Data / Rankings / Job creation rate / Counties in Tennessee

Counties in Tennessee by job creation rate

DeKalb County had the highest job creation rate of 95 counties in 2016, at 24.536%. Hardeman County had the lowest, at 6.434%. The median was 11.654% and the figure for Tennessee was 12.699%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest24.536DeKalb County
Lowest6.434Hardeman County
Median11.65495 counties
Tennessee12.699History

Map of counties, 2016

Anderson County: 12.325 %Bedford County: 8.635 %Benton County: 15.984 %Bledsoe County: 13.344 %Blount County: 13.102 %Bradley County: 12.896 %Campbell County: 11.347 %Cannon County: 16.759 %Carroll County: 9.164 %Carter County: 9.315 %Cheatham County: 16.268 %Chester County: 10.383 %Claiborne County: 8.117 %Clay County: 16.245 %Cocke County: 9.262 %Coffee County: 10.975 %Crockett County: 6.637 %Cumberland County: 11.658 %Davidson County: 13.018 %Decatur County: 9.148 %DeKalb County: 24.536 %Dickson County: 13.424 %Dyer County: 9.499 %Fayette County: 11.654 %Fentress County: 7.627 %Franklin County: 8.077 %Gibson County: 11.637 %Giles County: 10.911 %Grainger County: 16.495 %Greene County: 8.909 %Grundy County: 13.625 %Hamblen County: 13.79 %Hamilton County: 11.404 %Hancock County: 19.744 %Hardeman County: 6.434 %Hardin County: 10.175 %Hawkins County: 9.912 %Haywood County: 14.543 %Henderson County: 13.362 %Henry County: 11.149 %Hickman County: 9.452 %Houston County: 11.321 %Humphreys County: 11.469 %Jackson County: 17.575 %Jefferson County: 12.578 %Johnson County: 13.534 %Knox County: 11.585 %Lake County: 13.428 %Lauderdale County: 8.99 %Lawrence County: 13.459 %Lewis County: 15.725 %Lincoln County: 18.627 %Loudon County: 14.676 %McMinn County: 11.359 %McNairy County: 13.939 %Macon County: 12.648 %Madison County: 11.291 %Marion County: 14.599 %Marshall County: 10.409 %Maury County: 18.882 %Meigs County: 11.119 %Monroe County: 11.099 %Montgomery County: 11.701 %Moore County: 12.805 %Morgan County: 15.826 %Obion County: 11.56 %Overton County: 15.496 %Perry County: 7.256 %Pickett County: 15.021 %Polk County: 11.061 %Putnam County: 11.375 %Rhea County: 11.054 %Roane County: 15.049 %Robertson County: 9.71 %Rutherford County: 12.599 %Scott County: 12.716 %Sequatchie County: 9.567 %Sevier County: 15.93 %Shelby County: 11.399 %Smith County: 13.976 %Stewart County: 8.719 %Sullivan County: 10.932 %Sumner County: 15.395 %Tipton County: 11.292 %Trousdale County: 18.926 %Unicoi County: 7.808 %Union County: 14.372 %Van Buren County: 7.809 %Warren County: 19.395 %Washington County: 10.434 %Wayne County: 11.266 %Weakley County: 11.545 %White County: 18.738 %Williamson County: 16.762 %Wilson County: 15.192 %
  • Under 9.4
  • 9.4 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 13
  • 13 to 16
  • 16 and over
%, 2016. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

DeKalb County: 24.536 %DeKalb County24.536Hancock County: 19.744 %Hancock County19.744Warren County: 19.395 %Warren County19.395Trousdale County: 18.926 %Trousdale County18.926Maury County: 18.882 %Maury County18.882White County: 18.738 %White County18.738Lincoln County: 18.627 %Lincoln County18.627Jackson County: 17.575 %Jackson County17.575Williamson County: 16.762 %Williamson County16.762Cannon County: 16.759 %Cannon County16.759Grainger County: 16.495 %Grainger County16.495Cheatham County: 16.268 %Cheatham County16.268Clay County: 16.245 %Clay County16.245Benton County: 15.984 %Benton County15.984Sevier County: 15.93 %Sevier County15.93Morgan County: 15.826 %Morgan County15.826Lewis County: 15.725 %Lewis County15.725Overton County: 15.496 %Overton County15.496Sumner County: 15.395 %Sumner County15.395Wilson County: 15.192 %Wilson County15.192Roane County: 15.049 %Roane County15.049Pickett County: 15.021 %Pickett County15.021Loudon County: 14.676 %Loudon County14.676Marion County: 14.599 %Marion County14.599Haywood County: 14.543 %Haywood County14.543Union County: 14.372 %Union County14.372Smith County: 13.976 %Smith County13.976McNairy County: 13.939 %McNairy County13.939Hamblen County: 13.79 %Hamblen County13.79Grundy County: 13.625 %Grundy County13.625Johnson County: 13.534 %Johnson County13.534Lawrence County: 13.459 %Lawrence County13.459Lake County: 13.428 %Lake County13.428Dickson County: 13.424 %Dickson County13.424Henderson County: 13.362 %Henderson County13.362Bledsoe County: 13.344 %Bledsoe County13.344Blount County: 13.102 %Blount County13.102Davidson County: 13.018 %Davidson County13.018Bradley County: 12.896 %Bradley County12.896Moore County: 12.805 %Moore County12.805DeKalb County: 24.536 %DeKalb County24.536Hancock County: 19.744 %Hancock County19.744Warren County: 19.395 %Warren County19.395Trousdale County: 18.926 %Trousdale County18.926Maury County: 18.882 %Maury County18.882White County: 18.738 %White County18.738Lincoln County: 18.627 %Lincoln County18.627Jackson County: 17.575 %Jackson County17.575Williamson County: 16.762 %Williamson County16.762Cannon County: 16.759 %Cannon County16.759Grainger County: 16.495 %Grainger County16.495Cheatham County: 16.268 %Cheatham County16.268Clay County: 16.245 %Clay County16.245Benton County: 15.984 %Benton County15.984Sevier County: 15.93 %Sevier County15.93Morgan County: 15.826 %Morgan County15.826Lewis County: 15.725 %Lewis County15.725Overton County: 15.496 %Overton County15.496Sumner County: 15.395 %Sumner County15.395Wilson County: 15.192 %Wilson County15.192Roane County: 15.049 %Roane County15.049Pickett County: 15.021 %Pickett County15.021Loudon County: 14.676 %Loudon County14.676Marion County: 14.599 %Marion County14.599Haywood County: 14.543 %Haywood County14.543Union County: 14.372 %Union County14.372Smith County: 13.976 %Smith County13.976McNairy County: 13.939 %McNairy County13.939Hamblen County: 13.79 %Hamblen County13.79Grundy County: 13.625 %Grundy County13.625Johnson County: 13.534 %Johnson County13.534Lawrence County: 13.459 %Lawrence County13.459Lake County: 13.428 %Lake County13.428Dickson County: 13.424 %Dickson County13.424Henderson County: 13.362 %Henderson County13.362Bledsoe County: 13.344 %Bledsoe County13.344Blount County: 13.102 %Blount County13.102Davidson County: 13.018 %Davidson County13.018Bradley County: 12.896 %Bradley County12.896Moore County: 12.805 %Moore County12.805
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1DeKalb County24.536+14.5 pts
2Hancock County19.744+10.97 pts
3Warren County19.395+10.35 pts
4Trousdale County18.926+5.59 pts
5Maury County18.882+7.83 pts
6White County18.738+10.35 pts
7Lincoln County18.627+8.12 pts
8Jackson County17.575+3.13 pts
9Williamson County16.762-0.61 pts
10Cannon County16.759-5.62 pts
11Grainger County16.495+6.83 pts
12Cheatham County16.268+3.31 pts
13Clay County16.245+5.14 pts
14Benton County15.984+4.56 pts
15Sevier County15.93+1.44 pts
16Morgan County15.826+7.68 pts
17Lewis County15.725+4.59 pts
18Overton County15.496+6.78 pts
19Sumner County15.395+1.62 pts
20Wilson County15.192-0.18 pts
21Roane County15.049+5.42 pts
22Pickett County15.021-10.31 pts
23Loudon County14.676+2.69 pts
24Marion County14.599+5.2 pts
25Haywood County14.543-1.62 pts
26Union County14.372+2.84 pts
27Smith County13.976+5.68 pts
28McNairy County13.939+0.91 pts
29Hamblen County13.79+0.89 pts
30Grundy County13.625-5.39 pts
31Johnson County13.534+3.21 pts
32Lawrence County13.459+2.86 pts
33Lake County13.428+4.68 pts
34Dickson County13.424+1.96 pts
35Henderson County13.362+4.26 pts
36Bledsoe County13.344+3.74 pts
37Blount County13.102+2.21 pts
38Davidson County13.018-0.84 pts
39Bradley County12.896+2.35 pts
40Moore County12.805+2.13 pts
41Scott County12.716+3.38 pts
42Macon County12.648+0.13 pts
43Rutherford County12.599+0.36 pts
44Jefferson County12.578-0.13 pts
45Anderson County12.325+2.61 pts
46Montgomery County11.701-0.18 pts
47Cumberland County11.658+1.29 pts
48Fayette County11.654-0.71 pts
49Gibson County11.637-1.05 pts
50Knox County11.585-0.79 pts
51Obion County11.56+1.25 pts
52Weakley County11.545-1.29 pts
53Humphreys County11.469-4.67 pts
54Hamilton County11.404-0.91 pts
55Shelby County11.399-0.14 pts
56Putnam County11.375-0.41 pts
57McMinn County11.359-0.82 pts
58Campbell County11.347-0.15 pts
59Houston County11.321+3.59 pts
60Tipton County11.292+1.56 pts
61Madison County11.291+2.04 pts
62Wayne County11.266-3.55 pts
63Henry County11.149+3.1 pts
64Meigs County11.119+3.42 pts
65Monroe County11.099-0.89 pts
66Polk County11.061-0.79 pts
67Rhea County11.054+3.29 pts
68Coffee County10.975+1.61 pts
69Sullivan County10.932+2.34 pts
70Giles County10.911-0.07 pts
71Washington County10.434+0.04 pts
72Marshall County10.409-0.61 pts
73Chester County10.383+0.69 pts
74Hardin County10.175+0.1 pts
75Hawkins County9.912+1.25 pts
76Robertson County9.71-1.38 pts
77Sequatchie County9.567-1.02 pts
78Dyer County9.499-5.95 pts
79Hickman County9.452-6.39 pts
80Carter County9.315-0.83 pts
81Cocke County9.262-4.03 pts
82Carroll County9.164+0.53 pts
83Decatur County9.148+0.61 pts
84Lauderdale County8.99+1.03 pts
85Greene County8.909-0.73 pts
86Stewart County8.719-9.33 pts
87Bedford County8.635-0.06 pts
88Claiborne County8.117-1.23 pts
89Franklin County8.077-2.04 pts
90Van Buren County7.809-0.99 pts
91Unicoi County7.808-13.45 pts
92Fentress County7.627-2.02 pts
93Perry County7.256-19.61 pts
94Crockett County6.637-3.55 pts
95Hardeman County6.434-2.89 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs added at opening and expanding establishments during the year, as a percentage of average employment in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

A gross flow: jobs lost elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is this rate minus job_destruction_rate. Not the same as payroll job growth from the monthly employment surveys. 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: job creation 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: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Tennessee by job creation rate, 2016) [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: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Tennessee by job creation rate, 2016. 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/job-creation-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Tennessee by job creation rate, 2016. 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/job-creation-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Tennessee by job creation rate, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Tennessee by job creation rate, 2016}},
  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/job-creation-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation 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: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Tennessee by job creation rate, 2016
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/job-creation-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation 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 job creation rate?

DeKalb County, with 24.536% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job creation rate?

Hardeman County, with 6.434% in 2016.

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: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job creation rate: other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings