Data / Rankings / Nonemployer businesses: retail trade / US states

US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade, 2024

California had the highest nonemployer businesses: retail trade of 51 states in 2024, at 240,437. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 2,447. The median was 26,344 and the figure for the United States was 2.18 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest240,437California
Lowest2,447District of Columbia
Median26,34451 states
United States2,178,016History

Map of states, 2024

Alabama: 30,406 countAlaska: 3,688 countArizona: 42,793 countArkansas: 19,176 countCalifornia: 240,437 countColorado: 37,238 countConnecticut: 20,256 countDelaware: 7,544 countDistrict of Columbia: 2,447 countFlorida: 194,347 countGeorgia: 81,918 countHawaii: 9,449 countIdaho: 13,915 countIllinois: 81,358 countIndiana: 39,470 countIowa: 19,980 countKansas: 18,338 countKentucky: 26,344 countLouisiana: 28,793 countMaine: 8,808 countMaryland: 39,959 countMassachusetts: 38,947 countMichigan: 61,268 countMinnesota: 35,258 countMississippi: 18,970 countMissouri: 42,076 countMontana: 8,336 countNebraska: 12,797 countNevada: 21,532 countNew Hampshire: 8,519 countNew Jersey: 68,018 countNew Mexico: 10,291 countNew York: 126,108 countNorth Carolina: 65,891 countNorth Dakota: 5,122 countOhio: 67,987 countOklahoma: 25,050 countOregon: 24,567 countPennsylvania: 76,861 countRhode Island: 5,678 countSouth Carolina: 33,455 countSouth Dakota: 7,181 countTennessee: 47,667 countTexas: 224,285 countUtah: 25,741 countVermont: 4,514 countVirginia: 53,659 countWashington: 39,468 countWest Virginia: 9,266 countWisconsin: 37,314 countWyoming: 5,526 count
  • Under 8,000
  • 8,000 to 19K
  • 19K to 26K
  • 26K to 39K
  • 39K to 67K
  • 67K and over
count, 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2024

