Data / Rankings / Job destruction rate / Counties in Tennessee

Counties in Tennessee by job destruction rate

Fentress County had the highest job destruction rate of 95 counties in 2021, at 51.591%. Lewis County had the lowest, at 5.252%. The median was 11.786% and the figure for Tennessee was 14.313%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest51.591Fentress County
Lowest5.252Lewis County
Median11.78695 counties
Tennessee14.313History

Map of counties, 2021

Anderson County: 7.285 %Bedford County: 13.076 %Benton County: 11.251 %Bledsoe County: 13.492 %Blount County: 11.215 %Bradley County: 10.116 %Campbell County: 13.191 %Cannon County: 16.738 %Carroll County: 13.561 %Carter County: 11.774 %Cheatham County: 17.043 %Chester County: 20.057 %Claiborne County: 6.8 %Clay County: 8.28 %Cocke County: 9.315 %Coffee County: 10.041 %Crockett County: 8.641 %Cumberland County: 11.986 %Davidson County: 18.74 %Decatur County: 11.369 %DeKalb County: 23.243 %Dickson County: 13.775 %Dyer County: 10.941 %Fayette County: 10.282 %Fentress County: 51.591 %Franklin County: 12.509 %Gibson County: 14.266 %Giles County: 7.786 %Grainger County: 7.475 %Greene County: 8.506 %Grundy County: 15.767 %Hamblen County: 10.414 %Hamilton County: 13.02 %Hancock County: 9.964 %Hardeman County: 12.757 %Hardin County: 8.857 %Hawkins County: 8.511 %Haywood County: 10.461 %Henderson County: 9.092 %Henry County: 12.681 %Hickman County: 10.864 %Houston County: 11.448 %Humphreys County: 9.742 %Jackson County: 7.616 %Jefferson County: 8.986 %Johnson County: 9.466 %Knox County: 13.891 %Lake County: 21.108 %Lauderdale County: 13.055 %Lawrence County: 13.54 %Lewis County: 5.252 %Lincoln County: 11.374 %Loudon County: 12.18 %McMinn County: 9.281 %McNairy County: 20 %Macon County: 10.201 %Madison County: 11.786 %Marion County: 12.441 %Marshall County: 17.428 %Maury County: 13.89 %Meigs County: 5.637 %Monroe County: 8.887 %Montgomery County: 13.776 %Moore County: 8.082 %Morgan County: 15.445 %Obion County: 10.901 %Overton County: 17.678 %Perry County: 17.653 %Pickett County: 16.883 %Polk County: 18.279 %Putnam County: 10.657 %Rhea County: 11.825 %Roane County: 11.784 %Robertson County: 14.323 %Rutherford County: 13.596 %Scott County: 17.78 %Sequatchie County: 9.631 %Sevier County: 16.334 %Shelby County: 14.873 %Smith County: 7.431 %Stewart County: 11.236 %Sullivan County: 13.75 %Sumner County: 13.177 %Tipton County: 15.322 %Trousdale County: 7.105 %Unicoi County: 9.129 %Union County: 9.158 %Van Buren County: 21.081 %Warren County: 14.194 %Washington County: 11.526 %Wayne County: 8.112 %Weakley County: 17.132 %White County: 9.95 %Williamson County: 13.978 %Wilson County: 15.37 %
  • Under 8.9
  • 8.9 to 10
  • 10 to 12
  • 12 to 14
  • 14 to 16
  • 16 and over
%, 2021. 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, 2021

Fentress County: 51.591 %Fentress County51.591DeKalb County: 23.243 %DeKalb County23.243Lake County: 21.108 %Lake County21.108Van Buren County: 21.081 %Van Buren County21.081Chester County: 20.057 %Chester County20.057McNairy County: 20 %McNairy County20Davidson County: 18.74 %Davidson County18.74Polk County: 18.279 %Polk County18.279Scott County: 17.78 %Scott County17.78Overton County: 17.678 %Overton County17.678Perry County: 17.653 %Perry County17.653Marshall County: 17.428 %Marshall County17.428Weakley County: 17.132 %Weakley County17.132Cheatham County: 17.043 %Cheatham County17.043Pickett County: 16.883 %Pickett County16.883Cannon County: 16.738 %Cannon County16.738Sevier County: 16.334 %Sevier County16.334Grundy County: 15.767 %Grundy County15.767Morgan County: 15.445 %Morgan County15.445Wilson County: 15.37 %Wilson County15.37Tipton County: 15.322 %Tipton County15.322Shelby County: 14.873 %Shelby County14.873Robertson County: 14.323 %Robertson County14.323Gibson County: 14.266 %Gibson County14.266Warren County: 14.194 %Warren County14.194Williamson County: 13.978 %Williamson County13.978Knox County: 13.891 %Knox County13.891Maury County: 13.89 %Maury County13.89Montgomery County: 13.776 %Montgomery County13.776Dickson County: 13.775 %Dickson County13.775Sullivan County: 13.75 %Sullivan County13.75Rutherford County: 13.596 %Rutherford County13.596Carroll County: 13.561 %Carroll County13.561Lawrence County: 13.54 %Lawrence County13.54Bledsoe County: 13.492 %Bledsoe County13.492Campbell County: 13.191 %Campbell County13.191Sumner County: 13.177 %Sumner County13.177Bedford County: 13.076 %Bedford County13.076Lauderdale County: 13.055 %Lauderdale County13.055Hamilton County: 13.02 %Hamilton County13.02Fentress County: 51.591 %Fentress County51.591DeKalb County: 23.243 %DeKalb County23.243Lake County: 21.108 %Lake County21.108Van Buren County: 21.081 %Van Buren County21.081Chester County: 20.057 %Chester County20.057McNairy County: 20 %McNairy County20Davidson County: 18.74 %Davidson County18.74Polk County: 18.279 %Polk County18.279Scott County: 17.78 %Scott County17.78Overton County: 17.678 %Overton County17.678Perry County: 17.653 %Perry County17.653Marshall County: 17.428 %Marshall County17.428Weakley County: 17.132 %Weakley County17.132Cheatham County: 17.043 %Cheatham County17.043Pickett County: 16.883 %Pickett County16.883Cannon County: 16.738 %Cannon County16.738Sevier County: 16.334 %Sevier County16.334Grundy County: 15.767 %Grundy County15.767Morgan County: 15.445 %Morgan County15.445Wilson County: 15.37 %Wilson County15.37Tipton County: 15.322 %Tipton County15.322Shelby County: 14.873 %Shelby County14.873Robertson County: 14.323 %Robertson County14.323Gibson County: 14.266 %Gibson County14.266Warren County: 14.194 %Warren County14.194Williamson County: 13.978 %Williamson County13.978Knox County: 13.891 %Knox County13.891Maury County: 13.89 %Maury County13.89Montgomery County: 13.776 %Montgomery County13.776Dickson County: 13.775 %Dickson County13.775Sullivan County: 13.75 %Sullivan County13.75Rutherford County: 13.596 %Rutherford County13.596Carroll County: 13.561 %Carroll County13.561Lawrence County: 13.54 %Lawrence County13.54Bledsoe County: 13.492 %Bledsoe County13.492Campbell County: 13.191 %Campbell County13.191Sumner County: 13.177 %Sumner County13.177Bedford County: 13.076 %Bedford County13.076Lauderdale County: 13.055 %Lauderdale County13.055Hamilton County: 13.02 %Hamilton County13.02
%. 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

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Fentress County51.591+41.84 pts
2DeKalb County23.243+9.66 pts
3Lake County21.108+3.53 pts
4Van Buren County21.081-1.65 pts
5Chester County20.057+12.35 pts
6McNairy County20+4.02 pts
7Davidson County18.74+7.38 pts
8Polk County18.279+7.21 pts
9Scott County17.78+4.75 pts
10Overton County17.678+8.69 pts
11Perry County17.653+7.56 pts
12Marshall County17.428+7.02 pts
13Weakley County17.132+6.4 pts
14Cheatham County17.043+4.89 pts
15Pickett County16.883+0.88 pts
16Cannon County16.738+2.27 pts
17Sevier County16.334+5.62 pts
18Grundy County15.767+5.96 pts
19Morgan County15.445+5.1 pts
20Wilson County15.37+5.73 pts
21Tipton County15.322+3.55 pts
22Shelby County14.873+4.35 pts
23Robertson County14.323+4.58 pts
24Gibson County14.266+3.18 pts
25Warren County14.194+4.97 pts
26Williamson County13.978+0.55 pts
27Knox County13.891+4.39 pts
28Maury County13.89+3.89 pts
29Montgomery County13.776+1.91 pts
30Dickson County13.775+3.35 pts
31Sullivan County13.75+2.38 pts
32Rutherford County13.596+3.31 pts
33Carroll County13.561+3.35 pts
34Lawrence County13.54+0.69 pts
35Bledsoe County13.492+8.3 pts
36Campbell County13.191+1.43 pts
37Sumner County13.177+2.51 pts
38Bedford County13.076+3.1 pts
39Lauderdale County13.055+4.48 pts
40Hamilton County13.02+2.54 pts
41Hardeman County12.757+2.37 pts
42Henry County12.681+2.45 pts
43Franklin County12.509+3.83 pts
44Marion County12.441-8.44 pts
45Loudon County12.18+2.06 pts
46Cumberland County11.986-2.52 pts
47Rhea County11.825+2.18 pts
48Madison County11.786+4.24 pts
49Roane County11.784-4.12 pts
50Carter County11.774+2.03 pts
51Washington County11.526+1.05 pts
52Houston County11.448-0.36 pts
53Lincoln County11.374-29.94 pts
54Decatur County11.369+2.63 pts
55Benton County11.251-0.04 pts
56Stewart County11.236-4.03 pts
57Blount County11.215+1.46 pts
58Dyer County10.941-3.72 pts
59Obion County10.901+1.28 pts
60Hickman County10.864+0.53 pts
61Putnam County10.657+2.31 pts
62Haywood County10.461+1.54 pts
63Hamblen County10.414+0.77 pts
64Fayette County10.282+1.46 pts
65Macon County10.201-0.04 pts
66Bradley County10.116-0.25 pts
67Coffee County10.041+0.7 pts
68Hancock County9.964+3.18 pts
69White County9.95-0.26 pts
70Humphreys County9.742-3.05 pts
71Sequatchie County9.631+3.2 pts
72Johnson County9.466+4.39 pts
73Cocke County9.315-5.78 pts
74McMinn County9.281+2.08 pts
75Union County9.158+0.2 pts
76Unicoi County9.129+3.26 pts
77Henderson County9.092-0.18 pts
78Jefferson County8.986-2.45 pts
79Monroe County8.887-0.26 pts
80Hardin County8.857+1.31 pts
81Crockett County8.641+3.31 pts
82Hawkins County8.511-6.71 pts
83Greene County8.506-3.32 pts
84Clay County8.28-4.43 pts
85Wayne County8.112-1.59 pts
86Moore County8.082-11.11 pts
87Giles County7.786-17.51 pts
88Jackson County7.616-2.35 pts
89Grainger County7.475+2.16 pts
90Smith County7.431-0.45 pts
91Anderson County7.285+1.16 pts
92Trousdale County7.105-2.92 pts
93Claiborne County6.8+0.11 pts
94Meigs County5.637-12.75 pts
95Lewis County5.252-1.23 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, 2021) [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, 2021. 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=2021. 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, 2021. 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=2021.

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, 2021 [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=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  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=2021. 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, 2021
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=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/tennessee-counties?period=2021.
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?

Fentress County, with 51.591% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job destruction rate?

Lewis County, with 5.252% in 2021.

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