Special Report
The County With the Most Business Applications in Every State
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Businesses come and go, and fortunately there are always entrepreneurs willing to start up a business — some more successfully than others. (These are large cities where starting a business is worth the risk.)
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 49% of U.S. small businesses do not survive into their sixth year, and the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that only 12% of new businesses last beyond 25 years. But the Small Business Administration estimates the share of businesses that open in any given year is slightly higher than the ones that close, at 8.1% compared to 7.7%.
That amounts to significant churn in the U.S. small-business sector, which is responsible for 66% of new jobs created at any given time and 44% of U.S. gross domestic product, according to the SBA. Small businesses include operations like boutique hotels, family-owned restaurants, trucking firms, real estate agencies, and manufacturers with a small number of employees.
The number and density of small businesses is an indication of an area’s overall economic activity. One city or county can have fewer businesses (and therefore fewer jobs and less commercial activity) than another.
The number of applications for new business can be another indication of an area’s economic conditions, though it’s important to remember that not all applications become new businesses. Each state has a county that leads in the number of new business applications per capita.
To identify the county with the most business applications in each state in 2020, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Business Formation Statistics from the U.S Census Bureau. All county and county equivalents in the 50 states were considered, including independent cities. Counties and county equivalents were ranked on new business applications submitted in 2020 per 1,000 people. All other data came from the Census’ 2019 American Community Survey.
Some of the U.S. counties with the highest number of new-business applications in their state are not among the most urban. Among the counties with the most new-business applications per 1,000 residents are Kent, Delaware; Noxubee, Mississippi; and San Juan County, Colorado.
Out of the top 50 business-creating counties in their state, the median number of new-business applications is 20.3 per 1,000 residents. (This is the best small city to start a business in every state.)
Click here to see the county with the most business applications in every state
Alabama: Perry County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 26.0 per 1,000 people (242 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 11.9 per 1,000 people (58,268 total)
> County population: 9,293
> Largest place in county: Marion
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Alaska: Fairbanks North Star Borough
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 21.4 per 1,000 people (2,120 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 10.9 per 1,000 people (8,007 total)
> Borough population: 99,072
> Largest place in borough: Fairbanks
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Arizona: Maricopa County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 15.4 per 1,000 people (66,607 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 12.7 per 1,000 people (89,455 total)
> County population: 4,328,810
> Largest place in county: Phoenix
Arkansas: Pulaski County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 19.5 per 1,000 people (7,647 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 10.7 per 1,000 people (32,072 total)
> County population: 392,967
> Largest place in county: Little Rock
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California: Alpine County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 17.3 per 1,000 people (18 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 11.1 per 1,000 people (436,730 total)
> County population: 1,039
> Largest place in county: Mesa Vista
Colorado: San Juan County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 39.0 per 1,000 people (23 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 16.6 per 1,000 people (92,874 total)
> County population: 589
> Largest place in county: Silverton
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Connecticut: Fairfield County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 14.7 per 1,000 people (13,873 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 10.4 per 1,000 people (37,123 total)
> County population: 943,926
> Largest place in county: Bridgeport
Delaware: Kent County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 46.9 per 1,000 people (8,285 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 32.2 per 1,000 people (30,795 total)
> County population: 176,699
> Largest place in county: Dover
Florida: Miami-Dade County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 39.6 per 1,000 people (106,810 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 23.7 per 1,000 people (495,251 total)
> County population: 2,699,428
> Largest place in county: Miami
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Georgia: Clayton County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 52.0 per 1,000 people (14,733 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 25.8 per 1,000 people (268,829 total)
> County population: 283,538
> Largest place in county: Forest Park
Hawaii: Maui County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 14.1 per 1,000 people (2,348 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 11.0 per 1,000 people (15,637 total)
> County population: 165,979
> Largest place in county: Kahului
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Idaho: Valley County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 20.8 per 1,000 people (223 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 12.8 per 1,000 people (22,005 total)
> County population: 10,709
> Largest place in county: McCall
Illinois: Cook County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 20.4 per 1,000 people (106,283 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 13.3 per 1,000 people (169,864 total)
> County population: 5,198,275
> Largest place in county: Chicago
Indiana: Marion County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 20.3 per 1,000 people (19,294 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 10.3 per 1,000 people (68,688 total)
> County population: 951,869
> Largest place in county: Indianapolis
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Iowa: Ringgold County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 12.9 per 1,000 people (64 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 7.6 per 1,000 people (23,737 total)
> County population: 4,964
> Largest place in county: Mount Ayr
Kansas: Stanton County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 16.6 per 1,000 people (34 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 8.4 per 1,000 people (24,354 total)
> County population: 2,052
> Largest place in county: Johnson City
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Kentucky: Jefferson County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 13.8 per 1,000 people (10,573 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 8.4 per 1,000 people (37,171 total)
> County population: 767,419
> Largest place in county: Louisville
Louisiana: Orleans Parish
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 31.7 per 1,000 people (12,393 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 17.9 per 1,000 people (83,608 total)
> Parish population: 390,845
> Largest place in parish: New Orleans
Maine: Cumberland County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 11.2 per 1,000 people (3,264 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 7.9 per 1,000 people (10,485 total)
> County population: 292,307
> Largest place in county: Portland
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Maryland: Prince George’s County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 27.1 per 1,000 people (24,623 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 16.1 per 1,000 people (97,016 total)
> County population: 908,670
> Largest place in county: Bowie
Massachusetts: Nantucket County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 29.3 per 1,000 people (327 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 9.0 per 1,000 people (61,507 total)
> County population: 11,168
> Largest place in county: Nantucket
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Michigan: Wayne County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 24.6 per 1,000 people (43,159 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 13.0 per 1,000 people (129,612 total)
> County population: 1,757,299
> Largest place in county: Detroit
Minnesota: Hennepin County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 14.8 per 1,000 people (18,479 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 9.5 per 1,000 people (52,919 total)
> County population: 1,245,837
> Largest place in county: Minneapolis
Mississippi: Noxubee County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 30.1 per 1,000 people (322 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 16.9 per 1,000 people (50,431 total)
> County population: 10,700
> Largest place in county: Macon
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Missouri: St. Louis
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 23.1 per 1,000 people (7,128 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 11.4 per 1,000 people (69,669 total)
> Population: 308,174
> Largest place in area: St. Louis
Montana: Flathead County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 24.3 per 1,000 people (2,426 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 14.1 per 1,000 people (14,762 total)
> County population: 99,899
> Largest place in county: Kalispell
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Nebraska: Wheeler County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 20.4 per 1,000 people (16 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 8.3 per 1,000 people (15,862 total)
> County population: 783
> Largest place in county: Ericson
Nevada: Clark County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 19.5 per 1,000 people (42,474 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 17.3 per 1,000 people (51,426 total)
> County population: 2,182,004
> Largest place in county: Las Vegas
New Hampshire: Carroll County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 10.1 per 1,000 people (487 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 8.4 per 1,000 people (11,329 total)
> County population: 48,138
> Largest place in county: Wolfeboro
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New Jersey: Essex County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 23.6 per 1,000 people (18,775 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 15.1 per 1,000 people (133,872 total)
> County population: 795,404
> Largest place in county: Newark
New Mexico: Santa Fe County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 17.7 per 1,000 people (2,645 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 8.6 per 1,000 people (18,081 total)
> County population: 149,293
> Largest place in county: Santa Fe
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New York: New York County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 28.1 per 1,000 people (45,783 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 12.9 per 1,000 people (253,302 total)
> County population: 1,631,993
> Largest place in county: Borough of Manhattan, New York City
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North Carolina: Mecklenburg County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 25.2 per 1,000 people (27,064 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 13.0 per 1,000 people (133,158 total)
> County population: 1,074,475
> Largest place in county: Charlotte
North Dakota: Slope County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 32.3 per 1,000 people (24 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 8.6 per 1,000 people (6,512 total)
> County population: 742
> Largest place in county: Marmarth
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Ohio: Cuyahoga County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 20.3 per 1,000 people (25,327 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 10.9 per 1,000 people (126,486 total)
> County population: 1,247,451
> Largest place in county: Cleveland
Oklahoma: Oklahoma County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 16.2 per 1,000 people (12,724 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 11.5 per 1,000 people (45,265 total)
> County population: 787,216
> Largest place in county: Oklahoma City
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Oregon: Deschutes County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 14.8 per 1,000 people (2,758 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 9.7 per 1,000 people (40,134 total)
> County population: 186,251
> Largest place in county: Bend
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Pennsylvania: Philadelphia County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 22.0 per 1,000 people (34,779 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 9.9 per 1,000 people (126,628 total)
> County population: 1,579,075
> Largest place in county: Philadelphia
Rhode Island: Newport County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 9.1 per 1,000 people (750 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 8.4 per 1,000 people (8,907 total)
> County population: 82,801
> Largest place in county: Newport
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South Carolina: Richland County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 20.1 per 1,000 people (8,285 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 14.1 per 1,000 people (70,671 total)
> County population: 411,357
> Largest place in county: Columbia
South Dakota: Mellette County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 18.5 per 1,000 people (38 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 8.8 per 1,000 people (7,644 total)
> County population: 2,052
> Largest place in county: White River
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Tennessee: Shelby County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 21.2 per 1,000 people (19,881 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 11.2 per 1,000 people (74,890 total)
> County population: 936,374
> Largest place in county: Memphis
Texas: Fort Bend County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 21.5 per 1,000 people (16,478 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 13.6 per 1,000 people (384,118 total)
> County population: 765,394
> Largest place in county: Sugar Land
Utah: Summit County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 29.4 per 1,000 people (1,209 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 16.4 per 1,000 people (50,845 total)
> County population: 41,103
> Largest place in county: Park City
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Vermont: Lamoille County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 12.9 per 1,000 people (326 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 9.0 per 1,000 people (5,649 total)
> County population: 25,318
> Largest place in county: Morrisville
Virginia: Petersburg
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 24.3 per 1,000 people (761 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 12.6 per 1,000 people (106,536 total)
> Population: 31,362
> Largest place in county: Petersburg
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Washington: San Juan County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 17.4 per 1,000 people (292 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 10.2 per 1,000 people (75,802 total)
> County population: 16,788
> Largest place in county: Friday Harbor
West Virginia: Jefferson County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 9.0 per 1,000 people (507 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 6.0 per 1,000 people (10,826 total)
> County population: 56,506
> Largest place in county: Corporation of Ranson
Wisconsin: Milwaukee County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 17.1 per 1,000 people (16,255 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 9.0 per 1,000 people (52,367 total)
> County population: 951,226
> Largest place in county: Milwaukee
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Wyoming: Sheridan County
> Applications for new businesses in 2020: 398.9 per 1,000 people (12,023 total)
> Statewide applications for new businesses in 2020: 41.9 per 1,000 people (24,331 total)
> County population: 30,140
> Largest place in county: Sheridan
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