California: 240,437 countCalifornia240,437Texas: 224,285 countTexas224,285Florida: 194,347 countFlorida194,347New York: 126,108 countNew York126,108Georgia: 81,918 countGeorgia81,918Illinois: 81,358 countIllinois81,358Pennsylvania: 76,861 countPennsylvania76,861New Jersey: 68,018 countNew Jersey68,018Ohio: 67,987 countOhio67,987North Carolina: 65,891 countNorth Carolina65,891Michigan: 61,268 countMichigan61,268Virginia: 53,659 countVirginia53,659Tennessee: 47,667 countTennessee47,667Arizona: 42,793 countArizona42,793Missouri: 42,076 countMissouri42,076Maryland: 39,959 countMaryland39,959Indiana: 39,470 countIndiana39,470Washington: 39,468 countWashington39,468Massachusetts: 38,947 countMassachusetts38,947Wisconsin: 37,314 countWisconsin37,314Colorado: 37,238 countColorado37,238Minnesota: 35,258 countMinnesota35,258South Carolina: 33,455 countSouth Carolina33,455Alabama: 30,406 countAlabama30,406Louisiana: 28,793 countLouisiana28,793Kentucky: 26,344 countKentucky26,344Utah: 25,741 countUtah25,741Oklahoma: 25,050 countOklahoma25,050Oregon: 24,567 countOregon24,567Nevada: 21,532 countNevada21,532Connecticut: 20,256 countConnecticut20,256Iowa: 19,980 countIowa19,980Arkansas: 19,176 countArkansas19,176Mississippi: 18,970 countMississippi18,970Kansas: 18,338 countKansas18,338Idaho: 13,915 countIdaho13,915Nebraska: 12,797 countNebraska12,797New Mexico: 10,291 countNew Mexico10,291Hawaii: 9,449 countHawaii9,449West Virginia: 9,266 countWest Virginia9,266Maine: 8,808 countMaine8,808New Hampshire: 8,519 countNew Hampshire8,519Montana: 8,336 countMontana8,336Delaware: 7,544 countDelaware7,544South Dakota: 7,181 countSouth Dakota7,181Rhode Island: 5,678 countRhode Island5,678Wyoming: 5,526 countWyoming5,526North Dakota: 5,122 countNorth Dakota5,122Vermont: 4,514 countVermont4,514Alaska: 3,688 countAlaska3,688District of Columbia: 2,447 countDistrict of Columbia2,447California: 240,437 countCalifornia240,437Texas: 224,285 countTexas224,285Florida: 194,347 countFlorida194,347New York: 126,108 countNew York126,108Georgia: 81,918 countGeorgia81,918Illinois: 81,358 countIllinois81,358Pennsylvania: 76,861 countPennsylvania76,861New Jersey: 68,018 countNew Jersey68,018Ohio: 67,987 countOhio67,987North Carolina: 65,891 countNorth Carolina65,891Michigan: 61,268 countMichigan61,268Virginia: 53,659 countVirginia53,659Tennessee: 47,667 countTennessee47,667Arizona: 42,793 countArizona42,793Missouri: 42,076 countMissouri42,076Maryland: 39,959 countMaryland39,959Indiana: 39,470 countIndiana39,470Washington: 39,468 countWashington39,468Massachusetts: 38,947 countMassachusetts38,947Wisconsin: 37,314 countWisconsin37,314Colorado: 37,238 countColorado37,238Minnesota: 35,258 countMinnesota35,258South Carolina: 33,455 countSouth Carolina33,455Alabama: 30,406 countAlabama30,406Louisiana: 28,793 countLouisiana28,793Kentucky: 26,344 countKentucky26,344Utah: 25,741 countUtah25,741Oklahoma: 25,050 countOklahoma25,050Oregon: 24,567 countOregon24,567Nevada: 21,532 countNevada21,532Connecticut: 20,256 countConnecticut20,256Iowa: 19,980 countIowa19,980Arkansas: 19,176 countArkansas19,176Mississippi: 18,970 countMississippi18,970Kansas: 18,338 countKansas18,338Idaho: 13,915 countIdaho13,915Nebraska: 12,797 countNebraska12,797New Mexico: 10,291 countNew Mexico10,291Hawaii: 9,449 countHawaii9,449West Virginia: 9,266 countWest Virginia9,266Maine: 8,808 countMaine8,808New Hampshire: 8,519 countNew Hampshire8,519Montana: 8,336 countMontana8,336Delaware: 7,544 countDelaware7,544South Dakota: 7,181 countSouth Dakota7,181Rhode Island: 5,678 countRhode Island5,678Wyoming: 5,526 countWyoming5,526North Dakota: 5,122 countNorth Dakota5,122Vermont: 4,514 countVermont4,514Alaska: 3,688 countAlaska3,688District of Columbia: 2,447 countDistrict of Columbia2,447
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2024
count		Change on 2023
1California240,437+8%
2Texas224,285+6.8%
3Florida194,347+10.1%
4New York126,108+8.6%
5Georgia81,918+5.8%
6Illinois81,358-2.7%
7Pennsylvania76,861+6.4%
8New Jersey68,018+0.1%
9Ohio67,987+4.7%
10North Carolina65,891+5.4%
11Michigan61,268+4.3%
12Virginia53,659-2.4%
13Tennessee47,667+4%
14Arizona42,793+5.7%
15Missouri42,076-1.3%
16Maryland39,959-2.1%
17Indiana39,470+4.2%
18Washington39,468+6%
19Massachusetts38,947-4.5%
20Wisconsin37,314+3.2%
21Colorado37,238+4.5%
22Minnesota35,258+3.5%
23South Carolina33,455+6.2%
24Alabama30,406+0.5%
25Louisiana28,793+4%
26Kentucky26,344+1.1%
27Utah25,741+4.2%
28Oklahoma25,050+3.1%
29Oregon24,567+3.7%
30Nevada21,532+7.3%
31Connecticut20,256+5.6%
32Iowa19,980+2.1%
33Arkansas19,176-2.4%
34Mississippi18,970+1.9%
35Kansas18,338+1.9%
36Idaho13,915+3.1%
37Nebraska12,797+3.7%
38New Mexico10,291+2.9%
39Hawaii9,449+2.2%
40West Virginia9,266+3.4%
41Maine8,808+2.1%
42New Hampshire8,519+5.7%
43Montana8,336+1.3%
44Delaware7,544+8.3%
45South Dakota7,181+0.9%
46Rhode Island5,678+8%
47Wyoming5,526+9.4%
48North Dakota5,122+1.5%
49Vermont4,514-4.4%
50Alaska3,688-0.8%
51District of Columbia2,447-0.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of businesses without paid employees in retail trade (NAICS 44-45), 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), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2024/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. (2026). Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade, 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2024/historical-datasets/

MLA 9

Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade, 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Sept. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2024/historical-datasets/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade, 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2024/historical-datasets/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade, 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2024/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_nonemployer_2024,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade, 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2024/historical-datasets/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2024/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade, 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2024/historical-datasets/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2024/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which state has the highest nonemployer businesses: retail trade?

California, with 240,437 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: retail trade?

District of Columbia, with 2,447 in 2024.

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), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings