Data / Rankings / Establishment exit rate / Counties in Iowa

Counties in Iowa by establishment exit rate

Van Buren County had the highest establishment exit rate of 99 counties in 2021, at 13.027%. Clarke County had the lowest, at 3.003%. The median was 7.957% and the figure for Iowa was 8.195%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest13.027Van Buren County
Lowest3.003Clarke County
Median7.95799 counties
Iowa8.195History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 5.164 %Adams County: 8.421 %Allamakee County: 9.419 %Appanoose County: 7.605 %Audubon County: 9.496 %Benton County: 7.943 %Black Hawk County: 9.151 %Boone County: 7.011 %Bremer County: 9.707 %Buchanan County: 8.063 %Buena Vista County: 7.025 %Butler County: 8.814 %Calhoun County: 7.143 %Carroll County: 7.062 %Cass County: 6.198 %Cedar County: 6.604 %Cerro Gordo County: 10.477 %Cherokee County: 6.502 %Chickasaw County: 6.232 %Clarke County: 3.003 %Clay County: 6.216 %Clayton County: 9.751 %Clinton County: 5.879 %Crawford County: 7.096 %Dallas County: 9.336 %Davis County: 8.642 %Decatur County: 6.742 %Delaware County: 7.957 %Des Moines County: 6.735 %Dickinson County: 8.832 %Dubuque County: 8.208 %Emmet County: 7.115 %Fayette County: 8.687 %Floyd County: 9.348 %Franklin County: 8.961 %Fremont County: 11.184 %Greene County: 9.524 %Grundy County: 12.177 %Guthrie County: 8.016 %Hamilton County: 9.249 %Hancock County: 8.333 %Hardin County: 6.852 %Harrison County: 7.939 %Henry County: 8.976 %Howard County: 6.667 %Humboldt County: 6.115 %Ida County: 8.017 %Iowa County: 11.751 %Jackson County: 7.759 %Jasper County: 11.569 %Jefferson County: 8.212 %Johnson County: 8.908 %Jones County: 7.358 %Keokuk County: 9.896 %Kossuth County: 7.4 %Lee County: 9.015 %Linn County: 8.024 %Louisa County: 11.26 %Lucas County: 10.795 %Lyon County: 7.681 %Madison County: 11.22 %Mahaska County: 6.855 %Marion County: 7.059 %Marshall County: 8.005 %Mills County: 10.163 %Mitchell County: 8.919 %Monona County: 6.731 %Monroe County: 12.308 %Montgomery County: 4.842 %Muscatine County: 7.016 %O'Brien County: 7.625 %Osceola County: 5.479 %Page County: 11.825 %Palo Alto County: 7.707 %Plymouth County: 6.731 %Pocahontas County: 5.277 %Polk County: 8.672 %Pottawattamie County: 8.347 %Poweshiek County: 6.843 %Ringgold County: 11.556 %Sac County: 7.56 %Scott County: 7.748 %Shelby County: 8.451 %Sioux County: 5.998 %Story County: 6.95 %Tama County: 6.972 %Taylor County: 4.724 %Union County: 7.343 %Van Buren County: 13.027 %Wapello County: 7.191 %Warren County: 8.974 %Washington County: 6.523 %Wayne County: 10.084 %Webster County: 9.856 %Winnebago County: 7.035 %Winneshiek County: 6.406 %Woodbury County: 7.564 %Worth County: 10.149 %Wright County: 10.029 %
  • Under 6.7
  • 6.7 to 7.1
  • 7.1 to 8
  • 8 to 8.9
  • 8.9 to 9.9
  • 9.9 and over
%, 2021. 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, 2021

Van Buren County: 13.027 %Van Buren County13.027Monroe County: 12.308 %Monroe County12.308Grundy County: 12.177 %Grundy County12.177Page County: 11.825 %Page County11.825Iowa County: 11.751 %Iowa County11.751Jasper County: 11.569 %Jasper County11.569Ringgold County: 11.556 %Ringgold County11.556Louisa County: 11.26 %Louisa County11.26Madison County: 11.22 %Madison County11.22Fremont County: 11.184 %Fremont County11.184Lucas County: 10.795 %Lucas County10.795Cerro Gordo County: 10.477 %Cerro Gordo County10.477Mills County: 10.163 %Mills County10.163Worth County: 10.149 %Worth County10.149Wayne County: 10.084 %Wayne County10.084Wright County: 10.029 %Wright County10.029Keokuk County: 9.896 %Keokuk County9.896Webster County: 9.856 %Webster County9.856Clayton County: 9.751 %Clayton County9.751Bremer County: 9.707 %Bremer County9.707Greene County: 9.524 %Greene County9.524Audubon County: 9.496 %Audubon County9.496Allamakee County: 9.419 %Allamakee County9.419Floyd County: 9.348 %Floyd County9.348Dallas County: 9.336 %Dallas County9.336Hamilton County: 9.249 %Hamilton County9.249Black Hawk County: 9.151 %Black Hawk County9.151Lee County: 9.015 %Lee County9.015Henry County: 8.976 %Henry County8.976Warren County: 8.974 %Warren County8.974Franklin County: 8.961 %Franklin County8.961Mitchell County: 8.919 %Mitchell County8.919Johnson County: 8.908 %Johnson County8.908Dickinson County: 8.832 %Dickinson County8.832Butler County: 8.814 %Butler County8.814Fayette County: 8.687 %Fayette County8.687Polk County: 8.672 %Polk County8.672Davis County: 8.642 %Davis County8.642Shelby County: 8.451 %Shelby County8.451Adams County: 8.421 %Adams County8.421Van Buren County: 13.027 %Van Buren County13.027Monroe County: 12.308 %Monroe County12.308Grundy County: 12.177 %Grundy County12.177Page County: 11.825 %Page County11.825Iowa County: 11.751 %Iowa County11.751Jasper County: 11.569 %Jasper County11.569Ringgold County: 11.556 %Ringgold County11.556Louisa County: 11.26 %Louisa County11.26Madison County: 11.22 %Madison County11.22Fremont County: 11.184 %Fremont County11.184Lucas County: 10.795 %Lucas County10.795Cerro Gordo County: 10.477 %Cerro Gordo County10.477Mills County: 10.163 %Mills County10.163Worth County: 10.149 %Worth County10.149Wayne County: 10.084 %Wayne County10.084Wright County: 10.029 %Wright County10.029Keokuk County: 9.896 %Keokuk County9.896Webster County: 9.856 %Webster County9.856Clayton County: 9.751 %Clayton County9.751Bremer County: 9.707 %Bremer County9.707Greene County: 9.524 %Greene County9.524Audubon County: 9.496 %Audubon County9.496Allamakee County: 9.419 %Allamakee County9.419Floyd County: 9.348 %Floyd County9.348Dallas County: 9.336 %Dallas County9.336Hamilton County: 9.249 %Hamilton County9.249Black Hawk County: 9.151 %Black Hawk County9.151Lee County: 9.015 %Lee County9.015Henry County: 8.976 %Henry County8.976Warren County: 8.974 %Warren County8.974Franklin County: 8.961 %Franklin County8.961Mitchell County: 8.919 %Mitchell County8.919Johnson County: 8.908 %Johnson County8.908Dickinson County: 8.832 %Dickinson County8.832Butler County: 8.814 %Butler County8.814Fayette County: 8.687 %Fayette County8.687Polk County: 8.672 %Polk County8.672Davis County: 8.642 %Davis County8.642Shelby County: 8.451 %Shelby County8.451Adams County: 8.421 %Adams County8.421
%. 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

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Van Buren County13.027+3.4 pts
2Monroe County12.308+3.8 pts
3Grundy County12.177+3.45 pts
4Page County11.825+5.69 pts
5Iowa County11.751+3.71 pts
6Jasper County11.569+2.76 pts
7Ringgold County11.556+3.7 pts
8Louisa County11.26+4.72 pts
9Madison County11.22-0.71 pts
10Fremont County11.184+4.4 pts
11Lucas County10.795+2.32 pts
12Cerro Gordo County10.477+1.96 pts
13Mills County10.163-2.22 pts
14Worth County10.149+0.85 pts
15Wayne County10.084+2.12 pts
16Wright County10.029+0.95 pts
17Keokuk County9.896+2.16 pts
18Webster County9.856+2.77 pts
19Clayton County9.751+2.2 pts
20Bremer County9.707+4.42 pts
21Greene County9.524+1.21 pts
22Audubon County9.496-0.59 pts
23Allamakee County9.419-1.84 pts
24Floyd County9.348+2.72 pts
25Dallas County9.336+0.57 pts
26Hamilton County9.249+2.75 pts
27Black Hawk County9.151+2.01 pts
28Lee County9.015+2.69 pts
29Henry County8.976+0.33 pts
30Warren County8.974+0.76 pts
31Franklin County8.961+0.96 pts
32Mitchell County8.919+4.87 pts
33Johnson County8.908+1.22 pts
34Dickinson County8.832-1.17 pts
35Butler County8.814+2.13 pts
36Fayette County8.687+0.7 pts
37Polk County8.672+0.93 pts
38Davis County8.642+1.87 pts
39Shelby County8.451+1.91 pts
40Adams County8.421-1.89 pts
41Pottawattamie County8.347-0.54 pts
42Hancock County8.333+1.13 pts
43Jefferson County8.212+0.93 pts
44Dubuque County8.208+1.31 pts
45Buchanan County8.063+1.12 pts
46Linn County8.024+0.83 pts
47Ida County8.017+1.35 pts
48Guthrie County8.016-1.64 pts
49Marshall County8.005+1.91 pts
50Delaware County7.957+2.02 pts
51Benton County7.943+1.14 pts
52Harrison County7.939-0.8 pts
53Jackson County7.759+0.57 pts
54Scott County7.748-0.31 pts
55Palo Alto County7.707-2.84 pts
56Lyon County7.681-0.31 pts
57O'Brien County7.625+0.38 pts
58Appanoose County7.605+1.39 pts
59Woodbury County7.564+0.82 pts
60Sac County7.56+0.14 pts
61Kossuth County7.4+0.45 pts
62Jones County7.358+0.02 pts
63Union County7.343-0.53 pts
64Wapello County7.191-1.18 pts
65Calhoun County7.143-0.7 pts
66Emmet County7.115-1.04 pts
67Crawford County7.096+0.01 pts
68Carroll County7.062+0.7 pts
69Marion County7.059-3.66 pts
70Winnebago County7.035+0.41 pts
71Buena Vista County7.025-0.98 pts
72Muscatine County7.016+0.68 pts
73Boone County7.011-1.5 pts
74Tama County6.972-1.01 pts
75Story County6.95-0.43 pts
76Mahaska County6.855-2.37 pts
77Hardin County6.852-1.48 pts
78Poweshiek County6.843-1.95 pts
79Decatur County6.742-2.21 pts
80Des Moines County6.735-0.33 pts
81Monona County6.731+0.47 pts
81Plymouth County6.731+0.5 pts
83Howard County6.667-2.88 pts
84Cedar County6.604-0.94 pts
85Washington County6.523+0.44 pts
86Cherokee County6.502-1.24 pts
87Winneshiek County6.406+0.52 pts
88Chickasaw County6.232-2.78 pts
89Clay County6.216+0.6 pts
90Cass County6.198+0.98 pts
91Humboldt County6.115+1.32 pts
92Sioux County5.998-1.27 pts
93Clinton County5.879-3.67 pts
94Osceola County5.479-2.81 pts
95Pocahontas County5.277-1.14 pts
96Adair County5.164-1.01 pts
97Montgomery County4.842-4.15 pts
98Taylor County4.724-11.41 pts
99Clarke County3.003-0.02 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, 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 exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Iowa by establishment exit 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-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2021. 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, 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-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2021.

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, 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-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_iowa_by_2021,
  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, 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-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2021. 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, 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-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-exit-rate/iowa-counties?period=2021.
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?

Van Buren County, with 13.027% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment exit rate?

Clarke County, with 3.003% 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 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