Data / Rankings / Establishment exit rate / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by establishment exit rate

Madison County had the highest establishment exit rate of 100 counties in 2014, at 14.365%. Martin County had the lowest, at 5.588%. The median was 8.54% and the figure for North Carolina was 8.884%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest14.365Madison County
Lowest5.588Martin County
Median8.54100 counties
North Carolina8.884History

Map of counties, 2014

Alamance County: 8.26 %Alexander County: 9.182 %Alleghany County: 9.091 %Anson County: 8.493 %Ashe County: 9.302 %Avery County: 8.786 %Beaufort County: 7.738 %Bertie County: 9.493 %Bladen County: 7.806 %Brunswick County: 9.89 %Buncombe County: 8.695 %Burke County: 7.08 %Cabarrus County: 8.544 %Caldwell County: 8.263 %Camden County: 8.247 %Carteret County: 9.382 %Caswell County: 9.195 %Catawba County: 7.951 %Chatham County: 8.017 %Cherokee County: 7.018 %Chowan County: 7.58 %Clay County: 6.4 %Cleveland County: 8.239 %Columbus County: 9.408 %Craven County: 7.628 %Cumberland County: 8.62 %Currituck County: 9.798 %Dare County: 11.822 %Davidson County: 8.69 %Davie County: 9.01 %Duplin County: 9.032 %Durham County: 9.097 %Edgecombe County: 7.452 %Forsyth County: 8.522 %Franklin County: 7.944 %Gaston County: 7.921 %Gates County: 9.009 %Graham County: 6.522 %Granville County: 9.645 %Greene County: 13.034 %Guilford County: 8.405 %Halifax County: 9.26 %Harnett County: 9.884 %Haywood County: 11.818 %Henderson County: 10.141 %Hertford County: 6.791 %Hoke County: 7.04 %Hyde County: 8.029 %Iredell County: 8.042 %Jackson County: 8.188 %Johnston County: 9.243 %Jones County: 12.121 %Lee County: 8.017 %Lenoir County: 8.078 %Lincoln County: 7.938 %McDowell County: 8.663 %Macon County: 10.728 %Madison County: 14.365 %Martin County: 5.588 %Mecklenburg County: 10.231 %Mitchell County: 9.639 %Montgomery County: 7.635 %Moore County: 9.547 %Nash County: 7.686 %New Hanover County: 8.136 %Northampton County: 9.94 %Onslow County: 9.604 %Orange County: 8.384 %Pamlico County: 8.676 %Pasquotank County: 8.279 %Pender County: 9.174 %Perquimans County: 7.853 %Person County: 7.474 %Pitt County: 8.328 %Polk County: 10.234 %Randolph County: 8.536 %Richmond County: 10.187 %Robeson County: 7.84 %Rockingham County: 6.454 %Rowan County: 8.8 %Rutherford County: 7.506 %Sampson County: 8.529 %Scotland County: 6.143 %Stanly County: 7.82 %Stokes County: 9.982 %Surry County: 8.654 %Swain County: 12.238 %Transylvania County: 8.949 %Tyrrell County: 7.843 %Union County: 9.642 %Vance County: 7.62 %Wake County: 9.144 %Warren County: 7.143 %Washington County: 10.162 %Watauga County: 9.254 %Wayne County: 7.428 %Wilkes County: 10.031 %Wilson County: 7.473 %Yadkin County: 7.401 %Yancey County: 8.859 %
  • Under 7.6
  • 7.6 to 8
  • 8 to 8.5
  • 8.5 to 9.1
  • 9.1 to 9.8
  • 9.8 and over
%, 2014. 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, 2014

Madison County: 14.365 %Madison County14.365Greene County: 13.034 %Greene County13.034Swain County: 12.238 %Swain County12.238Jones County: 12.121 %Jones County12.121Dare County: 11.822 %Dare County11.822Haywood County: 11.818 %Haywood County11.818Macon County: 10.728 %Macon County10.728Polk County: 10.234 %Polk County10.234Mecklenburg County: 10.231 %Mecklenburg County10.231Richmond County: 10.187 %Richmond County10.187Washington County: 10.162 %Washington County10.162Henderson County: 10.141 %Henderson County10.141Wilkes County: 10.031 %Wilkes County10.031Stokes County: 9.982 %Stokes County9.982Northampton County: 9.94 %Northampton County9.94Brunswick County: 9.89 %Brunswick County9.89Harnett County: 9.884 %Harnett County9.884Currituck County: 9.798 %Currituck County9.798Granville County: 9.645 %Granville County9.645Union County: 9.642 %Union County9.642Mitchell County: 9.639 %Mitchell County9.639Onslow County: 9.604 %Onslow County9.604Moore County: 9.547 %Moore County9.547Bertie County: 9.493 %Bertie County9.493Columbus County: 9.408 %Columbus County9.408Carteret County: 9.382 %Carteret County9.382Ashe County: 9.302 %Ashe County9.302Halifax County: 9.26 %Halifax County9.26Watauga County: 9.254 %Watauga County9.254Johnston County: 9.243 %Johnston County9.243Caswell County: 9.195 %Caswell County9.195Alexander County: 9.182 %Alexander County9.182Pender County: 9.174 %Pender County9.174Wake County: 9.144 %Wake County9.144Durham County: 9.097 %Durham County9.097Alleghany County: 9.091 %Alleghany County9.091Duplin County: 9.032 %Duplin County9.032Davie County: 9.01 %Davie County9.01Gates County: 9.009 %Gates County9.009Transylvania County: 8.949 %Transylvania County8.949Madison County: 14.365 %Madison County14.365Greene County: 13.034 %Greene County13.034Swain County: 12.238 %Swain County12.238Jones County: 12.121 %Jones County12.121Dare County: 11.822 %Dare County11.822Haywood County: 11.818 %Haywood County11.818Macon County: 10.728 %Macon County10.728Polk County: 10.234 %Polk County10.234Mecklenburg County: 10.231 %Mecklenburg County10.231Richmond County: 10.187 %Richmond County10.187Washington County: 10.162 %Washington County10.162Henderson County: 10.141 %Henderson County10.141Wilkes County: 10.031 %Wilkes County10.031Stokes County: 9.982 %Stokes County9.982Northampton County: 9.94 %Northampton County9.94Brunswick County: 9.89 %Brunswick County9.89Harnett County: 9.884 %Harnett County9.884Currituck County: 9.798 %Currituck County9.798Granville County: 9.645 %Granville County9.645Union County: 9.642 %Union County9.642Mitchell County: 9.639 %Mitchell County9.639Onslow County: 9.604 %Onslow County9.604Moore County: 9.547 %Moore County9.547Bertie County: 9.493 %Bertie County9.493Columbus County: 9.408 %Columbus County9.408Carteret County: 9.382 %Carteret County9.382Ashe County: 9.302 %Ashe County9.302Halifax County: 9.26 %Halifax County9.26Watauga County: 9.254 %Watauga County9.254Johnston County: 9.243 %Johnston County9.243Caswell County: 9.195 %Caswell County9.195Alexander County: 9.182 %Alexander County9.182Pender County: 9.174 %Pender County9.174Wake County: 9.144 %Wake County9.144Durham County: 9.097 %Durham County9.097Alleghany County: 9.091 %Alleghany County9.091Duplin County: 9.032 %Duplin County9.032Davie County: 9.01 %Davie County9.01Gates County: 9.009 %Gates County9.009Transylvania County: 8.949 %Transylvania County8.949
%. 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

RankCounties2014 (%)Change on 2013
1Madison County14.365+3.29 pts
2Greene County13.034+3.88 pts
3Swain County12.238-0.07 pts
4Jones County12.121-2.69 pts
5Dare County11.822+2.1 pts
6Haywood County11.818+3.96 pts
7Macon County10.728-0.61 pts
8Polk County10.234+1 pts
9Mecklenburg County10.231+0.45 pts
10Richmond County10.187+3.37 pts
11Washington County10.162+1.29 pts
12Henderson County10.141+0.46 pts
13Wilkes County10.031+0.88 pts
14Stokes County9.982+2.53 pts
15Northampton County9.94+0.15 pts
16Brunswick County9.89+0.71 pts
17Harnett County9.884+1.39 pts
18Currituck County9.798+1.3 pts
19Granville County9.645+1.38 pts
20Union County9.642-0.6 pts
21Mitchell County9.639+1.98 pts
22Onslow County9.604+1.08 pts
23Moore County9.547+1.83 pts
24Bertie County9.493+3.72 pts
25Columbus County9.408-0.06 pts
26Carteret County9.382-0.13 pts
27Ashe County9.302-2.45 pts
28Halifax County9.26+2.11 pts
29Watauga County9.254+0.6 pts
30Johnston County9.243+0.64 pts
31Caswell County9.195+0.04 pts
32Alexander County9.182+0.01 pts
33Pender County9.174+0.54 pts
34Wake County9.144-0.44 pts
35Durham County9.097-0.67 pts
36Alleghany County9.091+1.35 pts
37Duplin County9.032+0.55 pts
38Davie County9.01-1.9 pts
39Gates County9.009-1.38 pts
40Transylvania County8.949-0.04 pts
41Yancey County8.859+0.12 pts
42Rowan County8.8+0.86 pts
43Avery County8.786-1.64 pts
44Buncombe County8.695-0.39 pts
45Davidson County8.69-1.45 pts
46Pamlico County8.676-1.37 pts
47McDowell County8.663+0.25 pts
48Surry County8.654+1.14 pts
49Cumberland County8.62-0.66 pts
50Cabarrus County8.544-0.13 pts
51Randolph County8.536-0.41 pts
52Sampson County8.529-0.49 pts
53Forsyth County8.522+0.47 pts
54Anson County8.493+1.9 pts
55Guilford County8.405-0.41 pts
56Orange County8.384-1.01 pts
57Pitt County8.328-1.26 pts
58Pasquotank County8.279-0.83 pts
59Caldwell County8.263+0.48 pts
60Alamance County8.26+0.2 pts
61Camden County8.247-2.22 pts
62Cleveland County8.239-0.01 pts
63Jackson County8.188-3.08 pts
64New Hanover County8.136-1.11 pts
65Lenoir County8.078+0.25 pts
66Iredell County8.042-0.73 pts
67Hyde County8.029+2.79 pts
68Chatham County8.017-1.02 pts
68Lee County8.017+0.83 pts
70Catawba County7.951-0.19 pts
71Franklin County7.944-2.23 pts
72Lincoln County7.938-2.5 pts
73Gaston County7.921-0.57 pts
74Perquimans County7.853-3.06 pts
75Tyrrell County7.843-4.08 pts
76Robeson County7.84-0.17 pts
77Stanly County7.82-0.74 pts
78Bladen County7.806-0.79 pts
79Beaufort County7.738-0.77 pts
80Nash County7.686-1.07 pts
81Montgomery County7.635-3.3 pts
82Craven County7.628-1.52 pts
83Vance County7.62+0.21 pts
84Chowan County7.58+0.65 pts
85Rutherford County7.506-1.77 pts
86Person County7.474-0.26 pts
87Wilson County7.473-0.8 pts
88Edgecombe County7.452-4.11 pts
89Wayne County7.428-0.57 pts
90Yadkin County7.401+0.63 pts
91Warren County7.143+0.25 pts
92Burke County7.08-0.73 pts
93Hoke County7.04-0.65 pts
94Cherokee County7.018-1.8 pts
95Hertford County6.791-0.82 pts
96Graham County6.522-5.84 pts
97Rockingham County6.454-2.9 pts
98Clay County6.4-4.92 pts
99Scotland County6.143-1.41 pts
100Martin County5.588-3.42 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 North Carolina by establishment exit rate, 2014) [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 North Carolina by establishment exit rate, 2014. 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2014. 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 North Carolina by establishment exit rate, 2014. 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2014.

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 North Carolina by establishment exit rate, 2014 [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/north-carolina-counties?period=2014 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2014,
  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 North Carolina by establishment exit rate, 2014}},
  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/north-carolina-counties?period=2014. 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 North Carolina by establishment exit rate, 2014
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/north-carolina-counties?period=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-exit-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2014.
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?

Madison County, with 14.365% in 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment exit rate?

Martin County, with 5.588% in 2014.

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 North Carolina: more rankings