Data / Rankings / Nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing / US states

US states by nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing

California had the highest nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing of 51 states in 2020, at 340,839. Alaska had the lowest, at 5,654. The median was 37,908 and the figure for the United States was 2.99 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest340,839California
Lowest5,654Alaska
Median37,90851 states
United States2,988,448History

Map of states, 2020

Alabama: 35,885 countAlaska: 5,654 countArizona: 67,400 countArkansas: 21,241 countCalifornia: 340,839 countColorado: 68,821 countConnecticut: 38,504 countDelaware: 11,191 countDistrict of Columbia: 5,910 countFlorida: 315,953 countGeorgia: 89,923 countHawaii: 13,045 countIdaho: 19,942 countIllinois: 98,281 countIndiana: 47,555 countIowa: 26,299 countKansas: 23,304 countKentucky: 31,851 countLouisiana: 37,908 countMaine: 13,219 countMaryland: 53,215 countMassachusetts: 62,475 countMichigan: 83,315 countMinnesota: 46,181 countMississippi: 18,055 countMissouri: 51,275 countMontana: 14,505 countNebraska: 17,647 countNevada: 31,956 countNew Hampshire: 14,215 countNew Jersey: 110,051 countNew Mexico: 12,881 countNew York: 218,833 countNorth Carolina: 91,612 countNorth Dakota: 8,196 countOhio: 88,346 countOklahoma: 29,834 countOregon: 35,795 countPennsylvania: 98,502 countRhode Island: 10,507 countSouth Carolina: 45,407 countSouth Dakota: 9,770 countTennessee: 52,029 countTexas: 231,991 countUtah: 39,121 countVermont: 6,239 countVirginia: 71,792 countWashington: 60,103 countWest Virginia: 8,964 countWisconsin: 43,516 countWyoming: 9,395 count
  • Under 12K
  • 12K to 21K
  • 21K to 38K
  • 38K to 52K
  • 52K to 89K
  • 89K and over
count, 2020. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2020

California: 340,839 countCalifornia340,839Florida: 315,953 countFlorida315,953Texas: 231,991 countTexas231,991New York: 218,833 countNew York218,833New Jersey: 110,051 countNew Jersey110,051Pennsylvania: 98,502 countPennsylvania98,502Illinois: 98,281 countIllinois98,281North Carolina: 91,612 countNorth Carolina91,612Georgia: 89,923 countGeorgia89,923Ohio: 88,346 countOhio88,346Michigan: 83,315 countMichigan83,315Virginia: 71,792 countVirginia71,792Colorado: 68,821 countColorado68,821Arizona: 67,400 countArizona67,400Massachusetts: 62,475 countMassachusetts62,475Washington: 60,103 countWashington60,103Maryland: 53,215 countMaryland53,215Tennessee: 52,029 countTennessee52,029Missouri: 51,275 countMissouri51,275Indiana: 47,555 countIndiana47,555Minnesota: 46,181 countMinnesota46,181South Carolina: 45,407 countSouth Carolina45,407Wisconsin: 43,516 countWisconsin43,516Utah: 39,121 countUtah39,121Connecticut: 38,504 countConnecticut38,504Louisiana: 37,908 countLouisiana37,908Alabama: 35,885 countAlabama35,885Oregon: 35,795 countOregon35,795Nevada: 31,956 countNevada31,956Kentucky: 31,851 countKentucky31,851Oklahoma: 29,834 countOklahoma29,834Iowa: 26,299 countIowa26,299Kansas: 23,304 countKansas23,304Arkansas: 21,241 countArkansas21,241Idaho: 19,942 countIdaho19,942Mississippi: 18,055 countMississippi18,055Nebraska: 17,647 countNebraska17,647Montana: 14,505 countMontana14,505New Hampshire: 14,215 countNew Hampshire14,215Maine: 13,219 countMaine13,219Hawaii: 13,045 countHawaii13,045New Mexico: 12,881 countNew Mexico12,881Delaware: 11,191 countDelaware11,191Rhode Island: 10,507 countRhode Island10,507South Dakota: 9,770 countSouth Dakota9,770Wyoming: 9,395 countWyoming9,395West Virginia: 8,964 countWest Virginia8,964North Dakota: 8,196 countNorth Dakota8,196Vermont: 6,239 countVermont6,239District of Columbia: 5,910 countDistrict of Columbia5,910Alaska: 5,654 countAlaska5,654California: 340,839 countCalifornia340,839Florida: 315,953 countFlorida315,953Texas: 231,991 countTexas231,991New York: 218,833 countNew York218,833New Jersey: 110,051 countNew Jersey110,051Pennsylvania: 98,502 countPennsylvania98,502Illinois: 98,281 countIllinois98,281North Carolina: 91,612 countNorth Carolina91,612Georgia: 89,923 countGeorgia89,923Ohio: 88,346 countOhio88,346Michigan: 83,315 countMichigan83,315Virginia: 71,792 countVirginia71,792Colorado: 68,821 countColorado68,821Arizona: 67,400 countArizona67,400Massachusetts: 62,475 countMassachusetts62,475Washington: 60,103 countWashington60,103Maryland: 53,215 countMaryland53,215Tennessee: 52,029 countTennessee52,029Missouri: 51,275 countMissouri51,275Indiana: 47,555 countIndiana47,555Minnesota: 46,181 countMinnesota46,181South Carolina: 45,407 countSouth Carolina45,407Wisconsin: 43,516 countWisconsin43,516Utah: 39,121 countUtah39,121Connecticut: 38,504 countConnecticut38,504Louisiana: 37,908 countLouisiana37,908Alabama: 35,885 countAlabama35,885Oregon: 35,795 countOregon35,795Nevada: 31,956 countNevada31,956Kentucky: 31,851 countKentucky31,851Oklahoma: 29,834 countOklahoma29,834Iowa: 26,299 countIowa26,299Kansas: 23,304 countKansas23,304Arkansas: 21,241 countArkansas21,241Idaho: 19,942 countIdaho19,942Mississippi: 18,055 countMississippi18,055Nebraska: 17,647 countNebraska17,647Montana: 14,505 countMontana14,505New Hampshire: 14,215 countNew Hampshire14,215Maine: 13,219 countMaine13,219Hawaii: 13,045 countHawaii13,045New Mexico: 12,881 countNew Mexico12,881Delaware: 11,191 countDelaware11,191Rhode Island: 10,507 countRhode Island10,507South Dakota: 9,770 countSouth Dakota9,770Wyoming: 9,395 countWyoming9,395West Virginia: 8,964 countWest Virginia8,964North Dakota: 8,196 countNorth Dakota8,196Vermont: 6,239 countVermont6,239District of Columbia: 5,910 countDistrict of Columbia5,910Alaska: 5,654 countAlaska5,654
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2020
count		Change on 2019
1California340,839-0.4%
2Florida315,953+4.6%
3Texas231,991+2.9%
4New York218,833-0.3%
5New Jersey110,051+1.2%
6Pennsylvania98,502+0.8%
7Illinois98,281+0.6%
8North Carolina91,612+3.5%
9Georgia89,923+3.5%
10Ohio88,346+0.5%
11Michigan83,315+0.6%
12Virginia71,792+0.8%
13Colorado68,821-0.1%
14Arizona67,400+1.3%
15Massachusetts62,475-0%
16Washington60,103-0.5%
17Maryland53,215-0.2%
18Tennessee52,029+5.2%
19Missouri51,275+2.1%
20Indiana47,555+1.5%
21Minnesota46,181+0.3%
22South Carolina45,407+3.8%
23Wisconsin43,516+0.7%
24Utah39,121+4%
25Connecticut38,504+1.5%
26Louisiana37,908+0.1%
27Alabama35,885+3.9%
28Oregon35,795-0.3%
29Nevada31,956+1.2%
30Kentucky31,851+2%
31Oklahoma29,834+3.3%
32Iowa26,299+2.2%
33Kansas23,304+1.9%
34Arkansas21,241+3.7%
35Idaho19,942+4.5%
36Mississippi18,055+2.9%
37Nebraska17,647+2%
38Montana14,505+3.9%
39New Hampshire14,215+0.7%
40Maine13,219+1.9%
41Hawaii13,045-2.8%
42New Mexico12,881-1.3%
43Delaware11,191+2%
44Rhode Island10,507+0.7%
45South Dakota9,770+3.1%
46Wyoming9,395+4.7%
47West Virginia8,964+1.2%
48North Dakota8,196+1.7%
49Vermont6,239+2.4%
50District of Columbia5,910-4.3%
51Alaska5,654+0.8%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of businesses without paid employees in real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), 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), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), 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), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing, 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), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing, 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-real-estate/us-states?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2023. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing, 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-real-estate/us-states?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2023) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2020/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-real-estate/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), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing, 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-real-estate/us-states?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), 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), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing, 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-real-estate/us-states?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-real-estate/us-states?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), 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: real estate, rental and leasing?

California, with 340,839 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing?

Alaska, with 5,654 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), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings