Data / Rankings / Job creation rate / Counties in Virginia

Counties in Virginia by job creation rate

Craig County had the highest job creation rate of 133 counties in 2017, at 31.537%. Covington city had the lowest, at 5.36%. The median was 11.751% and the figure for Virginia was 12.803%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest31.537Craig County
Lowest5.36Covington city
Median11.751133 counties
Virginia12.803History

Map of counties, 2017

Accomack County: 8.065 %Albemarle County: 13.228 %Alleghany County: 12.077 %Amelia County: 15.746 %Amherst County: 13.943 %Appomattox County: 12.5 %Arlington County: 13.28 %Augusta County: 9.339 %Bath County: 8.04 %Bedford County: 12.706 %Bland County: 17.317 %Botetourt County: 9.924 %Brunswick County: 10.757 %Buchanan County: 10.16 %Buckingham County: 11.433 %Campbell County: 22.709 %Caroline County: 13.232 %Carroll County: 10.034 %Charles City County: 15.615 %Charlotte County: 12.4 %Chesterfield County: 13.312 %Clarke County: 12.828 %Craig County: 31.537 %Culpeper County: 12.122 %Cumberland County: 12.065 %Dickenson County: 18.501 %Dinwiddie County: 13.323 %Essex County: 5.999 %Fairfax County: 13.964 %Fauquier County: 13.772 %Floyd County: 14.582 %Fluvanna County: 13.477 %Franklin County: 11.631 %Frederick County: 13.266 %Giles County: 10.401 %Gloucester County: 13.89 %Goochland County: 9.838 %Grayson County: 10.178 %Greene County: 13.104 %Greensville County: 12.239 %Halifax County: 9.99 %Hanover County: 12.299 %Henrico County: 11.871 %Henry County: 10.073 %Highland County: 18.093 %Isle of Wight County: 9.482 %James City County: 12.798 %King and Queen County: 14.275 %King George County: 11.231 %King William County: 19.156 %Lancaster County: 8.658 %Lee County: 5.92 %Loudoun County: 15.967 %Louisa County: 11.342 %Lunenburg County: 10.934 %Madison County: 10.491 %Mathews County: 14.632 %Mecklenburg County: 10.124 %Middlesex County: 13.424 %Montgomery County: 11.322 %Nelson County: 10.65 %New Kent County: 20.138 %Northampton County: 15.75 %Northumberland County: 11.422 %Nottoway County: 8.432 %Orange County: 9.985 %Page County: 14.263 %Patrick County: 6.736 %Pittsylvania County: 9.887 %Powhatan County: 16.387 %Prince Edward County: 11.49 %Prince George County: 16.381 %Prince William County: 13.171 %Pulaski County: 8.952 %Rappahannock County: 15.252 %Richmond County: 10.795 %Roanoke County: 9.889 %Rockbridge County: 17.606 %Rockingham County: 8.981 %Russell County: 11.136 %Scott County: 12.717 %Shenandoah County: 11.686 %Smyth County: 7.2 %Southampton County: 9.92 %Spotsylvania County: 14.507 %Stafford County: 14.162 %Surry County: 7.309 %Sussex County: 16.012 %Tazewell County: 8.927 %Warren County: 10.994 %Washington County: 11.153 %Westmoreland County: 12.822 %Wise County: 9.173 %Wythe County: 10.263 %York County: 14.072 %Alexandria city: 13.45 %Bristol city: 14.458 %Buena Vista city: 17.508 %Charlottesville city: 13.047 %Chesapeake city: 13.522 %Colonial Heights city: 11.912 %Covington city: 5.36 %Danville city: 9.734 %Emporia city: 10.764 %Fairfax city: 15.384 %Falls Church city: 19.667 %Franklin city: 7.659 %Fredericksburg city: 12.137 %Galax city: 6.97 %Hampton city: 11.384 %Harrisonburg city: 12.124 %Hopewell city: 7.802 %Lexington city: 6.238 %Lynchburg city: 8.682 %Manassas city: 10.445 %Manassas Park city: 11.949 %Martinsville city: 10.908 %Newport News city: 9.456 %Norfolk city: 12.825 %Norton city: 22.259 %Petersburg city: 11.187 %Poquoson city: 16.758 %Portsmouth city: 11.751 %Radford city: 9.618 %Richmond city: 14.642 %Roanoke city: 11.457 %Salem city: 8.136 %Staunton city: 8.015 %Suffolk city: 11.559 %Virginia Beach city: 12.431 %Waynesboro city: 9.822 %Williamsburg city: 10.581 %Winchester city: 11.293 %
  • Under 9.5
  • 9.5 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 13
  • 13 to 15
  • 15 and over
%, 2017. 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, 2017

Craig County: 31.537 %Craig County31.537Campbell County: 22.709 %Campbell County22.709Norton city: 22.259 %Norton city22.259New Kent County: 20.138 %New Kent County20.138Falls Church city: 19.667 %Falls Church city19.667King William County: 19.156 %King William County19.156Dickenson County: 18.501 %Dickenson County18.501Highland County: 18.093 %Highland County18.093Rockbridge County: 17.606 %Rockbridge County17.606Buena Vista city: 17.508 %Buena Vista city17.508Bland County: 17.317 %Bland County17.317Poquoson city: 16.758 %Poquoson city16.758Powhatan County: 16.387 %Powhatan County16.387Prince George County: 16.381 %Prince George County16.381Sussex County: 16.012 %Sussex County16.012Loudoun County: 15.967 %Loudoun County15.967Northampton County: 15.75 %Northampton County15.75Amelia County: 15.746 %Amelia County15.746Charles City County: 15.615 %Charles City County15.615Fairfax city: 15.384 %Fairfax city15.384Rappahannock County: 15.252 %Rappahannock County15.252Richmond city: 14.642 %Richmond city14.642Mathews County: 14.632 %Mathews County14.632Floyd County: 14.582 %Floyd County14.582Spotsylvania County: 14.507 %Spotsylvania County14.507Bristol city: 14.458 %Bristol city14.458King and Queen County: 14.275 %King and Queen County14.275Page County: 14.263 %Page County14.263Stafford County: 14.162 %Stafford County14.162York County: 14.072 %York County14.072Fairfax County: 13.964 %Fairfax County13.964Amherst County: 13.943 %Amherst County13.943Gloucester County: 13.89 %Gloucester County13.89Fauquier County: 13.772 %Fauquier County13.772Chesapeake city: 13.522 %Chesapeake city13.522Fluvanna County: 13.477 %Fluvanna County13.477Alexandria city: 13.45 %Alexandria city13.45Middlesex County: 13.424 %Middlesex County13.424Dinwiddie County: 13.323 %Dinwiddie County13.323Chesterfield County: 13.312 %Chesterfield County13.312Craig County: 31.537 %Craig County31.537Campbell County: 22.709 %Campbell County22.709Norton city: 22.259 %Norton city22.259New Kent County: 20.138 %New Kent County20.138Falls Church city: 19.667 %Falls Church city19.667King William County: 19.156 %King William County19.156Dickenson County: 18.501 %Dickenson County18.501Highland County: 18.093 %Highland County18.093Rockbridge County: 17.606 %Rockbridge County17.606Buena Vista city: 17.508 %Buena Vista city17.508Bland County: 17.317 %Bland County17.317Poquoson city: 16.758 %Poquoson city16.758Powhatan County: 16.387 %Powhatan County16.387Prince George County: 16.381 %Prince George County16.381Sussex County: 16.012 %Sussex County16.012Loudoun County: 15.967 %Loudoun County15.967Northampton County: 15.75 %Northampton County15.75Amelia County: 15.746 %Amelia County15.746Charles City County: 15.615 %Charles City County15.615Fairfax city: 15.384 %Fairfax city15.384Rappahannock County: 15.252 %Rappahannock County15.252Richmond city: 14.642 %Richmond city14.642Mathews County: 14.632 %Mathews County14.632Floyd County: 14.582 %Floyd County14.582Spotsylvania County: 14.507 %Spotsylvania County14.507Bristol city: 14.458 %Bristol city14.458King and Queen County: 14.275 %King and Queen County14.275Page County: 14.263 %Page County14.263Stafford County: 14.162 %Stafford County14.162York County: 14.072 %York County14.072Fairfax County: 13.964 %Fairfax County13.964Amherst County: 13.943 %Amherst County13.943Gloucester County: 13.89 %Gloucester County13.89Fauquier County: 13.772 %Fauquier County13.772Chesapeake city: 13.522 %Chesapeake city13.522Fluvanna County: 13.477 %Fluvanna County13.477Alexandria city: 13.45 %Alexandria city13.45Middlesex County: 13.424 %Middlesex County13.424Dinwiddie County: 13.323 %Dinwiddie County13.323Chesterfield County: 13.312 %Chesterfield County13.312
%. 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

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Craig County31.537+12.4 pts
2Campbell County22.709+13.2 pts
3Norton city22.259+14.86 pts
4New Kent County20.138+8.98 pts
5Falls Church city19.667+6.75 pts
6King William County19.156-4.27 pts
7Dickenson County18.501+11.1 pts
8Highland County18.093+7.87 pts
9Rockbridge County17.606+1.19 pts
10Buena Vista city17.508+4.68 pts
11Bland County17.317+9.08 pts
12Poquoson city16.758+3.02 pts
13Powhatan County16.387+3.44 pts
14Prince George County16.381-1.43 pts
15Sussex County16.012+6.23 pts
16Loudoun County15.967-1.32 pts
17Northampton County15.75+2.37 pts
18Amelia County15.746+6.71 pts
19Charles City County15.615+6.9 pts
20Fairfax city15.384+3.17 pts
21Rappahannock County15.252-6.39 pts
22Richmond city14.642+3.15 pts
23Mathews County14.632-4.74 pts
24Floyd County14.582-0.37 pts
25Spotsylvania County14.507+2.14 pts
26Bristol city14.458+2.84 pts
27King and Queen County14.275+3.31 pts
28Page County14.263+0.67 pts
29Stafford County14.162-0.55 pts
30York County14.072+3.25 pts
31Fairfax County13.964-0.49 pts
32Amherst County13.943+3.18 pts
33Gloucester County13.89+2 pts
34Fauquier County13.772+1.34 pts
35Chesapeake city13.522+1.91 pts
36Fluvanna County13.477+0.99 pts
37Alexandria city13.45+3.15 pts
38Middlesex County13.424-1.37 pts
39Dinwiddie County13.323+3.54 pts
40Chesterfield County13.312+1.79 pts
41Arlington County13.28+0.37 pts
42Frederick County13.266+2.45 pts
43Caroline County13.232+2.16 pts
44Albemarle County13.228+1.53 pts
45Prince William County13.171-1.13 pts
46Greene County13.104+2.98 pts
47Charlottesville city13.047+0.14 pts
48Clarke County12.828+2.03 pts
49Norfolk city12.825+1.94 pts
50Westmoreland County12.822+2.97 pts
51James City County12.798+1.45 pts
52Scott County12.717+6.52 pts
53Bedford County12.706+1.36 pts
54Appomattox County12.5-5.58 pts
55Virginia Beach city12.431-1.02 pts
56Charlotte County12.4-0.94 pts
57Hanover County12.299+1.43 pts
58Greensville County12.239-5.01 pts
59Fredericksburg city12.137+0.53 pts
60Harrisonburg city12.124-0.78 pts
61Culpeper County12.122-0.71 pts
62Alleghany County12.077+5.72 pts
63Cumberland County12.065-2.4 pts
64Manassas Park city11.949-8.32 pts
65Colonial Heights city11.912+1.55 pts
66Henrico County11.871-6.19 pts
67Portsmouth city11.751-2 pts
68Shenandoah County11.686+2.88 pts
69Franklin County11.631+2.23 pts
70Suffolk city11.559-1.58 pts
71Prince Edward County11.49-0.4 pts
72Roanoke city11.457+2.53 pts
73Buckingham County11.433-0.28 pts
74Northumberland County11.422+0.63 pts
75Hampton city11.384-0.22 pts
76Louisa County11.342-1.91 pts
77Montgomery County11.322+0.4 pts
78Winchester city11.293+1.48 pts
79King George County11.231-5.51 pts
80Petersburg city11.187+4.87 pts
81Washington County11.153+0.48 pts
82Russell County11.136+4.82 pts
83Warren County10.994-2.11 pts
84Lunenburg County10.934+1.49 pts
85Martinsville city10.908+0.99 pts
86Richmond County10.795+2.17 pts
87Emporia city10.764+0.04 pts
88Brunswick County10.757+2.18 pts
89Nelson County10.65-0.76 pts
90Williamsburg city10.581-1.3 pts
91Madison County10.491+1.2 pts
92Manassas city10.445-1.82 pts
93Giles County10.401+3.83 pts
94Wythe County10.263+1.73 pts
95Grayson County10.178+0.32 pts
96Buchanan County10.16+1.7 pts
97Mecklenburg County10.124+2.62 pts
98Henry County10.073-0.38 pts
99Carroll County10.034-3.79 pts
100Halifax County9.99+2.16 pts
101Orange County9.985+0.9 pts
102Botetourt County9.924-0.98 pts
103Southampton County9.92+1.52 pts
104Roanoke County9.889+0.8 pts
105Pittsylvania County9.887-0.18 pts
106Goochland County9.838-9.21 pts
107Waynesboro city9.822-0.15 pts
108Danville city9.734+0.54 pts
109Radford city9.618+0.34 pts
110Isle of Wight County9.482-2.26 pts
111Newport News city9.456-0.11 pts
112Augusta County9.339-6.15 pts
113Wise County9.173+1.78 pts
114Rockingham County8.981-0.27 pts
115Pulaski County8.952+0.52 pts
116Tazewell County8.927+0.46 pts
117Lynchburg city8.682+0.2 pts
118Lancaster County8.658-13.42 pts
119Nottoway County8.432-1.16 pts
120Salem city8.136-0.61 pts
121Accomack County8.065-3.73 pts
122Bath County8.04+2.36 pts
123Staunton city8.015+0.17 pts
124Hopewell city7.802-3.87 pts
125Franklin city7.659+0.45 pts
126Surry County7.309-0.69 pts
127Smyth County7.2-0.34 pts
128Galax city6.97-1.72 pts
129Patrick County6.736-3.95 pts
130Lexington city6.238-2.14 pts
131Essex County5.999-2.36 pts
132Lee County5.92-6.36 pts
133Covington city5.36-0.51 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 Virginia by job creation rate, 2017) [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 Virginia by job creation rate, 2017. 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/virginia-counties?period=2017. 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 Virginia by job creation rate, 2017. 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/virginia-counties?period=2017.

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 Virginia by job creation rate, 2017 [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/virginia-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2017,
  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 Virginia by job creation rate, 2017}},
  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/virginia-counties?period=2017. 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 Virginia by job creation rate, 2017
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/virginia-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/virginia-counties?period=2017.
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?

Craig County, with 31.537% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job creation rate?

Covington city, with 5.36% in 2017.

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 Virginia: more rankings