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

Counties in North Carolina by establishment exit rate

Jones County had the highest establishment exit rate of 100 counties in 2015, at 14.035%. Washington County had the lowest, at 3.687%. The median was 7.815% and the figure for North Carolina was 8.327%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest14.035Jones County
Lowest3.687Washington County
Median7.815100 counties
North Carolina8.327History

Map of counties, 2015

Alamance County: 7.313 %Alexander County: 7.349 %Alleghany County: 6.987 %Anson County: 7.692 %Ashe County: 9.218 %Avery County: 10.773 %Beaufort County: 7.984 %Bertie County: 7.383 %Bladen County: 8.659 %Brunswick County: 9.16 %Buncombe County: 7.92 %Burke County: 7.846 %Cabarrus County: 8.934 %Caldwell County: 6.851 %Camden County: 10.256 %Carteret County: 7.074 %Caswell County: 6.005 %Catawba County: 6.406 %Chatham County: 7.01 %Cherokee County: 6.393 %Chowan County: 7.418 %Clay County: 5.584 %Cleveland County: 6.561 %Columbus County: 6.479 %Craven County: 8.744 %Cumberland County: 8.717 %Currituck County: 9.316 %Dare County: 8.484 %Davidson County: 7.404 %Davie County: 10.082 %Duplin County: 6.999 %Durham County: 9.457 %Edgecombe County: 7.527 %Forsyth County: 7.476 %Franklin County: 9.878 %Gaston County: 7.874 %Gates County: 9.217 %Graham County: 10.563 %Granville County: 8.291 %Greene County: 5.882 %Guilford County: 8.466 %Halifax County: 6.885 %Harnett County: 8.203 %Haywood County: 7.96 %Henderson County: 7.962 %Hertford County: 6.423 %Hoke County: 10.895 %Hyde County: 8.922 %Iredell County: 7.784 %Jackson County: 8.66 %Johnston County: 8.323 %Jones County: 14.035 %Lee County: 6.795 %Lenoir County: 7.696 %Lincoln County: 8.167 %McDowell County: 7.207 %Macon County: 6.322 %Madison County: 10.075 %Martin County: 8.284 %Mecklenburg County: 9.986 %Mitchell County: 7.68 %Montgomery County: 7.627 %Moore County: 8.225 %Nash County: 7.856 %New Hanover County: 7.239 %Northampton County: 4.781 %Onslow County: 8.194 %Orange County: 9.015 %Pamlico County: 5.977 %Pasquotank County: 7.245 %Pender County: 8.168 %Perquimans County: 10.753 %Person County: 6.134 %Pitt County: 8.187 %Polk County: 6.943 %Randolph County: 7.267 %Richmond County: 7.667 %Robeson County: 6.884 %Rockingham County: 7.498 %Rowan County: 8.062 %Rutherford County: 8.409 %Sampson County: 6.041 %Scotland County: 6.806 %Stanly County: 6.761 %Stokes County: 6.909 %Surry County: 6.936 %Swain County: 9.359 %Transylvania County: 8.384 %Tyrrell County: 10.667 %Union County: 8.99 %Vance County: 8.025 %Wake County: 8.968 %Warren County: 6.367 %Washington County: 3.687 %Watauga County: 9.74 %Wayne County: 7.417 %Wilkes County: 7.149 %Wilson County: 6.631 %Yadkin County: 6.446 %Yancey County: 10.563 %
  • Under 6.7
  • 6.7 to 7.2
  • 7.2 to 7.8
  • 7.8 to 8.3
  • 8.3 to 9.2
  • 9.2 and over
%, 2015. 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, 2015

Jones County: 14.035 %Jones County14.035Hoke County: 10.895 %Hoke County10.895Avery County: 10.773 %Avery County10.773Perquimans County: 10.753 %Perquimans County10.753Tyrrell County: 10.667 %Tyrrell County10.667Graham County: 10.563 %Graham County10.563Yancey County: 10.563 %Yancey County10.563Camden County: 10.256 %Camden County10.256Davie County: 10.082 %Davie County10.082Madison County: 10.075 %Madison County10.075Mecklenburg County: 9.986 %Mecklenburg County9.986Franklin County: 9.878 %Franklin County9.878Watauga County: 9.74 %Watauga County9.74Durham County: 9.457 %Durham County9.457Swain County: 9.359 %Swain County9.359Currituck County: 9.316 %Currituck County9.316Ashe County: 9.218 %Ashe County9.218Gates County: 9.217 %Gates County9.217Brunswick County: 9.16 %Brunswick County9.16Orange County: 9.015 %Orange County9.015Union County: 8.99 %Union County8.99Wake County: 8.968 %Wake County8.968Cabarrus County: 8.934 %Cabarrus County8.934Hyde County: 8.922 %Hyde County8.922Craven County: 8.744 %Craven County8.744Cumberland County: 8.717 %Cumberland County8.717Jackson County: 8.66 %Jackson County8.66Bladen County: 8.659 %Bladen County8.659Dare County: 8.484 %Dare County8.484Guilford County: 8.466 %Guilford County8.466Rutherford County: 8.409 %Rutherford County8.409Transylvania County: 8.384 %Transylvania County8.384Johnston County: 8.323 %Johnston County8.323Granville County: 8.291 %Granville County8.291Martin County: 8.284 %Martin County8.284Moore County: 8.225 %Moore County8.225Harnett County: 8.203 %Harnett County8.203Onslow County: 8.194 %Onslow County8.194Pitt County: 8.187 %Pitt County8.187Pender County: 8.168 %Pender County8.168Jones County: 14.035 %Jones County14.035Hoke County: 10.895 %Hoke County10.895Avery County: 10.773 %Avery County10.773Perquimans County: 10.753 %Perquimans County10.753Tyrrell County: 10.667 %Tyrrell County10.667Graham County: 10.563 %Graham County10.563Yancey County: 10.563 %Yancey County10.563Camden County: 10.256 %Camden County10.256Davie County: 10.082 %Davie County10.082Madison County: 10.075 %Madison County10.075Mecklenburg County: 9.986 %Mecklenburg County9.986Franklin County: 9.878 %Franklin County9.878Watauga County: 9.74 %Watauga County9.74Durham County: 9.457 %Durham County9.457Swain County: 9.359 %Swain County9.359Currituck County: 9.316 %Currituck County9.316Ashe County: 9.218 %Ashe County9.218Gates County: 9.217 %Gates County9.217Brunswick County: 9.16 %Brunswick County9.16Orange County: 9.015 %Orange County9.015Union County: 8.99 %Union County8.99Wake County: 8.968 %Wake County8.968Cabarrus County: 8.934 %Cabarrus County8.934Hyde County: 8.922 %Hyde County8.922Craven County: 8.744 %Craven County8.744Cumberland County: 8.717 %Cumberland County8.717Jackson County: 8.66 %Jackson County8.66Bladen County: 8.659 %Bladen County8.659Dare County: 8.484 %Dare County8.484Guilford County: 8.466 %Guilford County8.466Rutherford County: 8.409 %Rutherford County8.409Transylvania County: 8.384 %Transylvania County8.384Johnston County: 8.323 %Johnston County8.323Granville County: 8.291 %Granville County8.291Martin County: 8.284 %Martin County8.284Moore County: 8.225 %Moore County8.225Harnett County: 8.203 %Harnett County8.203Onslow County: 8.194 %Onslow County8.194Pitt County: 8.187 %Pitt County8.187Pender County: 8.168 %Pender County8.168
%. 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

RankCounties2015 (%)Change on 2014
1Jones County14.035+1.91 pts
2Hoke County10.895+3.85 pts
3Avery County10.773+1.99 pts
4Perquimans County10.753+2.9 pts
5Tyrrell County10.667+2.82 pts
6Graham County10.563+4.04 pts
6Yancey County10.563+1.7 pts
8Camden County10.256+2.01 pts
9Davie County10.082+1.07 pts
10Madison County10.075-4.29 pts
11Mecklenburg County9.986-0.24 pts
12Franklin County9.878+1.93 pts
13Watauga County9.74+0.49 pts
14Durham County9.457+0.36 pts
15Swain County9.359-2.88 pts
16Currituck County9.316-0.48 pts
17Ashe County9.218-0.08 pts
18Gates County9.217+0.21 pts
19Brunswick County9.16-0.73 pts
20Orange County9.015+0.63 pts
21Union County8.99-0.65 pts
22Wake County8.968-0.18 pts
23Cabarrus County8.934+0.39 pts
24Hyde County8.922+0.89 pts
25Craven County8.744+1.12 pts
26Cumberland County8.717+0.1 pts
27Jackson County8.66+0.47 pts
28Bladen County8.659+0.85 pts
29Dare County8.484-3.34 pts
30Guilford County8.466+0.06 pts
31Rutherford County8.409+0.9 pts
32Transylvania County8.384-0.56 pts
33Johnston County8.323-0.92 pts
34Granville County8.291-1.35 pts
35Martin County8.284+2.7 pts
36Moore County8.225-1.32 pts
37Harnett County8.203-1.68 pts
38Onslow County8.194-1.41 pts
39Pitt County8.187-0.14 pts
40Pender County8.168-1.01 pts
41Lincoln County8.167+0.23 pts
42Rowan County8.062-0.74 pts
43Vance County8.025+0.41 pts
44Beaufort County7.984+0.25 pts
45Henderson County7.962-2.18 pts
46Haywood County7.96-3.86 pts
47Buncombe County7.92-0.78 pts
48Gaston County7.874-0.05 pts
49Nash County7.856+0.17 pts
50Burke County7.846+0.77 pts
51Iredell County7.784-0.26 pts
52Lenoir County7.696-0.38 pts
53Anson County7.692-0.8 pts
54Mitchell County7.68-1.96 pts
55Richmond County7.667-2.52 pts
56Montgomery County7.627-0.01 pts
57Edgecombe County7.527+0.08 pts
58Rockingham County7.498+1.04 pts
59Forsyth County7.476-1.05 pts
60Chowan County7.418-0.16 pts
61Wayne County7.417-0.01 pts
62Davidson County7.404-1.29 pts
63Bertie County7.383-2.11 pts
64Alexander County7.349-1.83 pts
65Alamance County7.313-0.95 pts
66Randolph County7.267-1.27 pts
67Pasquotank County7.245-1.03 pts
68New Hanover County7.239-0.9 pts
69McDowell County7.207-1.46 pts
70Wilkes County7.149-2.88 pts
71Carteret County7.074-2.31 pts
72Chatham County7.01-1.01 pts
73Duplin County6.999-2.03 pts
74Alleghany County6.987-2.1 pts
75Polk County6.943-3.29 pts
76Surry County6.936-1.72 pts
77Stokes County6.909-3.07 pts
78Halifax County6.885-2.38 pts
79Robeson County6.884-0.96 pts
80Caldwell County6.851-1.41 pts
81Scotland County6.806+0.66 pts
82Lee County6.795-1.22 pts
83Stanly County6.761-1.06 pts
84Wilson County6.631-0.84 pts
85Cleveland County6.561-1.68 pts
86Columbus County6.479-2.93 pts
87Yadkin County6.446-0.96 pts
88Hertford County6.423-0.37 pts
89Catawba County6.406-1.54 pts
90Cherokee County6.393-0.63 pts
91Warren County6.367-0.78 pts
92Macon County6.322-4.41 pts
93Person County6.134-1.34 pts
94Sampson County6.041-2.49 pts
95Caswell County6.005-3.19 pts
96Pamlico County5.977-2.7 pts
97Greene County5.882-7.15 pts
98Clay County5.584-0.82 pts
99Northampton County4.781-5.16 pts
100Washington County3.687-6.48 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, 2015) [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, 2015. 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=2015. 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, 2015. 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=2015.

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, 2015 [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=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2015,
  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, 2015}},
  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=2015. 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, 2015
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=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-exit-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2015.
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?

Jones County, with 14.035% in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment exit rate?

Washington County, with 3.687% in 2015.

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