Data / Rankings / Job destruction rate / Counties in Tennessee

Counties in Tennessee by job destruction rate

Van Buren County had the highest job destruction rate of 95 counties in 2012, at 22.759%. Moore County had the lowest, at 4.249%. The median was 10.665% and the figure for Tennessee was 10.947%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest22.759Van Buren County
Lowest4.249Moore County
Median10.66595 counties
Tennessee10.947History

Map of counties, 2012

Anderson County: 13.669 %Bedford County: 9.68 %Benton County: 11.746 %Bledsoe County: 16.172 %Blount County: 13.013 %Bradley County: 9.558 %Campbell County: 11.592 %Cannon County: 10.055 %Carroll County: 10.349 %Carter County: 8.418 %Cheatham County: 11.912 %Chester County: 13.234 %Claiborne County: 10.665 %Clay County: 7.819 %Cocke County: 9.309 %Coffee County: 7.139 %Crockett County: 6.532 %Cumberland County: 9.022 %Davidson County: 10.867 %Decatur County: 10.109 %DeKalb County: 7.394 %Dickson County: 9.412 %Dyer County: 13.429 %Fayette County: 11.316 %Fentress County: 6.611 %Franklin County: 6.365 %Gibson County: 16.189 %Giles County: 7.832 %Grainger County: 7.268 %Greene County: 8.369 %Grundy County: 9.686 %Hamblen County: 12.531 %Hamilton County: 9.142 %Hancock County: 22.595 %Hardeman County: 11.492 %Hardin County: 8.94 %Hawkins County: 8.541 %Haywood County: 10.88 %Henderson County: 12.392 %Henry County: 13.041 %Hickman County: 17.437 %Houston County: 15.592 %Humphreys County: 15.464 %Jackson County: 10.096 %Jefferson County: 13.403 %Johnson County: 8.259 %Knox County: 10.395 %Lake County: 10.164 %Lauderdale County: 20.733 %Lawrence County: 11.738 %Lewis County: 7.761 %Lincoln County: 12.176 %Loudon County: 14.261 %McMinn County: 8.297 %McNairy County: 10.579 %Macon County: 10.226 %Madison County: 11.724 %Marion County: 13.772 %Marshall County: 8.639 %Maury County: 10.605 %Meigs County: 17.54 %Monroe County: 9.382 %Montgomery County: 9.96 %Moore County: 4.249 %Morgan County: 13.324 %Obion County: 22.713 %Overton County: 5.984 %Perry County: 5.403 %Pickett County: 12.801 %Polk County: 17.559 %Putnam County: 11.389 %Rhea County: 11.315 %Roane County: 12.488 %Robertson County: 8.818 %Rutherford County: 10.432 %Scott County: 12.289 %Sequatchie County: 10.424 %Sevier County: 13.544 %Shelby County: 10.685 %Smith County: 7.195 %Stewart County: 18.605 %Sullivan County: 10.596 %Sumner County: 8.984 %Tipton County: 13.586 %Trousdale County: 11.728 %Unicoi County: 6.287 %Union County: 13.266 %Van Buren County: 22.759 %Warren County: 9.954 %Washington County: 11.083 %Wayne County: 8.894 %Weakley County: 11.925 %White County: 13.628 %Williamson County: 14.159 %Wilson County: 8.987 %
  • Under 8.3
  • 8.3 to 9.7
  • 9.7 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 14
  • 14 and over
%, 2012. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2012

Van Buren County: 22.759 %Van Buren County22.759Obion County: 22.713 %Obion County22.713Hancock County: 22.595 %Hancock County22.595Lauderdale County: 20.733 %Lauderdale County20.733Stewart County: 18.605 %Stewart County18.605Polk County: 17.559 %Polk County17.559Meigs County: 17.54 %Meigs County17.54Hickman County: 17.437 %Hickman County17.437Gibson County: 16.189 %Gibson County16.189Bledsoe County: 16.172 %Bledsoe County16.172Houston County: 15.592 %Houston County15.592Humphreys County: 15.464 %Humphreys County15.464Loudon County: 14.261 %Loudon County14.261Williamson County: 14.159 %Williamson County14.159Marion County: 13.772 %Marion County13.772Anderson County: 13.669 %Anderson County13.669White County: 13.628 %White County13.628Tipton County: 13.586 %Tipton County13.586Sevier County: 13.544 %Sevier County13.544Dyer County: 13.429 %Dyer County13.429Jefferson County: 13.403 %Jefferson County13.403Morgan County: 13.324 %Morgan County13.324Union County: 13.266 %Union County13.266Chester County: 13.234 %Chester County13.234Henry County: 13.041 %Henry County13.041Blount County: 13.013 %Blount County13.013Pickett County: 12.801 %Pickett County12.801Hamblen County: 12.531 %Hamblen County12.531Roane County: 12.488 %Roane County12.488Henderson County: 12.392 %Henderson County12.392Scott County: 12.289 %Scott County12.289Lincoln County: 12.176 %Lincoln County12.176Weakley County: 11.925 %Weakley County11.925Cheatham County: 11.912 %Cheatham County11.912Benton County: 11.746 %Benton County11.746Lawrence County: 11.738 %Lawrence County11.738Trousdale County: 11.728 %Trousdale County11.728Madison County: 11.724 %Madison County11.724Campbell County: 11.592 %Campbell County11.592Hardeman County: 11.492 %Hardeman County11.492Van Buren County: 22.759 %Van Buren County22.759Obion County: 22.713 %Obion County22.713Hancock County: 22.595 %Hancock County22.595Lauderdale County: 20.733 %Lauderdale County20.733Stewart County: 18.605 %Stewart County18.605Polk County: 17.559 %Polk County17.559Meigs County: 17.54 %Meigs County17.54Hickman County: 17.437 %Hickman County17.437Gibson County: 16.189 %Gibson County16.189Bledsoe County: 16.172 %Bledsoe County16.172Houston County: 15.592 %Houston County15.592Humphreys County: 15.464 %Humphreys County15.464Loudon County: 14.261 %Loudon County14.261Williamson County: 14.159 %Williamson County14.159Marion County: 13.772 %Marion County13.772Anderson County: 13.669 %Anderson County13.669White County: 13.628 %White County13.628Tipton County: 13.586 %Tipton County13.586Sevier County: 13.544 %Sevier County13.544Dyer County: 13.429 %Dyer County13.429Jefferson County: 13.403 %Jefferson County13.403Morgan County: 13.324 %Morgan County13.324Union County: 13.266 %Union County13.266Chester County: 13.234 %Chester County13.234Henry County: 13.041 %Henry County13.041Blount County: 13.013 %Blount County13.013Pickett County: 12.801 %Pickett County12.801Hamblen County: 12.531 %Hamblen County12.531Roane County: 12.488 %Roane County12.488Henderson County: 12.392 %Henderson County12.392Scott County: 12.289 %Scott County12.289Lincoln County: 12.176 %Lincoln County12.176Weakley County: 11.925 %Weakley County11.925Cheatham County: 11.912 %Cheatham County11.912Benton County: 11.746 %Benton County11.746Lawrence County: 11.738 %Lawrence County11.738Trousdale County: 11.728 %Trousdale County11.728Madison County: 11.724 %Madison County11.724Campbell County: 11.592 %Campbell County11.592Hardeman County: 11.492 %Hardeman County11.492
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2012 (%)Change on 2011
1Van Buren County22.759+16.86 pts
2Obion County22.713+10.47 pts
3Hancock County22.595-4.27 pts
4Lauderdale County20.733+11.42 pts
5Stewart County18.605+5.81 pts
6Polk County17.559+0.12 pts
7Meigs County17.54+8.29 pts
8Hickman County17.437+4.4 pts
9Gibson County16.189+7.68 pts
10Bledsoe County16.172+0.24 pts
11Houston County15.592+4.97 pts
12Humphreys County15.464+5.58 pts
13Loudon County14.261+2.59 pts
14Williamson County14.159+1.21 pts
15Marion County13.772+0.36 pts
16Anderson County13.669+6.06 pts
17White County13.628+4.27 pts
18Tipton County13.586+1.02 pts
19Sevier County13.544+1.79 pts
20Dyer County13.429+0.14 pts
21Jefferson County13.403+2.05 pts
22Morgan County13.324-1.42 pts
23Union County13.266-2.62 pts
24Chester County13.234+3.1 pts
25Henry County13.041+0.52 pts
26Blount County13.013+2.79 pts
27Pickett County12.801-4.99 pts
28Hamblen County12.531+0.69 pts
29Roane County12.488+3 pts
30Henderson County12.392-0.53 pts
31Scott County12.289-11.25 pts
32Lincoln County12.176+4.26 pts
33Weakley County11.925-0.38 pts
34Cheatham County11.912-1.2 pts
35Benton County11.746+1 pts
36Lawrence County11.738+3.48 pts
37Trousdale County11.728-3.79 pts
38Madison County11.724+2.46 pts
39Campbell County11.592-1.72 pts
40Hardeman County11.492+3.17 pts
41Putnam County11.389+2.85 pts
42Fayette County11.316+2.43 pts
43Rhea County11.315+1.61 pts
44Washington County11.083-2.57 pts
45Haywood County10.88-20.32 pts
46Davidson County10.867-0.09 pts
47Shelby County10.685-0.62 pts
48Claiborne County10.665-1.51 pts
49Maury County10.605-2.57 pts
50Sullivan County10.596-0.42 pts
51McNairy County10.579-0.18 pts
52Rutherford County10.432-3.1 pts
53Sequatchie County10.424-3.2 pts
54Knox County10.395-2.97 pts
55Carroll County10.349+2.61 pts
56Macon County10.226-1.75 pts
57Lake County10.164-0.69 pts
58Decatur County10.109-0.98 pts
59Jackson County10.096-16.79 pts
60Cannon County10.055+0.59 pts
61Montgomery County9.96-2.5 pts
62Warren County9.954+1.07 pts
63Grundy County9.686-3.71 pts
64Bedford County9.68+1.85 pts
65Bradley County9.558-1.26 pts
66Dickson County9.412-1.07 pts
67Monroe County9.382+2.02 pts
68Cocke County9.309-0.15 pts
69Hamilton County9.142-0.65 pts
70Cumberland County9.022-1.62 pts
71Wilson County8.987-4.43 pts
72Sumner County8.984-2.51 pts
73Hardin County8.94-0.33 pts
74Wayne County8.894-8.1 pts
75Robertson County8.818-0.6 pts
76Marshall County8.639-6.67 pts
77Hawkins County8.541-0.29 pts
78Carter County8.418-2.26 pts
79Greene County8.369-2.35 pts
80McMinn County8.297-4.21 pts
81Johnson County8.259+2.33 pts
82Giles County7.832-0.4 pts
83Clay County7.819-0.76 pts
84Lewis County7.761-9.9 pts
85DeKalb County7.394-3.41 pts
86Grainger County7.268-3.13 pts
87Smith County7.195-1.49 pts
88Coffee County7.139-6.59 pts
89Fentress County6.611-3.09 pts
90Crockett County6.532-3.59 pts
91Franklin County6.365-3.74 pts
92Unicoi County6.287-2.95 pts
93Overton County5.984-12.39 pts
94Perry County5.403-12.14 pts
95Moore County4.249-9.53 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs lost at closing and shrinking 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 added elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is job_creation_rate minus this rate. Not a layoff rate: it counts positions lost at establishments, not people who lost a job. 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 destruction 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 destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Tennessee by job destruction rate, 2012) [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 destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Tennessee by job destruction rate, 2012. 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-destruction-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2012. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Tennessee by job destruction rate, 2012. 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-destruction-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2012.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Tennessee by job destruction rate, 2012 [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-destruction-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2012 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2012,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Tennessee by job destruction rate, 2012}},
  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-destruction-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2012. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction 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 destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Tennessee by job destruction rate, 2012
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-destruction-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2012
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2012.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction 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 destruction rate?

Van Buren County, with 22.759% in 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job destruction rate?

Moore County, with 4.249% in 2012.

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

Job destruction rate: other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings