Data / Rankings / Nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation / US states

US states by nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation

California had the highest nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation of 51 states in 2014, at 205,389. North Dakota had the lowest, at 2,274. The median was 15,269 and the figure for the United States was 1.31 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest205,389California
Lowest2,274North Dakota
Median15,26951 states
United States1,311,429History

Map of states, 2014

Alabama: 11,623 countAlaska: 3,355 countArizona: 22,893 countArkansas: 6,602 countCalifornia: 205,389 countColorado: 27,767 countConnecticut: 16,270 countDelaware: 3,397 countDistrict of Columbia: 4,636 countFlorida: 82,200 countGeorgia: 38,954 countHawaii: 6,378 countIdaho: 5,468 countIllinois: 49,077 countIndiana: 19,183 countIowa: 9,438 countKansas: 9,481 countKentucky: 12,366 countLouisiana: 15,248 countMaine: 6,830 countMaryland: 27,281 countMassachusetts: 34,865 countMichigan: 33,857 countMinnesota: 28,149 countMississippi: 6,324 countMissouri: 19,948 countMontana: 5,075 countNebraska: 6,200 countNevada: 15,860 countNew Hampshire: 6,133 countNew Jersey: 35,894 countNew Mexico: 8,715 countNew York: 130,170 countNorth Carolina: 36,065 countNorth Dakota: 2,274 countOhio: 38,601 countOklahoma: 10,894 countOregon: 20,060 countPennsylvania: 45,181 countRhode Island: 4,745 countSouth Carolina: 15,269 countSouth Dakota: 3,379 countTennessee: 29,815 countTexas: 87,439 countUtah: 11,548 countVermont: 4,357 countVirginia: 31,269 countWashington: 28,659 countWest Virginia: 4,212 countWisconsin: 19,990 countWyoming: 2,646 count
  • Under 5,000
  • 5,000 to 8,000
  • 8,000 to 15K
  • 15K to 27K
  • 27K to 36K
  • 36K and over
count, 2014. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2014

California: 205,389 countCalifornia205,389New York: 130,170 countNew York130,170Texas: 87,439 countTexas87,439Florida: 82,200 countFlorida82,200Illinois: 49,077 countIllinois49,077Pennsylvania: 45,181 countPennsylvania45,181Georgia: 38,954 countGeorgia38,954Ohio: 38,601 countOhio38,601North Carolina: 36,065 countNorth Carolina36,065New Jersey: 35,894 countNew Jersey35,894Massachusetts: 34,865 countMassachusetts34,865Michigan: 33,857 countMichigan33,857Virginia: 31,269 countVirginia31,269Tennessee: 29,815 countTennessee29,815Washington: 28,659 countWashington28,659Minnesota: 28,149 countMinnesota28,149Colorado: 27,767 countColorado27,767Maryland: 27,281 countMaryland27,281Arizona: 22,893 countArizona22,893Oregon: 20,060 countOregon20,060Wisconsin: 19,990 countWisconsin19,990Missouri: 19,948 countMissouri19,948Indiana: 19,183 countIndiana19,183Connecticut: 16,270 countConnecticut16,270Nevada: 15,860 countNevada15,860South Carolina: 15,269 countSouth Carolina15,269Louisiana: 15,248 countLouisiana15,248Kentucky: 12,366 countKentucky12,366Alabama: 11,623 countAlabama11,623Utah: 11,548 countUtah11,548Oklahoma: 10,894 countOklahoma10,894Kansas: 9,481 countKansas9,481Iowa: 9,438 countIowa9,438New Mexico: 8,715 countNew Mexico8,715Maine: 6,830 countMaine6,830Arkansas: 6,602 countArkansas6,602Hawaii: 6,378 countHawaii6,378Mississippi: 6,324 countMississippi6,324Nebraska: 6,200 countNebraska6,200New Hampshire: 6,133 countNew Hampshire6,133Idaho: 5,468 countIdaho5,468Montana: 5,075 countMontana5,075Rhode Island: 4,745 countRhode Island4,745District of Columbia: 4,636 countDistrict of Columbia4,636Vermont: 4,357 countVermont4,357West Virginia: 4,212 countWest Virginia4,212Delaware: 3,397 countDelaware3,397South Dakota: 3,379 countSouth Dakota3,379Alaska: 3,355 countAlaska3,355Wyoming: 2,646 countWyoming2,646North Dakota: 2,274 countNorth Dakota2,274California: 205,389 countCalifornia205,389New York: 130,170 countNew York130,170Texas: 87,439 countTexas87,439Florida: 82,200 countFlorida82,200Illinois: 49,077 countIllinois49,077Pennsylvania: 45,181 countPennsylvania45,181Georgia: 38,954 countGeorgia38,954Ohio: 38,601 countOhio38,601North Carolina: 36,065 countNorth Carolina36,065New Jersey: 35,894 countNew Jersey35,894Massachusetts: 34,865 countMassachusetts34,865Michigan: 33,857 countMichigan33,857Virginia: 31,269 countVirginia31,269Tennessee: 29,815 countTennessee29,815Washington: 28,659 countWashington28,659Minnesota: 28,149 countMinnesota28,149Colorado: 27,767 countColorado27,767Maryland: 27,281 countMaryland27,281Arizona: 22,893 countArizona22,893Oregon: 20,060 countOregon20,060Wisconsin: 19,990 countWisconsin19,990Missouri: 19,948 countMissouri19,948Indiana: 19,183 countIndiana19,183Connecticut: 16,270 countConnecticut16,270Nevada: 15,860 countNevada15,860South Carolina: 15,269 countSouth Carolina15,269Louisiana: 15,248 countLouisiana15,248Kentucky: 12,366 countKentucky12,366Alabama: 11,623 countAlabama11,623Utah: 11,548 countUtah11,548Oklahoma: 10,894 countOklahoma10,894Kansas: 9,481 countKansas9,481Iowa: 9,438 countIowa9,438New Mexico: 8,715 countNew Mexico8,715Maine: 6,830 countMaine6,830Arkansas: 6,602 countArkansas6,602Hawaii: 6,378 countHawaii6,378Mississippi: 6,324 countMississippi6,324Nebraska: 6,200 countNebraska6,200New Hampshire: 6,133 countNew Hampshire6,133Idaho: 5,468 countIdaho5,468Montana: 5,075 countMontana5,075Rhode Island: 4,745 countRhode Island4,745District of Columbia: 4,636 countDistrict of Columbia4,636Vermont: 4,357 countVermont4,357West Virginia: 4,212 countWest Virginia4,212Delaware: 3,397 countDelaware3,397South Dakota: 3,379 countSouth Dakota3,379Alaska: 3,355 countAlaska3,355Wyoming: 2,646 countWyoming2,646North Dakota: 2,274 countNorth Dakota2,274
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2014
count		Change on 2013
1California205,389+5.3%
2New York130,170+4.1%
3Texas87,439+4.4%
4Florida82,200+4.8%
5Illinois49,077+2.8%
6Pennsylvania45,181+5%
7Georgia38,954+5.4%
8Ohio38,601+3.5%
9North Carolina36,065+4.5%
10New Jersey35,894+4.4%
11Massachusetts34,865+3.8%
12Michigan33,857+2%
13Virginia31,269+3.4%
14Tennessee29,815+6.5%
15Washington28,659+5.7%
16Minnesota28,149+2.3%
17Colorado27,767+6.7%
18Maryland27,281+3.7%
19Arizona22,893+4.4%
20Oregon20,060+7%
21Wisconsin19,990+1.8%
22Missouri19,948+2.2%
23Indiana19,183+1.9%
24Connecticut16,270+3%
25Nevada15,860+5.4%
26South Carolina15,269+5.2%
27Louisiana15,248+4.6%
28Kentucky12,366+3%
29Alabama11,623+3.3%
30Utah11,548+5.6%
31Oklahoma10,894+5.3%
32Kansas9,481+4.5%
33Iowa9,438+3.3%
34New Mexico8,715+4.8%
35Maine6,830+3.3%
36Arkansas6,602+4.7%
37Hawaii6,378+4.8%
38Mississippi6,324+5.8%
39Nebraska6,200+2.4%
40New Hampshire6,133+2.3%
41Idaho5,468+4.7%
42Montana5,075+5.1%
43Rhode Island4,745+3.3%
44District of Columbia4,636+4.7%
45Vermont4,357+3.4%
46West Virginia4,212+2.6%
47Delaware3,397+5.3%
48South Dakota3,379+3.3%
49Alaska3,355+5.7%
50Wyoming2,646+3.8%
51North Dakota2,274+4%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of businesses without paid employees in arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), from the U.S. Census Bureau Nonemployer Statistics.

Nonemployer Statistics: businesses with no paid employees that are subject to federal income tax, mostly the self-employed, counted from tax records, with receipts above small minimum amounts. Census says some years are not comparable with earlier ones, and they are marked as series breaks: 2018 in every sector (businesses were reclassified from their descriptions, which moved many out of other services), 2022 in every sector (new receipts cutoffs) and 2017 in utilities (the same reclassification). Most nonemployers are sole proprietors whose business may be a side activity. 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. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2014/historical-datasets/. 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. (2017). Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation, 2014) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2014/historical-datasets/

MLA 9

Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation, 2014. U.S. Census Bureau, 6 June 2017, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2014/historical-datasets/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-arts-entertainment/us-states?period=2014. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2017. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation, 2014. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2014/historical-datasets/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-arts-entertainment/us-states?period=2014.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2017) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation, 2014 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2014/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-arts-entertainment/us-states?period=2014 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_nonemployer_2014,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation, 2014}},
  year = {2017},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2014/historical-datasets/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-arts-entertainment/us-states?period=2014. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2014/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation, 2014
PY  - 2017
DA  - 2017/06/06
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2014/historical-datasets/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-arts-entertainment/us-states?period=2014
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-arts-entertainment/us-states?period=2014.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2014/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation?

California, with 205,389 in 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: arts, entertainment and recreation?

North Dakota, with 2,274 in 2014.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), arts, entertainment, and recreation (NAICS 71), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings