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

Counties in North Carolina by establishment exit rate

Hoke County had the highest establishment exit rate of 100 counties in 2021, at 12.308%. Greene County had the lowest, at 5.405%. The median was 8.546% and the figure for North Carolina was 9.102%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest12.308Hoke County
Lowest5.405Greene County
Median8.546100 counties
North Carolina9.102History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 8.079 %Alexander County: 6.903 %Alleghany County: 9.251 %Anson County: 9.497 %Ashe County: 7.784 %Avery County: 8.973 %Beaufort County: 6.464 %Bertie County: 7.623 %Bladen County: 7.178 %Brunswick County: 8.589 %Buncombe County: 10.005 %Burke County: 7.262 %Cabarrus County: 9.317 %Caldwell County: 7.41 %Camden County: 6.393 %Carteret County: 8.789 %Caswell County: 11.765 %Catawba County: 7.891 %Chatham County: 10.304 %Cherokee County: 6.165 %Chowan County: 9.792 %Clay County: 7.901 %Cleveland County: 7.64 %Columbus County: 8.451 %Craven County: 8.639 %Cumberland County: 9.457 %Currituck County: 8.258 %Dare County: 8.629 %Davidson County: 8.55 %Davie County: 10.02 %Duplin County: 7.187 %Durham County: 10.796 %Edgecombe County: 8.333 %Forsyth County: 9.252 %Franklin County: 10.732 %Gaston County: 8.193 %Gates County: 6.306 %Graham County: 10.274 %Granville County: 8.571 %Greene County: 5.405 %Guilford County: 8.294 %Halifax County: 9.641 %Harnett County: 7.667 %Haywood County: 8.863 %Henderson County: 7.982 %Hertford County: 5.562 %Hoke County: 12.308 %Hyde County: 9.677 %Iredell County: 9.069 %Jackson County: 9.539 %Johnston County: 8.818 %Jones County: 10.3 %Lee County: 7.791 %Lenoir County: 7.562 %Lincoln County: 7.778 %McDowell County: 7.407 %Macon County: 8.278 %Madison County: 10.185 %Martin County: 8.424 %Mecklenburg County: 10.42 %Mitchell County: 5.758 %Montgomery County: 10 %Moore County: 9.099 %Nash County: 6.953 %New Hanover County: 8.989 %Northampton County: 11.405 %Onslow County: 9.026 %Orange County: 11.044 %Pamlico County: 8.451 %Pasquotank County: 7.561 %Pender County: 7.619 %Perquimans County: 11.621 %Person County: 9.59 %Pitt County: 8.488 %Polk County: 10.503 %Randolph County: 8.157 %Richmond County: 8.193 %Robeson County: 8.52 %Rockingham County: 9.242 %Rowan County: 8.529 %Rutherford County: 8.654 %Sampson County: 6.806 %Scotland County: 5.609 %Stanly County: 7.304 %Stokes County: 9.619 %Surry County: 7.548 %Swain County: 8.923 %Transylvania County: 8.541 %Tyrrell County: 6.299 %Union County: 9.766 %Vance County: 8.396 %Wake County: 9.515 %Warren County: 10.606 %Washington County: 8.824 %Watauga County: 9.232 %Wayne County: 7.725 %Wilkes County: 9.419 %Wilson County: 7.747 %Yadkin County: 7.201 %Yancey County: 9.936 %
  • Under 7.4
  • 7.4 to 8
  • 8 to 8.5
  • 8.5 to 9.2
  • 9.2 to 10
  • 10 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

Hoke County: 12.308 %Hoke County12.308Caswell County: 11.765 %Caswell County11.765Perquimans County: 11.621 %Perquimans County11.621Northampton County: 11.405 %Northampton County11.405Orange County: 11.044 %Orange County11.044Durham County: 10.796 %Durham County10.796Franklin County: 10.732 %Franklin County10.732Warren County: 10.606 %Warren County10.606Polk County: 10.503 %Polk County10.503Mecklenburg County: 10.42 %Mecklenburg County10.42Chatham County: 10.304 %Chatham County10.304Jones County: 10.3 %Jones County10.3Graham County: 10.274 %Graham County10.274Madison County: 10.185 %Madison County10.185Davie County: 10.02 %Davie County10.02Buncombe County: 10.005 %Buncombe County10.005Montgomery County: 10 %Montgomery County10Yancey County: 9.936 %Yancey County9.936Chowan County: 9.792 %Chowan County9.792Union County: 9.766 %Union County9.766Hyde County: 9.677 %Hyde County9.677Halifax County: 9.641 %Halifax County9.641Stokes County: 9.619 %Stokes County9.619Person County: 9.59 %Person County9.59Jackson County: 9.539 %Jackson County9.539Wake County: 9.515 %Wake County9.515Anson County: 9.497 %Anson County9.497Cumberland County: 9.457 %Cumberland County9.457Wilkes County: 9.419 %Wilkes County9.419Cabarrus County: 9.317 %Cabarrus County9.317Forsyth County: 9.252 %Forsyth County9.252Alleghany County: 9.251 %Alleghany County9.251Rockingham County: 9.242 %Rockingham County9.242Watauga County: 9.232 %Watauga County9.232Moore County: 9.099 %Moore County9.099Iredell County: 9.069 %Iredell County9.069Onslow County: 9.026 %Onslow County9.026New Hanover County: 8.989 %New Hanover County8.989Avery County: 8.973 %Avery County8.973Swain County: 8.923 %Swain County8.923Hoke County: 12.308 %Hoke County12.308Caswell County: 11.765 %Caswell County11.765Perquimans County: 11.621 %Perquimans County11.621Northampton County: 11.405 %Northampton County11.405Orange County: 11.044 %Orange County11.044Durham County: 10.796 %Durham County10.796Franklin County: 10.732 %Franklin County10.732Warren County: 10.606 %Warren County10.606Polk County: 10.503 %Polk County10.503Mecklenburg County: 10.42 %Mecklenburg County10.42Chatham County: 10.304 %Chatham County10.304Jones County: 10.3 %Jones County10.3Graham County: 10.274 %Graham County10.274Madison County: 10.185 %Madison County10.185Davie County: 10.02 %Davie County10.02Buncombe County: 10.005 %Buncombe County10.005Montgomery County: 10 %Montgomery County10Yancey County: 9.936 %Yancey County9.936Chowan County: 9.792 %Chowan County9.792Union County: 9.766 %Union County9.766Hyde County: 9.677 %Hyde County9.677Halifax County: 9.641 %Halifax County9.641Stokes County: 9.619 %Stokes County9.619Person County: 9.59 %Person County9.59Jackson County: 9.539 %Jackson County9.539Wake County: 9.515 %Wake County9.515Anson County: 9.497 %Anson County9.497Cumberland County: 9.457 %Cumberland County9.457Wilkes County: 9.419 %Wilkes County9.419Cabarrus County: 9.317 %Cabarrus County9.317Forsyth County: 9.252 %Forsyth County9.252Alleghany County: 9.251 %Alleghany County9.251Rockingham County: 9.242 %Rockingham County9.242Watauga County: 9.232 %Watauga County9.232Moore County: 9.099 %Moore County9.099Iredell County: 9.069 %Iredell County9.069Onslow County: 9.026 %Onslow County9.026New Hanover County: 8.989 %New Hanover County8.989Avery County: 8.973 %Avery County8.973Swain County: 8.923 %Swain County8.923
%. 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
1Hoke County12.308+3.64 pts
2Caswell County11.765+2.51 pts
3Perquimans County11.621-0.18 pts
4Northampton County11.405+5.69 pts
5Orange County11.044+0.9 pts
6Durham County10.796+1.39 pts
7Franklin County10.732+1.04 pts
8Warren County10.606-0.4 pts
9Polk County10.503+0.56 pts
10Mecklenburg County10.42+0.61 pts
11Chatham County10.304+0.44 pts
12Jones County10.3-1.67 pts
13Graham County10.274-0.65 pts
14Madison County10.185+1.39 pts
15Davie County10.02+1.46 pts
16Buncombe County10.005+0.81 pts
17Montgomery County10+3.54 pts
18Yancey County9.936+5.1 pts
19Chowan County9.792+2.73 pts
20Union County9.766-0 pts
21Hyde County9.677-11.86 pts
22Halifax County9.641+2.05 pts
23Stokes County9.619+1.47 pts
24Person County9.59+3.12 pts
25Jackson County9.539+1.83 pts
26Wake County9.515+0.21 pts
27Anson County9.497+2.3 pts
28Cumberland County9.457+0.76 pts
29Wilkes County9.419+2.36 pts
30Cabarrus County9.317+0.91 pts
31Forsyth County9.252+1.28 pts
32Alleghany County9.251+1.73 pts
33Rockingham County9.242+1.66 pts
34Watauga County9.232+0.5 pts
35Moore County9.099+1.27 pts
36Iredell County9.069+0.26 pts
37Onslow County9.026-0.11 pts
38New Hanover County8.989+0.28 pts
39Avery County8.973+3 pts
40Swain County8.923-1.95 pts
41Haywood County8.863+1 pts
42Washington County8.824+0.49 pts
43Johnston County8.818+0.71 pts
44Carteret County8.789+0.33 pts
45Rutherford County8.654+0.75 pts
46Craven County8.639+0.55 pts
47Dare County8.629-0.39 pts
48Brunswick County8.589-0.16 pts
49Granville County8.571-0.94 pts
50Davidson County8.55-0.35 pts
51Transylvania County8.541-1.14 pts
52Rowan County8.529+0.06 pts
53Robeson County8.52+1.27 pts
54Pitt County8.488+1.05 pts
55Columbus County8.451+0.55 pts
55Pamlico County8.451-1.16 pts
57Martin County8.424-0.68 pts
58Vance County8.396+1.11 pts
59Edgecombe County8.333+0.04 pts
60Guilford County8.294+0.23 pts
61Macon County8.278-1.87 pts
62Currituck County8.258-0.67 pts
63Gaston County8.193-0.44 pts
63Richmond County8.193-0.07 pts
65Randolph County8.157+0.95 pts
66Alamance County8.079+1.81 pts
67Henderson County7.982-0.57 pts
68Clay County7.901-0.45 pts
69Catawba County7.891+1.32 pts
70Lee County7.791+0.3 pts
71Ashe County7.784-1.17 pts
72Lincoln County7.778-0.83 pts
73Wilson County7.747+0.64 pts
74Wayne County7.7250 pts
75Harnett County7.667-0.13 pts
76Cleveland County7.64+0.61 pts
77Bertie County7.623-0.36 pts
78Pender County7.619-1.91 pts
79Lenoir County7.562+1.42 pts
80Pasquotank County7.561+0.47 pts
81Surry County7.548-1.04 pts
82Caldwell County7.41-0.18 pts
83McDowell County7.407-0.46 pts
84Stanly County7.304+2.02 pts
85Burke County7.262+0.18 pts
86Yadkin County7.201-3.16 pts
87Duplin County7.187-0.78 pts
88Bladen County7.178-0.98 pts
89Nash County6.953-1.05 pts
90Alexander County6.903+1.27 pts
91Sampson County6.806-0.65 pts
92Beaufort County6.464-0.32 pts
93Camden County6.393n/a
94Gates County6.306-0.06 pts
95Tyrrell County6.299-5.73 pts
96Cherokee County6.165-4.43 pts
97Mitchell County5.758-0.75 pts
98Scotland County5.609+0.58 pts
99Hertford County5.562+0.11 pts
100Greene County5.405-2.38 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. 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, 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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-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 North Carolina 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

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

Hoke County, with 12.308% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment exit rate?

Greene County, with 5.405% 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 North Carolina: more rankings