Data / Rankings / Nonemployer businesses: manufacturing / US states

US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing

California had the highest nonemployer businesses: manufacturing of 51 states in 2021, at 43,401. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 260. The median was 4,941 and the figure for the United States was 368,417. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest43,401California
Lowest260District of Columbia
Median4,94151 states
United States368,417History

Map of states, 2021

Alabama: 5,125 countAlaska: 1,140 countArizona: 7,558 countArkansas: 2,960 countCalifornia: 43,401 countColorado: 7,588 countConnecticut: 3,404 countDelaware: 797 countDistrict of Columbia: 260 countFlorida: 29,956 countGeorgia: 13,454 countHawaii: 1,873 countIdaho: 3,135 countIllinois: 10,870 countIndiana: 7,257 countIowa: 3,140 countKansas: 2,974 countKentucky: 4,217 countLouisiana: 5,609 countMaine: 2,392 countMaryland: 4,941 countMassachusetts: 6,185 countMichigan: 12,386 countMinnesota: 7,181 countMississippi: 3,039 countMissouri: 6,490 countMontana: 2,250 countNebraska: 1,644 countNevada: 2,969 countNew Hampshire: 1,960 countNew Jersey: 7,116 countNew Mexico: 2,468 countNew York: 17,557 countNorth Carolina: 11,081 countNorth Dakota: 753 countOhio: 13,904 countOklahoma: 4,611 countOregon: 6,552 countPennsylvania: 14,266 countRhode Island: 1,051 countSouth Carolina: 4,988 countSouth Dakota: 996 countTennessee: 6,975 countTexas: 39,374 countUtah: 4,867 countVermont: 1,746 countVirginia: 6,828 countWashington: 7,625 countWest Virginia: 1,257 countWisconsin: 7,128 countWyoming: 1,119 count
  • Under 1,700
  • 1,700 to 3,000
  • 3,000 to 4,900
  • 4,900 to 7,000
  • 7,000 to 11K
  • 11K and over
count, 2021. 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, 2021

California: 43,401 countCalifornia43,401Texas: 39,374 countTexas39,374Florida: 29,956 countFlorida29,956New York: 17,557 countNew York17,557Pennsylvania: 14,266 countPennsylvania14,266Ohio: 13,904 countOhio13,904Georgia: 13,454 countGeorgia13,454Michigan: 12,386 countMichigan12,386North Carolina: 11,081 countNorth Carolina11,081Illinois: 10,870 countIllinois10,870Washington: 7,625 countWashington7,625Colorado: 7,588 countColorado7,588Arizona: 7,558 countArizona7,558Indiana: 7,257 countIndiana7,257Minnesota: 7,181 countMinnesota7,181Wisconsin: 7,128 countWisconsin7,128New Jersey: 7,116 countNew Jersey7,116Tennessee: 6,975 countTennessee6,975Virginia: 6,828 countVirginia6,828Oregon: 6,552 countOregon6,552Missouri: 6,490 countMissouri6,490Massachusetts: 6,185 countMassachusetts6,185Louisiana: 5,609 countLouisiana5,609Alabama: 5,125 countAlabama5,125South Carolina: 4,988 countSouth Carolina4,988Maryland: 4,941 countMaryland4,941Utah: 4,867 countUtah4,867Oklahoma: 4,611 countOklahoma4,611Kentucky: 4,217 countKentucky4,217Connecticut: 3,404 countConnecticut3,404Iowa: 3,140 countIowa3,140Idaho: 3,135 countIdaho3,135Mississippi: 3,039 countMississippi3,039Kansas: 2,974 countKansas2,974Nevada: 2,969 countNevada2,969Arkansas: 2,960 countArkansas2,960New Mexico: 2,468 countNew Mexico2,468Maine: 2,392 countMaine2,392Montana: 2,250 countMontana2,250New Hampshire: 1,960 countNew Hampshire1,960Hawaii: 1,873 countHawaii1,873Vermont: 1,746 countVermont1,746Nebraska: 1,644 countNebraska1,644West Virginia: 1,257 countWest Virginia1,257Alaska: 1,140 countAlaska1,140Wyoming: 1,119 countWyoming1,119Rhode Island: 1,051 countRhode Island1,051South Dakota: 996 countSouth Dakota996Delaware: 797 countDelaware797North Dakota: 753 countNorth Dakota753District of Columbia: 260 countDistrict of Columbia260California: 43,401 countCalifornia43,401Texas: 39,374 countTexas39,374Florida: 29,956 countFlorida29,956New York: 17,557 countNew York17,557Pennsylvania: 14,266 countPennsylvania14,266Ohio: 13,904 countOhio13,904Georgia: 13,454 countGeorgia13,454Michigan: 12,386 countMichigan12,386North Carolina: 11,081 countNorth Carolina11,081Illinois: 10,870 countIllinois10,870Washington: 7,625 countWashington7,625Colorado: 7,588 countColorado7,588Arizona: 7,558 countArizona7,558Indiana: 7,257 countIndiana7,257Minnesota: 7,181 countMinnesota7,181Wisconsin: 7,128 countWisconsin7,128New Jersey: 7,116 countNew Jersey7,116Tennessee: 6,975 countTennessee6,975Virginia: 6,828 countVirginia6,828Oregon: 6,552 countOregon6,552Missouri: 6,490 countMissouri6,490Massachusetts: 6,185 countMassachusetts6,185Louisiana: 5,609 countLouisiana5,609Alabama: 5,125 countAlabama5,125South Carolina: 4,988 countSouth Carolina4,988Maryland: 4,941 countMaryland4,941Utah: 4,867 countUtah4,867Oklahoma: 4,611 countOklahoma4,611Kentucky: 4,217 countKentucky4,217Connecticut: 3,404 countConnecticut3,404Iowa: 3,140 countIowa3,140Idaho: 3,135 countIdaho3,135Mississippi: 3,039 countMississippi3,039Kansas: 2,974 countKansas2,974Nevada: 2,969 countNevada2,969Arkansas: 2,960 countArkansas2,960New Mexico: 2,468 countNew Mexico2,468Maine: 2,392 countMaine2,392Montana: 2,250 countMontana2,250New Hampshire: 1,960 countNew Hampshire1,960Hawaii: 1,873 countHawaii1,873Vermont: 1,746 countVermont1,746Nebraska: 1,644 countNebraska1,644West Virginia: 1,257 countWest Virginia1,257Alaska: 1,140 countAlaska1,140Wyoming: 1,119 countWyoming1,119Rhode Island: 1,051 countRhode Island1,051South Dakota: 996 countSouth Dakota996Delaware: 797 countDelaware797North Dakota: 753 countNorth Dakota753District of Columbia: 260 countDistrict of Columbia260
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

RankStates2021
count		Change on 2020
1California43,401-2.2%
2Texas39,374+4.9%
3Florida29,956+5.1%
4New York17,557+0.7%
5Pennsylvania14,266+2.9%
6Ohio13,904+4.5%
7Georgia13,454+8.7%
8Michigan12,386+4%
9North Carolina11,081+3.1%
10Illinois10,870+5%
11Washington7,625+1.1%
12Colorado7,588+2%
13Arizona7,558+2.2%
14Indiana7,257+4.6%
15Minnesota7,181+3.7%
16Wisconsin7,128+3.1%
17New Jersey7,116+0.1%
18Tennessee6,975+4.5%
19Virginia6,828+5.2%
20Oregon6,552-1.6%
21Missouri6,490+5.3%
22Massachusetts6,185+2.1%
23Louisiana5,609+14.4%
24Alabama5,125+4.1%
25South Carolina4,988+2.3%
26Maryland4,941+9%
27Utah4,867+2.4%
28Oklahoma4,611+4.5%
29Kentucky4,217+5.6%
30Connecticut3,404+6%
31Iowa3,140+6.7%
32Idaho3,135+3.1%
33Mississippi3,039+6.8%
34Kansas2,974+3.1%
35Nevada2,969+1.6%
36Arkansas2,960+4.3%
37New Mexico2,468-1.6%
38Maine2,392+6.1%
39Montana2,250+5.2%
40New Hampshire1,960-0.1%
41Hawaii1,873+2.9%
42Vermont1,746-0.2%
43Nebraska1,644+2.3%
44West Virginia1,257+11.5%
45Alaska1,140+5%
46Wyoming1,119+4%
47Rhode Island1,051+0.1%
48South Dakota996-1.6%
49Delaware797-4%
50North Dakota753+3.3%
51District of Columbia260-4.8%

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/2021/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. (2024). Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/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, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 14 Mar. 2024, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2024. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2024) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_nonemployer_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  year = {2024},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2021. 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/2021/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, 2021
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/03/14
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2021.
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/2021/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest nonemployer businesses: manufacturing?

California, with 43,401 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: manufacturing?

District of Columbia, with 260 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, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings