Data / Rankings / Establishment exit rate / Counties in West Virginia

Counties in West Virginia by establishment exit rate

Clay County had the highest establishment exit rate of 55 counties in 2018, at 20.408%. Barbour County had the lowest, at 4.988%. The median was 8.025% and the figure for West Virginia was 8.109%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest20.408Clay County
Lowest4.988Barbour County
Median8.02555 counties
West Virginia8.109History

Map of counties, 2018

Barbour County: 4.988 %Berkeley County: 8.544 %Boone County: 7.95 %Braxton County: 8.791 %Brooke County: 7.792 %Cabell County: 6.832 %Calhoun County: 12.121 %Clay County: 20.408 %Doddridge County: 11.429 %Fayette County: 8.25 %Gilmer County: 7.407 %Grant County: 6.132 %Greenbrier County: 7.928 %Hampshire County: 7.972 %Hancock County: 5.361 %Hardy County: 6.8 %Harrison County: 8.801 %Jackson County: 10.147 %Jefferson County: 7.27 %Kanawha County: 7.854 %Lewis County: 11.491 %Lincoln County: 8.15 %Logan County: 7.907 %McDowell County: 6.147 %Marion County: 8.874 %Marshall County: 7.441 %Mason County: 8.539 %Mercer County: 8.025 %Mineral County: 8.475 %Mingo County: 12.821 %Monongalia County: 9.748 %Monroe County: 9.428 %Morgan County: 6.829 %Nicholas County: 7.787 %Ohio County: 7.274 %Pendleton County: 8.765 %Pleasants County: 14.286 %Pocahontas County: 8.947 %Preston County: 8.316 %Putnam County: 8.618 %Raleigh County: 7.837 %Randolph County: 6.897 %Ritchie County: 5.814 %Roane County: 6.122 %Summers County: 13.592 %Taylor County: 6.5 %Tucker County: 8.784 %Tyler County: 8.182 %Upshur County: 8.459 %Wayne County: 6.224 %Webster County: 9.205 %Wetzel County: 6.646 %Wirt County: 10.638 %Wood County: 7.878 %Wyoming County: 7.171 %
  • Under 6.8
  • 6.8 to 7.8
  • 7.8 to 8
  • 8 to 8.6
  • 8.6 to 9.7
  • 9.7 and over
%, 2018. 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.

All counties, 2018

Clay County: 20.408 %Clay County20.408Pleasants County: 14.286 %Pleasants County14.286Summers County: 13.592 %Summers County13.592Mingo County: 12.821 %Mingo County12.821Calhoun County: 12.121 %Calhoun County12.121Lewis County: 11.491 %Lewis County11.491Doddridge County: 11.429 %Doddridge County11.429Wirt County: 10.638 %Wirt County10.638Jackson County: 10.147 %Jackson County10.147Monongalia County: 9.748 %Monongalia County9.748Monroe County: 9.428 %Monroe County9.428Webster County: 9.205 %Webster County9.205Pocahontas County: 8.947 %Pocahontas County8.947Marion County: 8.874 %Marion County8.874Harrison County: 8.801 %Harrison County8.801Braxton County: 8.791 %Braxton County8.791Tucker County: 8.784 %Tucker County8.784Pendleton County: 8.765 %Pendleton County8.765Putnam County: 8.618 %Putnam County8.618Berkeley County: 8.544 %Berkeley County8.544Mason County: 8.539 %Mason County8.539Mineral County: 8.475 %Mineral County8.475Upshur County: 8.459 %Upshur County8.459Preston County: 8.316 %Preston County8.316Fayette County: 8.25 %Fayette County8.25Tyler County: 8.182 %Tyler County8.182Lincoln County: 8.15 %Lincoln County8.15Mercer County: 8.025 %Mercer County8.025Hampshire County: 7.972 %Hampshire County7.972Boone County: 7.95 %Boone County7.95Greenbrier County: 7.928 %Greenbrier County7.928Logan County: 7.907 %Logan County7.907Wood County: 7.878 %Wood County7.878Kanawha County: 7.854 %Kanawha County7.854Raleigh County: 7.837 %Raleigh County7.837Brooke County: 7.792 %Brooke County7.792Nicholas County: 7.787 %Nicholas County7.787Marshall County: 7.441 %Marshall County7.441Gilmer County: 7.407 %Gilmer County7.407Ohio County: 7.274 %Ohio County7.274Jefferson County: 7.27 %Jefferson County7.27Wyoming County: 7.171 %Wyoming County7.171Randolph County: 6.897 %Randolph County6.897Cabell County: 6.832 %Cabell County6.832Morgan County: 6.829 %Morgan County6.829Hardy County: 6.8 %Hardy County6.8Wetzel County: 6.646 %Wetzel County6.646Taylor County: 6.5 %Taylor County6.5Wayne County: 6.224 %Wayne County6.224McDowell County: 6.147 %McDowell County6.147Grant County: 6.132 %Grant County6.132Roane County: 6.122 %Roane County6.122Ritchie County: 5.814 %Ritchie County5.814Hancock County: 5.361 %Hancock County5.361Barbour County: 4.988 %Barbour County4.988Clay County: 20.408 %Clay County20.408Pleasants County: 14.286 %Pleasants County14.286Summers County: 13.592 %Summers County13.592Mingo County: 12.821 %Mingo County12.821Calhoun County: 12.121 %Calhoun County12.121Lewis County: 11.491 %Lewis County11.491Doddridge County: 11.429 %Doddridge County11.429Wirt County: 10.638 %Wirt County10.638Jackson County: 10.147 %Jackson County10.147Monongalia County: 9.748 %Monongalia County9.748Monroe County: 9.428 %Monroe County9.428Webster County: 9.205 %Webster County9.205Pocahontas County: 8.947 %Pocahontas County8.947Marion County: 8.874 %Marion County8.874Harrison County: 8.801 %Harrison County8.801Braxton County: 8.791 %Braxton County8.791Tucker County: 8.784 %Tucker County8.784Pendleton County: 8.765 %Pendleton County8.765Putnam County: 8.618 %Putnam County8.618Berkeley County: 8.544 %Berkeley County8.544Mason County: 8.539 %Mason County8.539Mineral County: 8.475 %Mineral County8.475Upshur County: 8.459 %Upshur County8.459Preston County: 8.316 %Preston County8.316Fayette County: 8.25 %Fayette County8.25Tyler County: 8.182 %Tyler County8.182Lincoln County: 8.15 %Lincoln County8.15Mercer County: 8.025 %Mercer County8.025Hampshire County: 7.972 %Hampshire County7.972Boone County: 7.95 %Boone County7.95Greenbrier County: 7.928 %Greenbrier County7.928Logan County: 7.907 %Logan County7.907Wood County: 7.878 %Wood County7.878Kanawha County: 7.854 %Kanawha County7.854Raleigh County: 7.837 %Raleigh County7.837Brooke County: 7.792 %Brooke County7.792Nicholas County: 7.787 %Nicholas County7.787Marshall County: 7.441 %Marshall County7.441Gilmer County: 7.407 %Gilmer County7.407Ohio County: 7.274 %Ohio County7.274Jefferson County: 7.27 %Jefferson County7.27Wyoming County: 7.171 %Wyoming County7.171Randolph County: 6.897 %Randolph County6.897Cabell County: 6.832 %Cabell County6.832Morgan County: 6.829 %Morgan County6.829Hardy County: 6.8 %Hardy County6.8Wetzel County: 6.646 %Wetzel County6.646Taylor County: 6.5 %Taylor County6.5Wayne County: 6.224 %Wayne County6.224McDowell County: 6.147 %McDowell County6.147Grant County: 6.132 %Grant County6.132Roane County: 6.122 %Roane County6.122Ritchie County: 5.814 %Ritchie County5.814Hancock County: 5.361 %Hancock County5.361Barbour County: 4.988 %Barbour County4.988
%. 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
1Clay County20.408+8.87 pts
2Pleasants County14.286+1.49 pts
3Summers County13.592+4.84 pts
4Mingo County12.821-0.92 pts
5Calhoun County12.121+6.1 pts
6Lewis County11.491-2.46 pts
7Doddridge County11.429-5.56 pts
8Wirt County10.638+0.22 pts
9Jackson County10.147+1.49 pts
10Monongalia County9.748+1.77 pts
11Monroe County9.428+1.61 pts
12Webster County9.205-0.75 pts
13Pocahontas County8.947+3.1 pts
14Marion County8.874+1.25 pts
15Harrison County8.801+1.84 pts
16Braxton County8.791+0.39 pts
17Tucker County8.784+0.15 pts
18Pendleton County8.765-0.57 pts
19Putnam County8.618-0.91 pts
20Berkeley County8.544-1 pts
21Mason County8.539+1.01 pts
22Mineral County8.475-0.66 pts
23Upshur County8.459+0.13 pts
24Preston County8.316+1.01 pts
25Fayette County8.25-2.86 pts
26Tyler County8.182-0.27 pts
27Lincoln County8.15-5.42 pts
28Mercer County8.025+0.11 pts
29Hampshire County7.972-1.12 pts
30Boone County7.95+0.94 pts
31Greenbrier County7.928-1.61 pts
32Logan County7.907-0.94 pts
33Wood County7.878-0.25 pts
34Kanawha County7.854-0.59 pts
35Raleigh County7.837-1.05 pts
36Brooke County7.792-2.98 pts
37Nicholas County7.787-1.64 pts
38Marshall County7.441-0.55 pts
39Gilmer County7.407-2.55 pts
40Ohio County7.274+1.75 pts
41Jefferson County7.27-1.13 pts
42Wyoming County7.171-3.61 pts
43Randolph County6.897-0.4 pts
44Cabell County6.832-0.16 pts
45Morgan County6.829-2.35 pts
46Hardy County6.8+1.58 pts
47Wetzel County6.646-1.97 pts
48Taylor County6.5-1.19 pts
49Wayne County6.224-3.24 pts
50McDowell County6.147-8.37 pts
51Grant County6.132-1.74 pts
52Roane County6.122-4.3 pts
53Ritchie County5.814-4.44 pts
54Hancock County5.361-2.83 pts
55Barbour County4.988-6.26 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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/west-virginia-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 West Virginia 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/west-virginia-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 West Virginia 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/west-virginia-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_west_virginia_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 West Virginia 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/west-virginia-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 West Virginia 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/west-virginia-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/establishment-exit-rate/west-virginia-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  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest establishment exit rate?

Clay County, with 20.408% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest establishment exit rate?

Barbour County, with 4.988% 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.

Establishment exit rate: other rankings

Counties in West Virginia: more rankings