Data / Rankings / Nonemployer businesses: manufacturing / US states

US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing

California had the highest nonemployer businesses: manufacturing of 51 states in 2020, at 44,360. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 273. The median was 4,752 and the figure for the United States was 356,971. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest44,360California
Lowest273District of Columbia
Median4,75251 states
United States356,971History

Map of states, 2020

Alabama: 4,921 countAlaska: 1,086 countArizona: 7,392 countArkansas: 2,837 countCalifornia: 44,360 countColorado: 7,439 countConnecticut: 3,212 countDelaware: 830 countDistrict of Columbia: 273 countFlorida: 28,492 countGeorgia: 12,376 countHawaii: 1,821 countIdaho: 3,042 countIllinois: 10,349 countIndiana: 6,941 countIowa: 2,943 countKansas: 2,885 countKentucky: 3,993 countLouisiana: 4,903 countMaine: 2,254 countMaryland: 4,533 countMassachusetts: 6,058 countMichigan: 11,906 countMinnesota: 6,925 countMississippi: 2,846 countMissouri: 6,163 countMontana: 2,139 countNebraska: 1,607 countNevada: 2,922 countNew Hampshire: 1,961 countNew Jersey: 7,109 countNew Mexico: 2,507 countNew York: 17,441 countNorth Carolina: 10,745 countNorth Dakota: 729 countOhio: 13,302 countOklahoma: 4,411 countOregon: 6,656 countPennsylvania: 13,864 countRhode Island: 1,050 countSouth Carolina: 4,878 countSouth Dakota: 1,012 countTennessee: 6,675 countTexas: 37,528 countUtah: 4,752 countVermont: 1,749 countVirginia: 6,492 countWashington: 7,544 countWest Virginia: 1,127 countWisconsin: 6,915 countWyoming: 1,076 count
  • Under 1,700
  • 1,700 to 2,900
  • 2,900 to 4,800
  • 4,800 to 6,800
  • 6,800 to 11K
  • 11K and over
count, 2020. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2020

California: 44,360 countCalifornia44,360Texas: 37,528 countTexas37,528Florida: 28,492 countFlorida28,492New York: 17,441 countNew York17,441Pennsylvania: 13,864 countPennsylvania13,864Ohio: 13,302 countOhio13,302Georgia: 12,376 countGeorgia12,376Michigan: 11,906 countMichigan11,906North Carolina: 10,745 countNorth Carolina10,745Illinois: 10,349 countIllinois10,349Washington: 7,544 countWashington7,544Colorado: 7,439 countColorado7,439Arizona: 7,392 countArizona7,392New Jersey: 7,109 countNew Jersey7,109Indiana: 6,941 countIndiana6,941Minnesota: 6,925 countMinnesota6,925Wisconsin: 6,915 countWisconsin6,915Tennessee: 6,675 countTennessee6,675Oregon: 6,656 countOregon6,656Virginia: 6,492 countVirginia6,492Missouri: 6,163 countMissouri6,163Massachusetts: 6,058 countMassachusetts6,058Alabama: 4,921 countAlabama4,921Louisiana: 4,903 countLouisiana4,903South Carolina: 4,878 countSouth Carolina4,878Utah: 4,752 countUtah4,752Maryland: 4,533 countMaryland4,533Oklahoma: 4,411 countOklahoma4,411Kentucky: 3,993 countKentucky3,993Connecticut: 3,212 countConnecticut3,212Idaho: 3,042 countIdaho3,042Iowa: 2,943 countIowa2,943Nevada: 2,922 countNevada2,922Kansas: 2,885 countKansas2,885Mississippi: 2,846 countMississippi2,846Arkansas: 2,837 countArkansas2,837New Mexico: 2,507 countNew Mexico2,507Maine: 2,254 countMaine2,254Montana: 2,139 countMontana2,139New Hampshire: 1,961 countNew Hampshire1,961Hawaii: 1,821 countHawaii1,821Vermont: 1,749 countVermont1,749Nebraska: 1,607 countNebraska1,607West Virginia: 1,127 countWest Virginia1,127Alaska: 1,086 countAlaska1,086Wyoming: 1,076 countWyoming1,076Rhode Island: 1,050 countRhode Island1,050South Dakota: 1,012 countSouth Dakota1,012Delaware: 830 countDelaware830North Dakota: 729 countNorth Dakota729District of Columbia: 273 countDistrict of Columbia273California: 44,360 countCalifornia44,360Texas: 37,528 countTexas37,528Florida: 28,492 countFlorida28,492New York: 17,441 countNew York17,441Pennsylvania: 13,864 countPennsylvania13,864Ohio: 13,302 countOhio13,302Georgia: 12,376 countGeorgia12,376Michigan: 11,906 countMichigan11,906North Carolina: 10,745 countNorth Carolina10,745Illinois: 10,349 countIllinois10,349Washington: 7,544 countWashington7,544Colorado: 7,439 countColorado7,439Arizona: 7,392 countArizona7,392New Jersey: 7,109 countNew Jersey7,109Indiana: 6,941 countIndiana6,941Minnesota: 6,925 countMinnesota6,925Wisconsin: 6,915 countWisconsin6,915Tennessee: 6,675 countTennessee6,675Oregon: 6,656 countOregon6,656Virginia: 6,492 countVirginia6,492Missouri: 6,163 countMissouri6,163Massachusetts: 6,058 countMassachusetts6,058Alabama: 4,921 countAlabama4,921Louisiana: 4,903 countLouisiana4,903South Carolina: 4,878 countSouth Carolina4,878Utah: 4,752 countUtah4,752Maryland: 4,533 countMaryland4,533Oklahoma: 4,411 countOklahoma4,411Kentucky: 3,993 countKentucky3,993Connecticut: 3,212 countConnecticut3,212Idaho: 3,042 countIdaho3,042Iowa: 2,943 countIowa2,943Nevada: 2,922 countNevada2,922Kansas: 2,885 countKansas2,885Mississippi: 2,846 countMississippi2,846Arkansas: 2,837 countArkansas2,837New Mexico: 2,507 countNew Mexico2,507Maine: 2,254 countMaine2,254Montana: 2,139 countMontana2,139New Hampshire: 1,961 countNew Hampshire1,961Hawaii: 1,821 countHawaii1,821Vermont: 1,749 countVermont1,749Nebraska: 1,607 countNebraska1,607West Virginia: 1,127 countWest Virginia1,127Alaska: 1,086 countAlaska1,086Wyoming: 1,076 countWyoming1,076Rhode Island: 1,050 countRhode Island1,050South Dakota: 1,012 countSouth Dakota1,012Delaware: 830 countDelaware830North Dakota: 729 countNorth Dakota729District of Columbia: 273 countDistrict of Columbia273
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2020
count		Change on 2019
1California44,360-1.9%
2Texas37,528+3.2%
3Florida28,492+8.5%
4New York17,441-2.8%
5Pennsylvania13,864-0%
6Ohio13,302+0.8%
7Georgia12,376+7.1%
8Michigan11,906-2%
9North Carolina10,745+1.3%
10Illinois10,349+1.6%
11Washington7,544-6.7%
12Colorado7,439-1.9%
13Arizona7,392+0.7%
14New Jersey7,109+3.8%
15Indiana6,941+0.6%
16Minnesota6,925-3.1%
17Wisconsin6,915-2.7%
18Tennessee6,675+4.6%
19Oregon6,656-3.6%
20Virginia6,492+5.2%
21Missouri6,163+3.1%
22Massachusetts6,058+0.8%
23Alabama4,921+2.1%
24Louisiana4,903+4.3%
25South Carolina4,878+3.6%
26Utah4,752+3.8%
27Maryland4,533-1.5%
28Oklahoma4,411+2.6%
29Kentucky3,993-0.6%
30Connecticut3,212-4.8%
31Idaho3,042+2.4%
32Iowa2,943-4.3%
33Nevada2,922-0.9%
34Kansas2,885-2.6%
35Mississippi2,846+1.5%
36Arkansas2,837+3.1%
37New Mexico2,507-7.7%
38Maine2,254-1.6%
39Montana2,139-0.5%
40New Hampshire1,961-0.9%
41Hawaii1,821-6.6%
42Vermont1,749-0.7%
43Nebraska1,607+1.3%
44West Virginia1,127-4.2%
45Alaska1,086-9.3%
46Wyoming1,076+3.4%
47Rhode Island1,050-2%
48South Dakota1,012-3.2%
49Delaware830+1.5%
50North Dakota729-2.9%
51District of Columbia273+1.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of businesses without paid employees in manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), 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), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/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. (2023). Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/historical-datasets/

MLA 9

Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 17 Aug. 2023, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/historical-datasets/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2023. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/historical-datasets/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2023) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_nonemployer_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2020}},
  year = {2023},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/historical-datasets/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2020
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/08/17
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/historical-datasets/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest nonemployer businesses: manufacturing?

California, with 44,360 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: manufacturing?

District of Columbia, with 273 in 2020.

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), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings