Data / Rankings / Nonemployer businesses: manufacturing / US states

US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing

California had the highest nonemployer businesses: manufacturing of 51 states in 2023, at 45,717. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 303. The median was 5,454 and the figure for the United States was 406,605. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest45,717California
Lowest303District of Columbia
Median5,45451 states
United States406,605History

Map of states, 2023

Alabama: 5,595 countAlaska: 1,260 countArizona: 8,478 countArkansas: 3,433 countCalifornia: 45,717 countColorado: 8,074 countConnecticut: 3,926 countDelaware: 968 countDistrict of Columbia: 303 countFlorida: 35,416 countGeorgia: 14,716 countHawaii: 2,017 countIdaho: 3,431 countIllinois: 11,779 countIndiana: 8,033 countIowa: 3,365 countKansas: 3,290 countKentucky: 4,845 countLouisiana: 5,897 countMaine: 2,444 countMaryland: 5,454 countMassachusetts: 6,620 countMichigan: 13,321 countMinnesota: 7,753 countMississippi: 3,644 countMissouri: 6,987 countMontana: 2,476 countNebraska: 1,825 countNevada: 3,256 countNew Hampshire: 1,951 countNew Jersey: 8,173 countNew Mexico: 2,789 countNew York: 20,358 countNorth Carolina: 11,858 countNorth Dakota: 848 countOhio: 14,940 countOklahoma: 4,905 countOregon: 6,817 countPennsylvania: 16,071 countRhode Island: 1,086 countSouth Carolina: 5,525 countSouth Dakota: 1,142 countTennessee: 7,771 countTexas: 44,934 countUtah: 5,300 countVermont: 1,771 countVirginia: 7,532 countWashington: 7,969 countWest Virginia: 1,376 countWisconsin: 7,945 countWyoming: 1,221 count
  • Under 1,800
  • 1,800 to 3,300
  • 3,300 to 5,500
  • 5,500 to 7,800
  • 7,800 to 12K
  • 12K and over
count, 2023. 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, 2023

California: 45,717 countCalifornia45,717Texas: 44,934 countTexas44,934Florida: 35,416 countFlorida35,416New York: 20,358 countNew York20,358Pennsylvania: 16,071 countPennsylvania16,071Ohio: 14,940 countOhio14,940Georgia: 14,716 countGeorgia14,716Michigan: 13,321 countMichigan13,321North Carolina: 11,858 countNorth Carolina11,858Illinois: 11,779 countIllinois11,779Arizona: 8,478 countArizona8,478New Jersey: 8,173 countNew Jersey8,173Colorado: 8,074 countColorado8,074Indiana: 8,033 countIndiana8,033Washington: 7,969 countWashington7,969Wisconsin: 7,945 countWisconsin7,945Tennessee: 7,771 countTennessee7,771Minnesota: 7,753 countMinnesota7,753Virginia: 7,532 countVirginia7,532Missouri: 6,987 countMissouri6,987Oregon: 6,817 countOregon6,817Massachusetts: 6,620 countMassachusetts6,620Louisiana: 5,897 countLouisiana5,897Alabama: 5,595 countAlabama5,595South Carolina: 5,525 countSouth Carolina5,525Maryland: 5,454 countMaryland5,454Utah: 5,300 countUtah5,300Oklahoma: 4,905 countOklahoma4,905Kentucky: 4,845 countKentucky4,845Connecticut: 3,926 countConnecticut3,926Mississippi: 3,644 countMississippi3,644Arkansas: 3,433 countArkansas3,433Idaho: 3,431 countIdaho3,431Iowa: 3,365 countIowa3,365Kansas: 3,290 countKansas3,290Nevada: 3,256 countNevada3,256New Mexico: 2,789 countNew Mexico2,789Montana: 2,476 countMontana2,476Maine: 2,444 countMaine2,444Hawaii: 2,017 countHawaii2,017New Hampshire: 1,951 countNew Hampshire1,951Nebraska: 1,825 countNebraska1,825Vermont: 1,771 countVermont1,771West Virginia: 1,376 countWest Virginia1,376Alaska: 1,260 countAlaska1,260Wyoming: 1,221 countWyoming1,221South Dakota: 1,142 countSouth Dakota1,142Rhode Island: 1,086 countRhode Island1,086Delaware: 968 countDelaware968North Dakota: 848 countNorth Dakota848District of Columbia: 303 countDistrict of Columbia303California: 45,717 countCalifornia45,717Texas: 44,934 countTexas44,934Florida: 35,416 countFlorida35,416New York: 20,358 countNew York20,358Pennsylvania: 16,071 countPennsylvania16,071Ohio: 14,940 countOhio14,940Georgia: 14,716 countGeorgia14,716Michigan: 13,321 countMichigan13,321North Carolina: 11,858 countNorth Carolina11,858Illinois: 11,779 countIllinois11,779Arizona: 8,478 countArizona8,478New Jersey: 8,173 countNew Jersey8,173Colorado: 8,074 countColorado8,074Indiana: 8,033 countIndiana8,033Washington: 7,969 countWashington7,969Wisconsin: 7,945 countWisconsin7,945Tennessee: 7,771 countTennessee7,771Minnesota: 7,753 countMinnesota7,753Virginia: 7,532 countVirginia7,532Missouri: 6,987 countMissouri6,987Oregon: 6,817 countOregon6,817Massachusetts: 6,620 countMassachusetts6,620Louisiana: 5,897 countLouisiana5,897Alabama: 5,595 countAlabama5,595South Carolina: 5,525 countSouth Carolina5,525Maryland: 5,454 countMaryland5,454Utah: 5,300 countUtah5,300Oklahoma: 4,905 countOklahoma4,905Kentucky: 4,845 countKentucky4,845Connecticut: 3,926 countConnecticut3,926Mississippi: 3,644 countMississippi3,644Arkansas: 3,433 countArkansas3,433Idaho: 3,431 countIdaho3,431Iowa: 3,365 countIowa3,365Kansas: 3,290 countKansas3,290Nevada: 3,256 countNevada3,256New Mexico: 2,789 countNew Mexico2,789Montana: 2,476 countMontana2,476Maine: 2,444 countMaine2,444Hawaii: 2,017 countHawaii2,017New Hampshire: 1,951 countNew Hampshire1,951Nebraska: 1,825 countNebraska1,825Vermont: 1,771 countVermont1,771West Virginia: 1,376 countWest Virginia1,376Alaska: 1,260 countAlaska1,260Wyoming: 1,221 countWyoming1,221South Dakota: 1,142 countSouth Dakota1,142Rhode Island: 1,086 countRhode Island1,086Delaware: 968 countDelaware968North Dakota: 848 countNorth Dakota848District of Columbia: 303 countDistrict of Columbia303
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

RankStates2023
count		Change on 2022
1California45,717+0.4%
2Texas44,934+4.4%
3Florida35,416+7.9%
4New York20,358+4%
5Pennsylvania16,071+4.2%
6Ohio14,940-0.3%
7Georgia14,716-3.8%
8Michigan13,321-0.5%
9North Carolina11,858-0.8%
10Illinois11,779-1.2%
11Arizona8,478+3.9%
12New Jersey8,173+4.1%
13Colorado8,074+1.5%
14Indiana8,033+2.1%
15Washington7,969-0.6%
16Wisconsin7,945+1.8%
17Tennessee7,771+1.6%
18Minnesota7,753+3.2%
19Virginia7,532+1.8%
20Missouri6,987+1.5%
21Oregon6,817-0.1%
22Massachusetts6,620+1%
23Louisiana5,897-1%
24Alabama5,595-0.7%
25South Carolina5,525+0.8%
26Maryland5,454+3.8%
27Utah5,300+2.3%
28Oklahoma4,905+1.3%
29Kentucky4,845+7.4%
30Connecticut3,926+8.5%
31Mississippi3,644+4.7%
32Arkansas3,433+6%
33Idaho3,431+3.8%
34Iowa3,365+0.2%
35Kansas3,290+2.2%
36Nevada3,256+2.7%
37New Mexico2,789+4.4%
38Montana2,476+3.2%
39Maine2,444+0.4%
40Hawaii2,017-0.9%
41New Hampshire1,951-4.3%
42Nebraska1,825+3.3%
43Vermont1,771-1.2%
44West Virginia1,376+3%
45Alaska1,260+1.6%
46Wyoming1,221+2.6%
47South Dakota1,142+7.6%
48Rhode Island1,086-3.6%
49Delaware968+4.8%
50North Dakota848+6.8%
51District of Columbia303-1.3%

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/2023/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. (2025). Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2023/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, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 15 May 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2023/historical-datasets/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2023/historical-datasets/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: manufacturing, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2023/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_nonemployer_2023,
  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, 2023}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2023/historical-datasets/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2023. 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/2023/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, 2023
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/05/15
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2023/historical-datasets/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-manufacturing/us-states?period=2023.
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/2023/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest nonemployer businesses: manufacturing?

California, with 45,717 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: manufacturing?

District of Columbia, with 303 in 2023.

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