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 2021, at 349,772. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 5,751. The median was 39,027 and the figure for the United States was 3.07 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest349,772California
Lowest5,751District of Columbia
Median39,02751 states
United States3,074,482History

Map of states, 2021

Alabama: 37,389 countAlaska: 6,248 countArizona: 67,900 countArkansas: 22,254 countCalifornia: 349,772 countColorado: 71,174 countConnecticut: 39,242 countDelaware: 11,391 countDistrict of Columbia: 5,751 countFlorida: 322,829 countGeorgia: 93,549 countHawaii: 15,183 countIdaho: 20,797 countIllinois: 101,080 countIndiana: 48,857 countIowa: 26,769 countKansas: 23,829 countKentucky: 32,536 countLouisiana: 39,027 countMaine: 13,902 countMaryland: 53,518 countMassachusetts: 63,836 countMichigan: 84,531 countMinnesota: 47,239 countMississippi: 18,446 countMissouri: 52,958 countMontana: 15,447 countNebraska: 18,186 countNevada: 32,808 countNew Hampshire: 14,715 countNew Jersey: 113,069 countNew Mexico: 13,330 countNew York: 222,358 countNorth Carolina: 94,459 countNorth Dakota: 8,405 countOhio: 90,007 countOklahoma: 30,944 countOregon: 36,614 countPennsylvania: 101,522 countRhode Island: 10,673 countSouth Carolina: 46,825 countSouth Dakota: 10,255 countTennessee: 55,100 countTexas: 244,035 countUtah: 40,486 countVermont: 6,501 countVirginia: 73,124 countWashington: 61,647 countWest Virginia: 9,067 countWisconsin: 44,684 countWyoming: 10,214 count
  • Under 12K
  • 12K to 22K
  • 22K to 39K
  • 39K to 54K
  • 54K to 92K
  • 92K and over
count, 2021. 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, 2021

California: 349,772 countCalifornia349,772Florida: 322,829 countFlorida322,829Texas: 244,035 countTexas244,035New York: 222,358 countNew York222,358New Jersey: 113,069 countNew Jersey113,069Pennsylvania: 101,522 countPennsylvania101,522Illinois: 101,080 countIllinois101,080North Carolina: 94,459 countNorth Carolina94,459Georgia: 93,549 countGeorgia93,549Ohio: 90,007 countOhio90,007Michigan: 84,531 countMichigan84,531Virginia: 73,124 countVirginia73,124Colorado: 71,174 countColorado71,174Arizona: 67,900 countArizona67,900Massachusetts: 63,836 countMassachusetts63,836Washington: 61,647 countWashington61,647Tennessee: 55,100 countTennessee55,100Maryland: 53,518 countMaryland53,518Missouri: 52,958 countMissouri52,958Indiana: 48,857 countIndiana48,857Minnesota: 47,239 countMinnesota47,239South Carolina: 46,825 countSouth Carolina46,825Wisconsin: 44,684 countWisconsin44,684Utah: 40,486 countUtah40,486Connecticut: 39,242 countConnecticut39,242Louisiana: 39,027 countLouisiana39,027Alabama: 37,389 countAlabama37,389Oregon: 36,614 countOregon36,614Nevada: 32,808 countNevada32,808Kentucky: 32,536 countKentucky32,536Oklahoma: 30,944 countOklahoma30,944Iowa: 26,769 countIowa26,769Kansas: 23,829 countKansas23,829Arkansas: 22,254 countArkansas22,254Idaho: 20,797 countIdaho20,797Mississippi: 18,446 countMississippi18,446Nebraska: 18,186 countNebraska18,186Montana: 15,447 countMontana15,447Hawaii: 15,183 countHawaii15,183New Hampshire: 14,715 countNew Hampshire14,715Maine: 13,902 countMaine13,902New Mexico: 13,330 countNew Mexico13,330Delaware: 11,391 countDelaware11,391Rhode Island: 10,673 countRhode Island10,673South Dakota: 10,255 countSouth Dakota10,255Wyoming: 10,214 countWyoming10,214West Virginia: 9,067 countWest Virginia9,067North Dakota: 8,405 countNorth Dakota8,405Vermont: 6,501 countVermont6,501Alaska: 6,248 countAlaska6,248District of Columbia: 5,751 countDistrict of Columbia5,751California: 349,772 countCalifornia349,772Florida: 322,829 countFlorida322,829Texas: 244,035 countTexas244,035New York: 222,358 countNew York222,358New Jersey: 113,069 countNew Jersey113,069Pennsylvania: 101,522 countPennsylvania101,522Illinois: 101,080 countIllinois101,080North Carolina: 94,459 countNorth Carolina94,459Georgia: 93,549 countGeorgia93,549Ohio: 90,007 countOhio90,007Michigan: 84,531 countMichigan84,531Virginia: 73,124 countVirginia73,124Colorado: 71,174 countColorado71,174Arizona: 67,900 countArizona67,900Massachusetts: 63,836 countMassachusetts63,836Washington: 61,647 countWashington61,647Tennessee: 55,100 countTennessee55,100Maryland: 53,518 countMaryland53,518Missouri: 52,958 countMissouri52,958Indiana: 48,857 countIndiana48,857Minnesota: 47,239 countMinnesota47,239South Carolina: 46,825 countSouth Carolina46,825Wisconsin: 44,684 countWisconsin44,684Utah: 40,486 countUtah40,486Connecticut: 39,242 countConnecticut39,242Louisiana: 39,027 countLouisiana39,027Alabama: 37,389 countAlabama37,389Oregon: 36,614 countOregon36,614Nevada: 32,808 countNevada32,808Kentucky: 32,536 countKentucky32,536Oklahoma: 30,944 countOklahoma30,944Iowa: 26,769 countIowa26,769Kansas: 23,829 countKansas23,829Arkansas: 22,254 countArkansas22,254Idaho: 20,797 countIdaho20,797Mississippi: 18,446 countMississippi18,446Nebraska: 18,186 countNebraska18,186Montana: 15,447 countMontana15,447Hawaii: 15,183 countHawaii15,183New Hampshire: 14,715 countNew Hampshire14,715Maine: 13,902 countMaine13,902New Mexico: 13,330 countNew Mexico13,330Delaware: 11,391 countDelaware11,391Rhode Island: 10,673 countRhode Island10,673South Dakota: 10,255 countSouth Dakota10,255Wyoming: 10,214 countWyoming10,214West Virginia: 9,067 countWest Virginia9,067North Dakota: 8,405 countNorth Dakota8,405Vermont: 6,501 countVermont6,501Alaska: 6,248 countAlaska6,248District of Columbia: 5,751 countDistrict of Columbia5,751
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

RankStates2021
count		Change on 2020
1California349,772+2.6%
2Florida322,829+2.2%
3Texas244,035+5.2%
4New York222,358+1.6%
5New Jersey113,069+2.7%
6Pennsylvania101,522+3.1%
7Illinois101,080+2.8%
8North Carolina94,459+3.1%
9Georgia93,549+4%
10Ohio90,007+1.9%
11Michigan84,531+1.5%
12Virginia73,124+1.9%
13Colorado71,174+3.4%
14Arizona67,900+0.7%
15Massachusetts63,836+2.2%
16Washington61,647+2.6%
17Tennessee55,100+5.9%
18Maryland53,518+0.6%
19Missouri52,958+3.3%
20Indiana48,857+2.7%
21Minnesota47,239+2.3%
22South Carolina46,825+3.1%
23Wisconsin44,684+2.7%
24Utah40,486+3.5%
25Connecticut39,242+1.9%
26Louisiana39,027+3%
27Alabama37,389+4.2%
28Oregon36,614+2.3%
29Nevada32,808+2.7%
30Kentucky32,536+2.2%
31Oklahoma30,944+3.7%
32Iowa26,769+1.8%
33Kansas23,829+2.3%
34Arkansas22,254+4.8%
35Idaho20,797+4.3%
36Mississippi18,446+2.2%
37Nebraska18,186+3.1%
38Montana15,447+6.5%
39Hawaii15,183+16.4%
40New Hampshire14,715+3.5%
41Maine13,902+5.2%
42New Mexico13,330+3.5%
43Delaware11,391+1.8%
44Rhode Island10,673+1.6%
45South Dakota10,255+5%
46Wyoming10,214+8.7%
47West Virginia9,067+1.1%
48North Dakota8,405+2.6%
49Vermont6,501+4.2%
50Alaska6,248+10.5%
51District of Columbia5,751-2.7%

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/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), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing, 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), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing, 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-real-estate/us-states?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2024. 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, 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-real-estate/us-states?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2024) 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, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2021/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-real-estate/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), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: real estate, rental and leasing, 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-real-estate/us-states?period=2021. 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/2021/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, 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-real-estate/us-states?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-real-estate/us-states?period=2021.
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/2021/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 349,772 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

District of Columbia, with 5,751 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), real estate and rental and leasing (NAICS 53), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings