Data / Rankings / Nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services / US states

US states by nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services

California had the highest nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services of 51 states in 2020, at 552,844. North Dakota had the lowest, at 5,295. The median was 43,840 and the figure for the United States was 3.69 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest552,844California
Lowest5,295North Dakota
Median43,84051 states
United States3,689,878History

Map of states, 2020

Alabama: 36,436 countAlaska: 6,795 countArizona: 75,627 countArkansas: 20,393 countCalifornia: 552,844 countColorado: 92,240 countConnecticut: 46,682 countDelaware: 11,203 countDistrict of Columbia: 16,535 countFlorida: 316,541 countGeorgia: 121,913 countHawaii: 15,645 countIdaho: 19,774 countIllinois: 127,731 countIndiana: 48,240 countIowa: 21,137 countKansas: 24,990 countKentucky: 30,517 countLouisiana: 41,695 countMaine: 15,036 countMaryland: 80,059 countMassachusetts: 100,341 countMichigan: 89,456 countMinnesota: 59,885 countMississippi: 19,743 countMissouri: 48,627 countMontana: 12,840 countNebraska: 14,480 countNevada: 36,709 countNew Hampshire: 17,729 countNew Jersey: 120,842 countNew Mexico: 16,824 countNew York: 266,500 countNorth Carolina: 101,154 countNorth Dakota: 5,295 countOhio: 99,789 countOklahoma: 32,409 countOregon: 51,154 countPennsylvania: 120,142 countRhode Island: 12,519 countSouth Carolina: 46,910 countSouth Dakota: 7,018 countTennessee: 65,221 countTexas: 321,346 countUtah: 43,840 countVermont: 9,545 countVirginia: 99,205 countWashington: 85,914 countWest Virginia: 9,345 countWisconsin: 45,448 countWyoming: 7,615 count
  • Under 13K
  • 13K to 20K
  • 20K to 44K
  • 44K to 69K
  • 69K to 100K
  • 100K and over
count, 2020. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), all legal forms. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2020

California: 552,844 countCalifornia552,844Texas: 321,346 countTexas321,346Florida: 316,541 countFlorida316,541New York: 266,500 countNew York266,500Illinois: 127,731 countIllinois127,731Georgia: 121,913 countGeorgia121,913New Jersey: 120,842 countNew Jersey120,842Pennsylvania: 120,142 countPennsylvania120,142North Carolina: 101,154 countNorth Carolina101,154Massachusetts: 100,341 countMassachusetts100,341Ohio: 99,789 countOhio99,789Virginia: 99,205 countVirginia99,205Colorado: 92,240 countColorado92,240Michigan: 89,456 countMichigan89,456Washington: 85,914 countWashington85,914Maryland: 80,059 countMaryland80,059Arizona: 75,627 countArizona75,627Tennessee: 65,221 countTennessee65,221Minnesota: 59,885 countMinnesota59,885Oregon: 51,154 countOregon51,154Missouri: 48,627 countMissouri48,627Indiana: 48,240 countIndiana48,240South Carolina: 46,910 countSouth Carolina46,910Connecticut: 46,682 countConnecticut46,682Wisconsin: 45,448 countWisconsin45,448Utah: 43,840 countUtah43,840Louisiana: 41,695 countLouisiana41,695Nevada: 36,709 countNevada36,709Alabama: 36,436 countAlabama36,436Oklahoma: 32,409 countOklahoma32,409Kentucky: 30,517 countKentucky30,517Kansas: 24,990 countKansas24,990Iowa: 21,137 countIowa21,137Arkansas: 20,393 countArkansas20,393Idaho: 19,774 countIdaho19,774Mississippi: 19,743 countMississippi19,743New Hampshire: 17,729 countNew Hampshire17,729New Mexico: 16,824 countNew Mexico16,824District of Columbia: 16,535 countDistrict of Columbia16,535Hawaii: 15,645 countHawaii15,645Maine: 15,036 countMaine15,036Nebraska: 14,480 countNebraska14,480Montana: 12,840 countMontana12,840Rhode Island: 12,519 countRhode Island12,519Delaware: 11,203 countDelaware11,203Vermont: 9,545 countVermont9,545West Virginia: 9,345 countWest Virginia9,345Wyoming: 7,615 countWyoming7,615South Dakota: 7,018 countSouth Dakota7,018Alaska: 6,795 countAlaska6,795North Dakota: 5,295 countNorth Dakota5,295California: 552,844 countCalifornia552,844Texas: 321,346 countTexas321,346Florida: 316,541 countFlorida316,541New York: 266,500 countNew York266,500Illinois: 127,731 countIllinois127,731Georgia: 121,913 countGeorgia121,913New Jersey: 120,842 countNew Jersey120,842Pennsylvania: 120,142 countPennsylvania120,142North Carolina: 101,154 countNorth Carolina101,154Massachusetts: 100,341 countMassachusetts100,341Ohio: 99,789 countOhio99,789Virginia: 99,205 countVirginia99,205Colorado: 92,240 countColorado92,240Michigan: 89,456 countMichigan89,456Washington: 85,914 countWashington85,914Maryland: 80,059 countMaryland80,059Arizona: 75,627 countArizona75,627Tennessee: 65,221 countTennessee65,221Minnesota: 59,885 countMinnesota59,885Oregon: 51,154 countOregon51,154Missouri: 48,627 countMissouri48,627Indiana: 48,240 countIndiana48,240South Carolina: 46,910 countSouth Carolina46,910Connecticut: 46,682 countConnecticut46,682Wisconsin: 45,448 countWisconsin45,448Utah: 43,840 countUtah43,840Louisiana: 41,695 countLouisiana41,695Nevada: 36,709 countNevada36,709Alabama: 36,436 countAlabama36,436Oklahoma: 32,409 countOklahoma32,409Kentucky: 30,517 countKentucky30,517Kansas: 24,990 countKansas24,990Iowa: 21,137 countIowa21,137Arkansas: 20,393 countArkansas20,393Idaho: 19,774 countIdaho19,774Mississippi: 19,743 countMississippi19,743New Hampshire: 17,729 countNew Hampshire17,729New Mexico: 16,824 countNew Mexico16,824District of Columbia: 16,535 countDistrict of Columbia16,535Hawaii: 15,645 countHawaii15,645Maine: 15,036 countMaine15,036Nebraska: 14,480 countNebraska14,480Montana: 12,840 countMontana12,840Rhode Island: 12,519 countRhode Island12,519Delaware: 11,203 countDelaware11,203Vermont: 9,545 countVermont9,545West Virginia: 9,345 countWest Virginia9,345Wyoming: 7,615 countWyoming7,615South Dakota: 7,018 countSouth Dakota7,018Alaska: 6,795 countAlaska6,795North Dakota: 5,295 countNorth Dakota5,295
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2020
count		Change on 2019
1California552,844-5.2%
2Texas321,346-0.9%
3Florida316,541+4.2%
4New York266,500-4.1%
5Illinois127,731-2.6%
6Georgia121,913+1.9%
7New Jersey120,842-2.6%
8Pennsylvania120,142-4%
9North Carolina101,154-0.9%
10Massachusetts100,341-3.9%
11Ohio99,789-3.8%
12Virginia99,205-1.4%
13Colorado92,240-3.4%
14Michigan89,456-2.3%
15Washington85,914-4.7%
16Maryland80,059-2.7%
17Arizona75,627-0.8%
18Tennessee65,221+0.9%
19Minnesota59,885-5.2%
20Oregon51,154-3%
21Missouri48,627-2.4%
22Indiana48,240-2.7%
23South Carolina46,910+1.8%
24Connecticut46,682-3.6%
25Wisconsin45,448-3.1%
26Utah43,840+2.3%
27Louisiana41,695-3.8%
28Nevada36,709-0.4%
29Alabama36,436-0.9%
30Oklahoma32,409-1.8%
31Kentucky30,517-2.9%
32Kansas24,990-3.2%
33Iowa21,137-3.7%
34Arkansas20,393-0.5%
35Idaho19,774+1.9%
36Mississippi19,743-3%
37New Hampshire17,729-3.6%
38New Mexico16,824-4.4%
39District of Columbia16,535-2.9%
40Hawaii15,645-6.1%
41Maine15,036-1.2%
42Nebraska14,480-2.6%
43Montana12,840+1.1%
44Rhode Island12,519-4.1%
45Delaware11,203+2.8%
46Vermont9,545-1.9%
47West Virginia9,345-3.7%
48Wyoming7,615+3.6%
49South Dakota7,018-2%
50Alaska6,795-5.4%
51North Dakota5,295-4.1%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of businesses without paid employees in professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), 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), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), 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), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services, 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), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services, 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-professional-services/us-states?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2023. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services, 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-professional-services/us-states?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2023) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-professional-services/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), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services, 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-professional-services/us-states?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), 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), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services, 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-professional-services/us-states?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-professional-services/us-states?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), 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: professional, scientific and technical services?

California, with 552,844 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: professional, scientific and technical services?

North Dakota, with 5,295 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), professional, scientific, and technical services (NAICS 54), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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