Data / Rankings / Job creation rate / Counties in Virginia

Counties in Virginia by job creation rate

Goochland County had the highest job creation rate of 133 counties in 2018, at 23.027%. Surry County had the lowest, at 4.727%. The median was 11.254% and the figure for Virginia was 12.727%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest23.027Goochland County
Lowest4.727Surry County
Median11.254133 counties
Virginia12.727History

Map of counties, 2018

Accomack County: 9.754 %Albemarle County: 9.802 %Alleghany County: 13.035 %Amelia County: 8.712 %Amherst County: 9.162 %Appomattox County: 8.727 %Arlington County: 12.558 %Augusta County: 7.639 %Bath County: 7.174 %Bedford County: 14.201 %Bland County: 8.125 %Botetourt County: 11.123 %Brunswick County: 8.147 %Buchanan County: 18.243 %Buckingham County: 11.871 %Campbell County: 12.411 %Caroline County: 10.16 %Carroll County: 12.332 %Charles City County: 9.365 %Charlotte County: 10.632 %Chesterfield County: 11.904 %Clarke County: 6.701 %Craig County: 10.932 %Culpeper County: 20.197 %Cumberland County: 12.856 %Dickenson County: 12.758 %Dinwiddie County: 10.531 %Essex County: 12.812 %Fairfax County: 14.225 %Fauquier County: 10.868 %Floyd County: 16.58 %Fluvanna County: 13.614 %Franklin County: 10.833 %Frederick County: 13.407 %Giles County: 5.171 %Gloucester County: 12.255 %Goochland County: 23.027 %Grayson County: 11.6 %Greene County: 11.958 %Greensville County: 7.233 %Halifax County: 8.736 %Hanover County: 10.781 %Henrico County: 15.516 %Henry County: 8.923 %Highland County: 11.22 %Isle of Wight County: 9.049 %James City County: 15.23 %King and Queen County: 10.287 %King George County: 14.169 %King William County: 13.519 %Lancaster County: 10.648 %Lee County: 7.711 %Loudoun County: 12.508 %Louisa County: 10.676 %Lunenburg County: 7.285 %Madison County: 8.565 %Mathews County: 8.104 %Mecklenburg County: 10.46 %Middlesex County: 12.882 %Montgomery County: 12.249 %Nelson County: 8.904 %New Kent County: 13.715 %Northampton County: 11.922 %Northumberland County: 13.424 %Nottoway County: 11.698 %Orange County: 9.143 %Page County: 14.367 %Patrick County: 13.787 %Pittsylvania County: 10.073 %Powhatan County: 11.533 %Prince Edward County: 14.463 %Prince George County: 15.127 %Prince William County: 14.581 %Pulaski County: 8.203 %Rappahannock County: 17.06 %Richmond County: 10.768 %Roanoke County: 10.216 %Rockbridge County: 10.955 %Rockingham County: 12.305 %Russell County: 8.235 %Scott County: 11.27 %Shenandoah County: 12.494 %Smyth County: 7.017 %Southampton County: 8.887 %Spotsylvania County: 15.112 %Stafford County: 12.537 %Surry County: 4.727 %Sussex County: 10.706 %Tazewell County: 10.138 %Warren County: 12.611 %Washington County: 8.541 %Westmoreland County: 12.993 %Wise County: 16.672 %Wythe County: 10.445 %York County: 12.005 %Alexandria city: 10.379 %Bristol city: 12.204 %Buena Vista city: 11.886 %Charlottesville city: 12.17 %Chesapeake city: 11.657 %Colonial Heights city: 11.927 %Covington city: 10.002 %Danville city: 9.684 %Emporia city: 9.064 %Fairfax city: 12.655 %Falls Church city: 12.291 %Franklin city: 10.031 %Fredericksburg city: 10.508 %Galax city: 7.004 %Hampton city: 13.942 %Harrisonburg city: 11.667 %Hopewell city: 14.651 %Lexington city: 9.465 %Lynchburg city: 8.369 %Manassas city: 11.657 %Manassas Park city: 13.722 %Martinsville city: 11.254 %Newport News city: 10.073 %Norfolk city: 13.593 %Norton city: 8.542 %Petersburg city: 8.853 %Poquoson city: 11.563 %Portsmouth city: 11.924 %Radford city: 8.424 %Richmond city: 10.337 %Roanoke city: 16.968 %Salem city: 8.792 %Staunton city: 9.293 %Suffolk city: 12.86 %Virginia Beach city: 13.366 %Waynesboro city: 10.267 %Williamsburg city: 13.042 %Winchester city: 11.081 %
  • Under 8.7
  • 8.7 to 10
  • 10 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 14
  • 14 and over
%, 2018. 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, 2018

Goochland County: 23.027 %Goochland County23.027Culpeper County: 20.197 %Culpeper County20.197Buchanan County: 18.243 %Buchanan County18.243Rappahannock County: 17.06 %Rappahannock County17.06Roanoke city: 16.968 %Roanoke city16.968Wise County: 16.672 %Wise County16.672Floyd County: 16.58 %Floyd County16.58Henrico County: 15.516 %Henrico County15.516James City County: 15.23 %James City County15.23Prince George County: 15.127 %Prince George County15.127Spotsylvania County: 15.112 %Spotsylvania County15.112Hopewell city: 14.651 %Hopewell city14.651Prince William County: 14.581 %Prince William County14.581Prince Edward County: 14.463 %Prince Edward County14.463Page County: 14.367 %Page County14.367Fairfax County: 14.225 %Fairfax County14.225Bedford County: 14.201 %Bedford County14.201King George County: 14.169 %King George County14.169Hampton city: 13.942 %Hampton city13.942Patrick County: 13.787 %Patrick County13.787Manassas Park city: 13.722 %Manassas Park city13.722New Kent County: 13.715 %New Kent County13.715Fluvanna County: 13.614 %Fluvanna County13.614Norfolk city: 13.593 %Norfolk city13.593King William County: 13.519 %King William County13.519Northumberland County: 13.424 %Northumberland County13.424Frederick County: 13.407 %Frederick County13.407Virginia Beach city: 13.366 %Virginia Beach city13.366Williamsburg city: 13.042 %Williamsburg city13.042Alleghany County: 13.035 %Alleghany County13.035Westmoreland County: 12.993 %Westmoreland County12.993Middlesex County: 12.882 %Middlesex County12.882Suffolk city: 12.86 %Suffolk city12.86Cumberland County: 12.856 %Cumberland County12.856Essex County: 12.812 %Essex County12.812Dickenson County: 12.758 %Dickenson County12.758Fairfax city: 12.655 %Fairfax city12.655Warren County: 12.611 %Warren County12.611Arlington County: 12.558 %Arlington County12.558Stafford County: 12.537 %Stafford County12.537Goochland County: 23.027 %Goochland County23.027Culpeper County: 20.197 %Culpeper County20.197Buchanan County: 18.243 %Buchanan County18.243Rappahannock County: 17.06 %Rappahannock County17.06Roanoke city: 16.968 %Roanoke city16.968Wise County: 16.672 %Wise County16.672Floyd County: 16.58 %Floyd County16.58Henrico County: 15.516 %Henrico County15.516James City County: 15.23 %James City County15.23Prince George County: 15.127 %Prince George County15.127Spotsylvania County: 15.112 %Spotsylvania County15.112Hopewell city: 14.651 %Hopewell city14.651Prince William County: 14.581 %Prince William County14.581Prince Edward County: 14.463 %Prince Edward County14.463Page County: 14.367 %Page County14.367Fairfax County: 14.225 %Fairfax County14.225Bedford County: 14.201 %Bedford County14.201King George County: 14.169 %King George County14.169Hampton city: 13.942 %Hampton city13.942Patrick County: 13.787 %Patrick County13.787Manassas Park city: 13.722 %Manassas Park city13.722New Kent County: 13.715 %New Kent County13.715Fluvanna County: 13.614 %Fluvanna County13.614Norfolk city: 13.593 %Norfolk city13.593King William County: 13.519 %King William County13.519Northumberland County: 13.424 %Northumberland County13.424Frederick County: 13.407 %Frederick County13.407Virginia Beach city: 13.366 %Virginia Beach city13.366Williamsburg city: 13.042 %Williamsburg city13.042Alleghany County: 13.035 %Alleghany County13.035Westmoreland County: 12.993 %Westmoreland County12.993Middlesex County: 12.882 %Middlesex County12.882Suffolk city: 12.86 %Suffolk city12.86Cumberland County: 12.856 %Cumberland County12.856Essex County: 12.812 %Essex County12.812Dickenson County: 12.758 %Dickenson County12.758Fairfax city: 12.655 %Fairfax city12.655Warren County: 12.611 %Warren County12.611Arlington County: 12.558 %Arlington County12.558Stafford County: 12.537 %Stafford County12.537
%. 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

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Goochland County23.027+13.19 pts
2Culpeper County20.197+8.07 pts
3Buchanan County18.243+8.08 pts
4Rappahannock County17.06+1.81 pts
5Roanoke city16.968+5.51 pts
6Wise County16.672+7.5 pts
7Floyd County16.58+2 pts
8Henrico County15.516+3.64 pts
9James City County15.23+2.43 pts
10Prince George County15.127-1.25 pts
11Spotsylvania County15.112+0.61 pts
12Hopewell city14.651+6.85 pts
13Prince William County14.581+1.41 pts
14Prince Edward County14.463+2.97 pts
15Page County14.367+0.1 pts
16Fairfax County14.225+0.26 pts
17Bedford County14.201+1.5 pts
18King George County14.169+2.94 pts
19Hampton city13.942+2.56 pts
20Patrick County13.787+7.05 pts
21Manassas Park city13.722+1.77 pts
22New Kent County13.715-6.42 pts
23Fluvanna County13.614+0.14 pts
24Norfolk city13.593+0.77 pts
25King William County13.519-5.64 pts
26Northumberland County13.424+2 pts
27Frederick County13.407+0.14 pts
28Virginia Beach city13.366+0.94 pts
29Williamsburg city13.042+2.46 pts
30Alleghany County13.035+0.96 pts
31Westmoreland County12.993+0.17 pts
32Middlesex County12.882-0.54 pts
33Suffolk city12.86+1.3 pts
34Cumberland County12.856+0.79 pts
35Essex County12.812+6.81 pts
36Dickenson County12.758-5.74 pts
37Fairfax city12.655-2.73 pts
38Warren County12.611+1.62 pts
39Arlington County12.558-0.72 pts
40Stafford County12.537-1.63 pts
41Loudoun County12.508-3.46 pts
42Shenandoah County12.494+0.81 pts
43Campbell County12.411-10.3 pts
44Carroll County12.332+2.3 pts
45Rockingham County12.305+3.32 pts
46Falls Church city12.291-7.38 pts
47Gloucester County12.255-1.63 pts
48Montgomery County12.249+0.93 pts
49Bristol city12.204-2.25 pts
50Charlottesville city12.17-0.88 pts
51York County12.005-2.07 pts
52Greene County11.958-1.15 pts
53Colonial Heights city11.927+0.01 pts
54Portsmouth city11.924+0.17 pts
55Northampton County11.922-3.83 pts
56Chesterfield County11.904-1.41 pts
57Buena Vista city11.886-5.62 pts
58Buckingham County11.871+0.44 pts
59Nottoway County11.698+3.27 pts
60Harrisonburg city11.667-0.46 pts
61Chesapeake city11.657-1.87 pts
61Manassas city11.657+1.21 pts
63Grayson County11.6+1.42 pts
64Poquoson city11.563-5.19 pts
65Powhatan County11.533-4.85 pts
66Scott County11.27-1.45 pts
67Martinsville city11.254+0.35 pts
68Highland County11.22-6.87 pts
69Botetourt County11.123+1.2 pts
70Winchester city11.081-0.21 pts
71Rockbridge County10.955-6.65 pts
72Craig County10.932-20.6 pts
73Fauquier County10.868-2.9 pts
74Franklin County10.833-0.8 pts
75Hanover County10.781-1.52 pts
76Richmond County10.768-0.03 pts
77Sussex County10.706-5.31 pts
78Louisa County10.676-0.67 pts
79Lancaster County10.648+1.99 pts
80Charlotte County10.632-1.77 pts
81Dinwiddie County10.531-2.79 pts
82Fredericksburg city10.508-1.63 pts
83Mecklenburg County10.46+0.34 pts
84Wythe County10.445+0.18 pts
85Alexandria city10.379-3.07 pts
86Richmond city10.337-4.3 pts
87King and Queen County10.287-3.99 pts
88Waynesboro city10.267+0.45 pts
89Roanoke County10.216+0.33 pts
90Caroline County10.16-3.07 pts
91Tazewell County10.138+1.21 pts
92Newport News city10.073+0.62 pts
92Pittsylvania County10.073+0.19 pts
94Franklin city10.031+2.37 pts
95Covington city10.002+4.64 pts
96Albemarle County9.802-3.43 pts
97Accomack County9.754+1.69 pts
98Danville city9.684-0.05 pts
99Lexington city9.465+3.23 pts
100Charles City County9.365-6.25 pts
101Staunton city9.293+1.28 pts
102Amherst County9.162-4.78 pts
103Orange County9.143-0.84 pts
104Emporia city9.064-1.7 pts
105Isle of Wight County9.049-0.43 pts
106Henry County8.923-1.15 pts
107Nelson County8.904-1.75 pts
108Southampton County8.887-1.03 pts
109Petersburg city8.853-2.33 pts
110Salem city8.792+0.66 pts
111Halifax County8.736-1.25 pts
112Appomattox County8.727-3.77 pts
113Amelia County8.712-7.03 pts
114Madison County8.565-1.93 pts
115Norton city8.542-13.72 pts
116Washington County8.541-2.61 pts
117Radford city8.424-1.19 pts
118Lynchburg city8.369-0.31 pts
119Russell County8.235-2.9 pts
120Pulaski County8.203-0.75 pts
121Brunswick County8.147-2.61 pts
122Bland County8.125-9.19 pts
123Mathews County8.104-6.53 pts
124Lee County7.711+1.79 pts
125Augusta County7.639-1.7 pts
126Lunenburg County7.285-3.65 pts
127Greensville County7.233-5.01 pts
128Bath County7.174-0.87 pts
129Smyth County7.017-0.18 pts
130Galax city7.004+0.03 pts
131Clarke County6.701-6.13 pts
132Giles County5.171-5.23 pts
133Surry County4.727-2.58 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, 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: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Virginia by job creation 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/job-creation-rate/virginia-counties?period=2018. 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, 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/job-creation-rate/virginia-counties?period=2018.

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, 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/job-creation-rate/virginia-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_virginia_by_2018,
  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, 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/job-creation-rate/virginia-counties?period=2018. 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, 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/job-creation-rate/virginia-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/virginia-counties?period=2018.
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?

Goochland County, with 23.027% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job creation rate?

Surry County, with 4.727% 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: 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