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

Counties in North Carolina by establishment exit rate

Perquimans County had the highest establishment exit rate of 99 counties in 2018, at 18.132%. Hertford County had the lowest, at 3.79%. The median was 7.882% and the figure for North Carolina was 8.458%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest18.132Perquimans County
Lowest3.79Hertford County
Median7.88299 counties
North Carolina8.458History

Map of counties, 2018

Alamance County: 7.857 %Alexander County: 7.4 %Alleghany County: 11.013 %Anson County: 7.065 %Ashe County: 8.722 %Avery County: 8.095 %Beaufort County: 7.246 %Bertie County: 7.76 %Bladen County: 6.996 %Brunswick County: 8.608 %Buncombe County: 8.588 %Burke County: 6.44 %Cabarrus County: 8.591 %Caldwell County: 6.193 %Camden County: 11.765 %Carteret County: 8.808 %Caswell County: 7.727 %Catawba County: 7.638 %Chatham County: 10.081 %Cherokee County: 8.616 %Chowan County: 5.961 %Clay County: 7.035 %Cleveland County: 7.475 %Columbus County: 8 %Craven County: 8.696 %Cumberland County: 8.439 %Currituck County: 10.14 %Dare County: 8.052 %Davidson County: 7.882 %Davie County: 8.679 %Duplin County: 6.582 %Durham County: 8.286 %Edgecombe County: 7.471 %Forsyth County: 7.962 %Franklin County: 8.364 %Gaston County: 8.478 %Gates County: 11.504 %Graham County: 8.027 %Granville County: 8.638 %Greene County: 5.821 %Guilford County: 8.474 %Halifax County: 5.684 %Harnett County: 6.562 %Haywood County: 7.674 %Henderson County: 8.288 %Hertford County: 3.79 %Hoke County: 8.884 %Hyde County: 6.618 %Iredell County: 8.617 %Jackson County: 8.568 %Johnston County: 8.789 %Jones County: 5.556 %Lee County: 6.759 %Lenoir County: 7.627 %Lincoln County: 8.704 %McDowell County: 7.826 %Macon County: 6.712 %Madison County: 7.097 %Martin County: 6.98 %Mecklenburg County: 9.798 %Mitchell County: 10.061 %Montgomery County: 6.584 %Moore County: 8.426 %Nash County: 6.031 %New Hanover County: 7.737 %Northampton County: 7.884 %Onslow County: 8.208 %Orange County: 9.985 %Pamlico County: 9.238 %Pasquotank County: 8.81 %Pender County: 7.743 %Perquimans County: 18.132 %Person County: 10.087 %Pitt County: 7.145 %Polk County: 8.333 %Randolph County: 8.269 %Richmond County: 8.217 %Robeson County: 8.701 %Rockingham County: 7.773 %Rowan County: 6.815 %Rutherford County: 6.956 %Sampson County: 6.824 %Scotland County: 6.792 %Stanly County: 6.48 %Stokes County: 11.282 %Surry County: 7.623 %Swain County: 7.006 %Transylvania County: 7.528 %Union County: 8.703 %Vance County: 8.025 %Wake County: 9.464 %Warren County: 6.095 %Washington County: 4.762 %Watauga County: 7.521 %Wayne County: 7.996 %Wilkes County: 6.373 %Wilson County: 7.158 %Yadkin County: 7.194 %Yancey County: 5.931 %
  • Under 6.6
  • 6.6 to 7.3
  • 7.3 to 7.9
  • 7.9 to 8.4
  • 8.4 to 8.8
  • 8.8 and over
  • No data
%, 2018. Hatched areas have no value for this period. 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, 2018

Perquimans County: 18.132 %Perquimans County18.132Camden County: 11.765 %Camden County11.765Gates County: 11.504 %Gates County11.504Stokes County: 11.282 %Stokes County11.282Alleghany County: 11.013 %Alleghany County11.013Currituck County: 10.14 %Currituck County10.14Person County: 10.087 %Person County10.087Chatham County: 10.081 %Chatham County10.081Mitchell County: 10.061 %Mitchell County10.061Orange County: 9.985 %Orange County9.985Mecklenburg County: 9.798 %Mecklenburg County9.798Wake County: 9.464 %Wake County9.464Pamlico County: 9.238 %Pamlico County9.238Hoke County: 8.884 %Hoke County8.884Pasquotank County: 8.81 %Pasquotank County8.81Carteret County: 8.808 %Carteret County8.808Johnston County: 8.789 %Johnston County8.789Ashe County: 8.722 %Ashe County8.722Lincoln County: 8.704 %Lincoln County8.704Union County: 8.703 %Union County8.703Robeson County: 8.701 %Robeson County8.701Craven County: 8.696 %Craven County8.696Davie County: 8.679 %Davie County8.679Granville County: 8.638 %Granville County8.638Iredell County: 8.617 %Iredell County8.617Cherokee County: 8.616 %Cherokee County8.616Brunswick County: 8.608 %Brunswick County8.608Cabarrus County: 8.591 %Cabarrus County8.591Buncombe County: 8.588 %Buncombe County8.588Jackson County: 8.568 %Jackson County8.568Gaston County: 8.478 %Gaston County8.478Guilford County: 8.474 %Guilford County8.474Cumberland County: 8.439 %Cumberland County8.439Moore County: 8.426 %Moore County8.426Franklin County: 8.364 %Franklin County8.364Polk County: 8.333 %Polk County8.333Henderson County: 8.288 %Henderson County8.288Durham County: 8.286 %Durham County8.286Randolph County: 8.269 %Randolph County8.269Richmond County: 8.217 %Richmond County8.217Perquimans County: 18.132 %Perquimans County18.132Camden County: 11.765 %Camden County11.765Gates County: 11.504 %Gates County11.504Stokes County: 11.282 %Stokes County11.282Alleghany County: 11.013 %Alleghany County11.013Currituck County: 10.14 %Currituck County10.14Person County: 10.087 %Person County10.087Chatham County: 10.081 %Chatham County10.081Mitchell County: 10.061 %Mitchell County10.061Orange County: 9.985 %Orange County9.985Mecklenburg County: 9.798 %Mecklenburg County9.798Wake County: 9.464 %Wake County9.464Pamlico County: 9.238 %Pamlico County9.238Hoke County: 8.884 %Hoke County8.884Pasquotank County: 8.81 %Pasquotank County8.81Carteret County: 8.808 %Carteret County8.808Johnston County: 8.789 %Johnston County8.789Ashe County: 8.722 %Ashe County8.722Lincoln County: 8.704 %Lincoln County8.704Union County: 8.703 %Union County8.703Robeson County: 8.701 %Robeson County8.701Craven County: 8.696 %Craven County8.696Davie County: 8.679 %Davie County8.679Granville County: 8.638 %Granville County8.638Iredell County: 8.617 %Iredell County8.617Cherokee County: 8.616 %Cherokee County8.616Brunswick County: 8.608 %Brunswick County8.608Cabarrus County: 8.591 %Cabarrus County8.591Buncombe County: 8.588 %Buncombe County8.588Jackson County: 8.568 %Jackson County8.568Gaston County: 8.478 %Gaston County8.478Guilford County: 8.474 %Guilford County8.474Cumberland County: 8.439 %Cumberland County8.439Moore County: 8.426 %Moore County8.426Franklin County: 8.364 %Franklin County8.364Polk County: 8.333 %Polk County8.333Henderson County: 8.288 %Henderson County8.288Durham County: 8.286 %Durham County8.286Randolph County: 8.269 %Randolph County8.269Richmond County: 8.217 %Richmond County8.217
%. 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

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Perquimans County18.132+10.28 pts
2Camden County11.765+0.34 pts
3Gates County11.504+3.57 pts
4Stokes County11.282+4.37 pts
5Alleghany County11.013+1.47 pts
6Currituck County10.14+2.18 pts
7Person County10.087+2.35 pts
8Chatham County10.081+1.14 pts
9Mitchell County10.061+2.52 pts
10Orange County9.985+0.03 pts
11Mecklenburg County9.798+0.12 pts
12Wake County9.464+0.34 pts
13Pamlico County9.238+0.98 pts
14Hoke County8.884-0.66 pts
15Pasquotank County8.81+0.31 pts
16Carteret County8.808+1.38 pts
17Johnston County8.789+1.51 pts
18Ashe County8.722+0.78 pts
19Lincoln County8.704+0.86 pts
20Union County8.703+0.54 pts
21Robeson County8.701+1.2 pts
22Craven County8.696+1.19 pts
23Davie County8.679+1.04 pts
24Granville County8.638+1.73 pts
25Iredell County8.617-0.06 pts
26Cherokee County8.616+0.06 pts
27Brunswick County8.608-0.21 pts
28Cabarrus County8.591+0.7 pts
29Buncombe County8.588-0.1 pts
30Jackson County8.568+0.63 pts
31Gaston County8.478+0.97 pts
32Guilford County8.474+0.18 pts
33Cumberland County8.439+0.46 pts
34Moore County8.426-0.2 pts
35Franklin County8.364+0.88 pts
36Polk County8.333-0.44 pts
37Henderson County8.288+1.79 pts
38Durham County8.286-0.99 pts
39Randolph County8.269+1.95 pts
40Richmond County8.217+0.96 pts
41Onslow County8.208+1.08 pts
42Avery County8.095-0.21 pts
43Dare County8.052-0.49 pts
44Graham County8.027+4.55 pts
45Vance County8.025+2.08 pts
46Columbus County8-0.38 pts
47Wayne County7.996+0.39 pts
48Forsyth County7.962-0.02 pts
49Northampton County7.884-1.13 pts
50Davidson County7.882+0.14 pts
51Alamance County7.857+0.05 pts
52McDowell County7.826+1.97 pts
53Rockingham County7.773-1.07 pts
54Bertie County7.76+0.16 pts
55Pender County7.743+0.14 pts
56New Hanover County7.737-0.25 pts
57Caswell County7.727-0.55 pts
58Haywood County7.674-1.16 pts
59Catawba County7.638+1.41 pts
60Lenoir County7.627+0.75 pts
61Surry County7.623+0.86 pts
62Transylvania County7.528+0.49 pts
63Watauga County7.521-0.08 pts
64Cleveland County7.475+1.44 pts
65Edgecombe County7.471-1.61 pts
66Alexander County7.4+2.08 pts
67Beaufort County7.246-0.66 pts
68Yadkin County7.194+1.69 pts
69Wilson County7.158+0.23 pts
70Pitt County7.145-1.24 pts
71Madison County7.097-1.95 pts
72Anson County7.065+0.8 pts
73Clay County7.035-3.04 pts
74Swain County7.006-3.88 pts
75Bladen County6.996+0.59 pts
76Martin County6.98-0.84 pts
77Rutherford County6.956-1.46 pts
78Sampson County6.824-0.62 pts
79Rowan County6.815-0.85 pts
80Scotland County6.792+0.21 pts
81Lee County6.759-1.52 pts
82Macon County6.712-0.19 pts
83Hyde County6.618-0.05 pts
84Montgomery County6.584-0.44 pts
85Duplin County6.582-0.96 pts
86Harnett County6.562-1.61 pts
87Stanly County6.48-0.24 pts
88Burke County6.44+0.51 pts
89Wilkes County6.373+0.08 pts
90Caldwell County6.193+0.14 pts
91Warren County6.095-2.18 pts
92Nash County6.031-1.77 pts
93Chowan County5.961-0.65 pts
94Yancey County5.931+1.12 pts
95Greene County5.821-0.46 pts
96Halifax County5.684-0.46 pts
97Jones County5.556-1.62 pts
98Washington County4.762-4.56 pts
99Hertford County3.79+0.38 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. 1 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2018 and are left out rather than filled from another source. 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, 2018) [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, 2018. 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=2018. 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, 2018. 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=2018.

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, 2018 [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=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2018,
  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, 2018}},
  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=2018. 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, 2018
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=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-exit-rate/north-carolina-counties?period=2018.
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  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in North Carolina by establishment exit rate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"establishment_exit_rate","level":"province","within":"North Carolina","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=establishment_exit_rate&level=province&within=North%20Carolina&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest establishment exit rate?

Perquimans County, with 18.132% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment exit rate?

Hertford County, with 3.79% in 2018.

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. 1 counties have no value for 2018 and are not ranked.

Establishment exit rate: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings