth County: 6.946 %Lee County: 6.329 %Linn County: 7.189 %Louisa County: 6.54 %Lucas County: 8.475 %Lyon County: 7.989 %Madison County: 11.928 %Mahaska County: 9.228 %Marion County: 10.721 %Marshall County: 6.093 %Mills County: 12.386 %Mitchell County: 4.054 %Monona County: 6.265 %Monroe County: 8.511 %Montgomery County: 8.989 %Muscatine County: 6.333 %O'Brien County: 7.249 %Osceola County: 8.287 %Page County: 6.13 %Palo Alto County: 10.546 %Plymouth County: 6.235 %Pocahontas County: 6.417 %Polk County: 7.747 %Pottawattamie County: 8.889 %Poweshiek County: 8.791 %Ringgold County: 7.86 %Sac County: 7.42 %Scott County: 8.053 %Shelby County: 6.543 %Sioux County: 7.268 %Story County: 7.379 %Tama County: 7.985 %Taylor County: 16.129 %Union County: 7.877 %Van Buren County: 9.63 %Wapello County: 8.37 %Warren County: 8.219 %Washington County: 6.085 %Wayne County: 7.968 %Webster County: 7.088 %Winnebago County: 6.623 %Winneshiek County: 5.882 %Woodbury County: 6.747 %Worth County: 9.302 %Wright County: 9.078 %
  • Under 6.3
  • 6.3 to 7
  • 7 to 7.7
  • 7.7 to 8.3
  • 8.3 to 9
  • 9 and over
%, 2020. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2020

Taylor County: 16.129 %Taylor County16.129Mills County: 12.386 %Mills County12.386Madison County: 11.928 %Madison County11.928Allamakee County: 11.263 %Allamakee County11.263Marion County: 10.721 %Marion County10.721Palo Alto County: 10.546 %Palo Alto County10.546Adams County: 10.309 %Adams County10.309Audubon County: 10.089 %Audubon County10.089Dickinson County: 10 %Dickinson County10Guthrie County: 9.658 %Guthrie County9.658Van Buren County: 9.63 %Van Buren County9.63Clinton County: 9.547 %Clinton County9.547Howard County: 9.544 %Howard County9.544Worth County: 9.302 %Worth County9.302Mahaska County: 9.228 %Mahaska County9.228Wright County: 9.078 %Wright County9.078Chickasaw County: 9.014 %Chickasaw County9.014Montgomery County: 8.989 %Montgomery County8.989Decatur County: 8.955 %Decatur County8.955Pottawattamie County: 8.889 %Pottawattamie County8.889Jasper County: 8.813 %Jasper County8.813Poweshiek County: 8.791 %Poweshiek County8.791Dallas County: 8.768 %Dallas County8.768Harrison County: 8.735 %Harrison County8.735Grundy County: 8.727 %Grundy County8.727Henry County: 8.646 %Henry County8.646Cerro Gordo County: 8.512 %Cerro Gordo County8.512Boone County: 8.511 %Boone County8.511Monroe County: 8.511 %Monroe County8.511Lucas County: 8.475 %Lucas County8.475Wapello County: 8.37 %Wapello County8.37Hardin County: 8.333 %Hardin County8.333Greene County: 8.316 %Greene County8.316Osceola County: 8.287 %Osceola County8.287Warren County: 8.219 %Warren County8.219Emmet County: 8.155 %Emmet County8.155Scott County: 8.053 %Scott County8.053Iowa County: 8.037 %Iowa County8.037Buena Vista County: 8.008 %Buena Vista County8.008Franklin County: 8 %Franklin County8Taylor County: 16.129 %Taylor County16.129Mills County: 12.386 %Mills County12.386Madison County: 11.928 %Madison County11.928Allamakee County: 11.263 %Allamakee County11.263Marion County: 10.721 %Marion County10.721Palo Alto County: 10.546 %Palo Alto County10.546Adams County: 10.309 %Adams County10.309Audubon County: 10.089 %Audubon County10.089Dickinson County: 10 %Dickinson County10Guthrie County: 9.658 %Guthrie County9.658Van Buren County: 9.63 %Van Buren County9.63Clinton County: 9.547 %Clinton County9.547Howard County: 9.544 %Howard County9.544Worth County: 9.302 %Worth County9.302Mahaska County: 9.228 %Mahaska County9.228Wright County: 9.078 %Wright County9.078Chickasaw County: 9.014 %Chickasaw County9.014Montgomery County: 8.989 %Montgomery County8.989Decatur County: 8.955 %Decatur County8.955Pottawattamie County: 8.889 %Pottawattamie County8.889Jasper County: 8.813 %Jasper County8.813Poweshiek County: 8.791 %Poweshiek County8.791Dallas County: 8.768 %Dallas County8.768Harrison County: 8.735 %Harrison County8.735Grundy County: 8.727 %Grundy County8.727Henry County: 8.646 %Henry County8.646Cerro Gordo County: 8.512 %Cerro Gordo County8.512Boone County: 8.511 %Boone County8.511Monroe County: 8.511 %Monroe County8.511Lucas County: 8.475 %Lucas County8.475Wapello County: 8.37 %Wapello County8.37Hardin County: 8.333 %Hardin County8.333Greene County: 8.316 %Greene County8.316Osceola County: 8.287 %Osceola County8.287Warren County: 8.219 %Warren County8.219Emmet County: 8.155 %Emmet County8.155Scott County: 8.053 %Scott County8.053Iowa County: 8.037 %Iowa County8.037Buena Vista County: 8.008 %Buena Vista County8.008Franklin County: 8 %Franklin County8
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Taylor County16.129+5.28 pts
2Mills County12.386+5.2 pts
3Madison County11.928+2.26 pts
4Allamakee County11.263+4.77 pts
5Marion County10.721+3.16 pts
6Palo Alto County10.546+4.2 pts
7Adams County10.309+4.28 pts
8Audubon County10.089+4.15 pts
9Dickinson County10+0.8 pts
10Guthrie County9.658-0.4 pts
11Van Buren County9.63+0.84 pts
12Clinton County9.547+1.77 pts
13Howard County9.544+3.15 pts
14Worth County9.302+4.65 pts
15Mahaska County9.228+4.05 pts
16Wright County9.078+2.34 pts
17Chickasaw County9.014+1.7 pts
18Montgomery County8.989+2.03 pts
19Decatur County8.955+2.46 pts
20Pottawattamie County8.889+2.15 pts
21Jasper County8.813+2.65 pts
22Poweshiek County8.791+3.08 pts
23Dallas County8.768+0.03 pts
24Harrison County8.735+1.93 pts
25Grundy County8.727+2.48 pts
26Henry County8.646+1.28 pts
27Cerro Gordo County8.512+1.92 pts
28Boone County8.511+0.68 pts
28Monroe County8.511-0.55 pts
30Lucas County8.475+2.66 pts
31Wapello County8.37+2.13 pts
32Hardin County8.333+0.47 pts
33Greene County8.316+1.84 pts
34Osceola County8.287+2.23 pts
35Warren County8.219+1.35 pts
36Emmet County8.155+2.45 pts
37Scott County8.053+1.16 pts
38Iowa County8.037+0.75 pts
39Buena Vista County8.008+2.34 pts
40Franklin County8+0.28 pts
41Lyon County7.989-0.51 pts
42Tama County7.985-0.2 pts
43Fayette County7.984-0.5 pts
44Wayne County7.968+1.67 pts
45Union County7.877-1.51 pts
46Ringgold County7.86-2.49 pts
47Calhoun County7.843+0.12 pts
48Polk County7.747-0.19 pts
49Cherokee County7.74+1.26 pts
50Keokuk County7.732+0.1 pts
51Johnson County7.685-0.33 pts
52Cedar County7.547+0.49 pts
52Clayton County7.547+0.75 pts
54Sac County7.42+2.73 pts
55Story County7.379+0.15 pts
56Jones County7.333-0.01 pts
57Jefferson County7.279-1.38 pts
58Sioux County7.268+1.74 pts
59O'Brien County7.249+1.34 pts
60Hancock County7.207+1.05 pts
61Linn County7.189+0.44 pts
62Jackson County7.188+1.71 pts
63Black Hawk County7.139+0.8 pts
64Webster County7.088+0.46 pts
65Crawford County7.087-1.36 pts
66Des Moines County7.07+1.34 pts
67Kossuth County6.946+0.66 pts
68Buchanan County6.943+1.22 pts
69Dubuque County6.903+0.63 pts
70Benton County6.8-0.91 pts
71Fremont County6.78+0.33 pts
72Davis County6.769-5.32 pts
73Woodbury County6.747-0.15 pts
74Butler County6.689+0.03 pts
75Ida County6.667+0.8 pts
76Floyd County6.63-0.21 pts
77Winnebago County6.623+0.96 pts
78Shelby County6.543-0.83 pts
79Louisa County6.54+0.89 pts
80Hamilton County6.497-0.03 pts
81Pocahontas County6.417-1.09 pts
82Carroll County6.359-0.46 pts
83Muscatine County6.333-1.13 pts
84Lee County6.329-0.51 pts
85Monona County6.265-0.88 pts
86Plymouth County6.235-0.87 pts
87Appanoose County6.214-3.37 pts
88Adair County6.176-1.96 pts
89Page County6.13-0.01 pts
90Marshall County6.093-1.59 pts
91Washington County6.085+0.3 pts
92Delaware County5.934-0.96 pts
93Winneshiek County5.882-1.04 pts
94Clay County5.616-1.67 pts
95Bremer County5.287-3.73 pts
96Cass County5.219-2.59 pts
97Humboldt County4.797-5.55 pts
98Mitchell County4.054-0.75 pts
99Clarke County3.021-3.61 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

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

Counts closed locations, including branches of firms that keep operating elsewhere, so it is not a firm failure rate. Not comparable with enterprise_death_rate, which counts enterprise deaths 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 exit 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 exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Iowa by establishment exit rate, 2020) [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 exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Iowa by establishment exit rate, 2020. 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-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Iowa by establishment exit rate, 2020. 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-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Iowa by establishment exit rate, 2020 [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-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Iowa by establishment exit rate, 2020}},
  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-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit 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 exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Iowa by establishment exit rate, 2020
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-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit 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 exit rate?

Taylor County, with 16.129% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment exit rate?

Clarke County, with 3.021% in 2020.

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 exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Establishment exit rate: other rankings

Counties in Iowa: more rankings