Data / Rankings / Employer establishments: retail trade / US states

US states by employer establishments: retail trade

California had the highest employer establishments: retail trade of 51 states in 2018, at 106,420. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 1,699. The median was 14,870 and the figure for the United States was 1.05 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest106,420California
Lowest1,699District of Columbia
Median14,87051 states
United States1,050,175History

Map of states, 2018

Alabama: 17,787 countAlaska: 2,465 countArizona: 17,564 countArkansas: 10,781 countCalifornia: 106,420 countColorado: 18,687 countConnecticut: 12,145 countDelaware: 3,636 countDistrict of Columbia: 1,699 countFlorida: 73,672 countGeorgia: 34,071 countHawaii: 4,641 countIdaho: 6,127 countIllinois: 37,533 countIndiana: 20,944 countIowa: 11,444 countKansas: 9,866 countKentucky: 14,870 countLouisiana: 16,255 countMaine: 6,130 countMaryland: 17,541 countMassachusetts: 23,486 countMichigan: 33,785 countMinnesota: 18,524 countMississippi: 11,425 countMissouri: 20,416 countMontana: 4,648 countNebraska: 7,034 countNevada: 8,620 countNew Hampshire: 5,919 countNew Jersey: 30,809 countNew Mexico: 6,261 countNew York: 77,043 countNorth Carolina: 34,506 countNorth Dakota: 3,163 countOhio: 34,906 countOklahoma: 12,881 countOregon: 14,171 countPennsylvania: 42,001 countRhode Island: 3,675 countSouth Carolina: 17,612 countSouth Dakota: 3,830 countTennessee: 22,567 countTexas: 80,437 countUtah: 10,050 countVermont: 3,142 countVirginia: 26,524 countWashington: 21,538 countWest Virginia: 5,852 countWisconsin: 18,533 countWyoming: 2,539 count
  • Under 5,000
  • 5,000 to 9,000
  • 9,000 to 15K
  • 15K to 19K
  • 19K to 34K
  • 34K and over
count, 2018. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2018

California: 106,420 countCalifornia106,420Texas: 80,437 countTexas80,437New York: 77,043 countNew York77,043Florida: 73,672 countFlorida73,672Pennsylvania: 42,001 countPennsylvania42,001Illinois: 37,533 countIllinois37,533Ohio: 34,906 countOhio34,906North Carolina: 34,506 countNorth Carolina34,506Georgia: 34,071 countGeorgia34,071Michigan: 33,785 countMichigan33,785New Jersey: 30,809 countNew Jersey30,809Virginia: 26,524 countVirginia26,524Massachusetts: 23,486 countMassachusetts23,486Tennessee: 22,567 countTennessee22,567Washington: 21,538 countWashington21,538Indiana: 20,944 countIndiana20,944Missouri: 20,416 countMissouri20,416Colorado: 18,687 countColorado18,687Wisconsin: 18,533 countWisconsin18,533Minnesota: 18,524 countMinnesota18,524Alabama: 17,787 countAlabama17,787South Carolina: 17,612 countSouth Carolina17,612Arizona: 17,564 countArizona17,564Maryland: 17,541 countMaryland17,541Louisiana: 16,255 countLouisiana16,255Kentucky: 14,870 countKentucky14,870Oregon: 14,171 countOregon14,171Oklahoma: 12,881 countOklahoma12,881Connecticut: 12,145 countConnecticut12,145Iowa: 11,444 countIowa11,444Mississippi: 11,425 countMississippi11,425Arkansas: 10,781 countArkansas10,781Utah: 10,050 countUtah10,050Kansas: 9,866 countKansas9,866Nevada: 8,620 countNevada8,620Nebraska: 7,034 countNebraska7,034New Mexico: 6,261 countNew Mexico6,261Maine: 6,130 countMaine6,130Idaho: 6,127 countIdaho6,127New Hampshire: 5,919 countNew Hampshire5,919West Virginia: 5,852 countWest Virginia5,852Montana: 4,648 countMontana4,648Hawaii: 4,641 countHawaii4,641South Dakota: 3,830 countSouth Dakota3,830Rhode Island: 3,675 countRhode Island3,675Delaware: 3,636 countDelaware3,636North Dakota: 3,163 countNorth Dakota3,163Vermont: 3,142 countVermont3,142Wyoming: 2,539 countWyoming2,539Alaska: 2,465 countAlaska2,465District of Columbia: 1,699 countDistrict of Columbia1,699California: 106,420 countCalifornia106,420Texas: 80,437 countTexas80,437New York: 77,043 countNew York77,043Florida: 73,672 countFlorida73,672Pennsylvania: 42,001 countPennsylvania42,001Illinois: 37,533 countIllinois37,533Ohio: 34,906 countOhio34,906North Carolina: 34,506 countNorth Carolina34,506Georgia: 34,071 countGeorgia34,071Michigan: 33,785 countMichigan33,785New Jersey: 30,809 countNew Jersey30,809Virginia: 26,524 countVirginia26,524Massachusetts: 23,486 countMassachusetts23,486Tennessee: 22,567 countTennessee22,567Washington: 21,538 countWashington21,538Indiana: 20,944 countIndiana20,944Missouri: 20,416 countMissouri20,416Colorado: 18,687 countColorado18,687Wisconsin: 18,533 countWisconsin18,533Minnesota: 18,524 countMinnesota18,524Alabama: 17,787 countAlabama17,787South Carolina: 17,612 countSouth Carolina17,612Arizona: 17,564 countArizona17,564Maryland: 17,541 countMaryland17,541Louisiana: 16,255 countLouisiana16,255Kentucky: 14,870 countKentucky14,870Oregon: 14,171 countOregon14,171Oklahoma: 12,881 countOklahoma12,881Connecticut: 12,145 countConnecticut12,145Iowa: 11,444 countIowa11,444Mississippi: 11,425 countMississippi11,425Arkansas: 10,781 countArkansas10,781Utah: 10,050 countUtah10,050Kansas: 9,866 countKansas9,866Nevada: 8,620 countNevada8,620Nebraska: 7,034 countNebraska7,034New Mexico: 6,261 countNew Mexico6,261Maine: 6,130 countMaine6,130Idaho: 6,127 countIdaho6,127New Hampshire: 5,919 countNew Hampshire5,919West Virginia: 5,852 countWest Virginia5,852Montana: 4,648 countMontana4,648Hawaii: 4,641 countHawaii4,641South Dakota: 3,830 countSouth Dakota3,830Rhode Island: 3,675 countRhode Island3,675Delaware: 3,636 countDelaware3,636North Dakota: 3,163 countNorth Dakota3,163Vermont: 3,142 countVermont3,142Wyoming: 2,539 countWyoming2,539Alaska: 2,465 countAlaska2,465District of Columbia: 1,699 countDistrict of Columbia1,699
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2018
count		Change on 2017
1California106,420-1.7%
2Texas80,437-0.2%
3New York77,043-1.9%
4Florida73,672-1.2%
5Pennsylvania42,001-1.4%
6Illinois37,533-1.6%
7Ohio34,906-1.8%
8North Carolina34,506-1.3%
9Georgia34,071-0.3%
10Michigan33,785-1.3%
11New Jersey30,809-1.7%
12Virginia26,524-1%
13Massachusetts23,486-2.7%
14Tennessee22,567-0.3%
15Washington21,538-0.8%
16Indiana20,944-1.9%
17Missouri20,416-1.5%
18Colorado18,687-1.1%
19Wisconsin18,533-1.8%
20Minnesota18,524-1.6%
21Alabama17,787-1.1%
22South Carolina17,612-0.8%
23Arizona17,564-2%
24Maryland17,541-2.1%
25Louisiana16,255-2.2%
26Kentucky14,870-1.1%
27Oregon14,171-1.2%
28Oklahoma12,881-0.8%
29Connecticut12,145-2.5%
30Iowa11,444-0.1%
31Mississippi11,425-1.1%
32Arkansas10,781-1.3%
33Utah10,050+1.1%
34Kansas9,866-2.1%
35Nevada8,620-0.8%
36Nebraska7,034-1.4%
37New Mexico6,261-1.1%
38Maine6,130-1.7%
39Idaho6,127-0.1%
40New Hampshire5,919-1.7%
41West Virginia5,852-1.9%
42Montana4,648-2%
43Hawaii4,641-0.9%
44South Dakota3,830-1.2%
45Rhode Island3,675-3.2%
46Delaware3,636-1.1%
47North Dakota3,163-2.9%
48Vermont3,142-2.8%
49Wyoming2,539-1.2%
50Alaska2,465-1%
51District of Columbia1,699-4.7%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of establishments with paid employees in retail trade (NAICS 44-45), from the U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns.

County Business Patterns: establishments (single physical locations, not firms) with paid employees during the pay period including 12 March. Excludes the self-employed and businesses without employees (nonemployer_establishments_*), government employers, crop and animal production, rail transportation, the Postal Service and private households. Establishment counts are not perturbed; the noise Census adds since 2017 applies to employment and payroll, which are not served here. Published about 18 months after the reference year.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2018/. 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. (2020). County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms (US states by employer establishments: retail trade, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2018/

MLA 9

County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms, US states by employer establishments: retail trade, 2018. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 June 2020, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2018/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-establishments-retail-trade/us-states?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2020. County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. US states by employer establishments: retail trade, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2018/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-establishments-retail-trade/us-states?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2020) County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms, US states by employer establishments: retail trade, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2018/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-establishments-retail-trade/us-states?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_employer_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms: US states by employer establishments: retail trade, 2018}},
  year = {2020},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2018/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-establishments-retail-trade/us-states?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2018/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms: US states by employer establishments: retail trade, 2018
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/06/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2018/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-establishments-retail-trade/us-states?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-establishments-retail-trade/us-states?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cbp/datasets/2018/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank US states by employer establishments: retail trade using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"cbp_establishments_retail_trade","level":"region","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=cbp_establishments_retail_trade&level=region&within=United%20States&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which state has the highest employer establishments: retail trade?

California, with 106,420 in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest employer establishments: retail trade?

District of Columbia, with 1,699 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, County Business Patterns, state and US files: establishments (EST), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings