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

US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade

California had the highest nonemployer businesses: retail trade of 51 states in 2013, at 228,534. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 1,980. The median was 25,195 and the figure for the United States was 1.91 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest228,534California
Lowest1,980District of Columbia
Median25,19551 states
United States1,906,597History

Map of states, 2013

Alabama: 27,992 countAlaska: 3,988 countArizona: 35,830 countArkansas: 17,269 countCalifornia: 228,534 countColorado: 35,540 countConnecticut: 18,844 countDelaware: 5,172 countDistrict of Columbia: 1,980 countFlorida: 133,883 countGeorgia: 60,873 countHawaii: 9,812 countIdaho: 12,167 countIllinois: 68,256 countIndiana: 39,205 countIowa: 22,655 countKansas: 19,980 countKentucky: 27,591 countLouisiana: 25,195 countMaine: 9,013 countMaryland: 32,514 countMassachusetts: 29,449 countMichigan: 57,485 countMinnesota: 37,967 countMississippi: 17,017 countMissouri: 38,166 countMontana: 8,230 countNebraska: 13,188 countNevada: 16,575 countNew Hampshire: 8,379 countNew Jersey: 48,442 countNew Mexico: 10,889 countNew York: 117,606 countNorth Carolina: 56,929 countNorth Dakota: 5,754 countOhio: 67,765 countOklahoma: 24,539 countOregon: 23,057 countPennsylvania: 78,681 countRhode Island: 5,520 countSouth Carolina: 26,741 countSouth Dakota: 7,428 countTennessee: 41,445 countTexas: 171,486 countUtah: 21,126 countVermont: 4,324 countVirginia: 41,746 countWashington: 37,765 countWest Virginia: 10,621 countWisconsin: 37,597 countWyoming: 4,387 count
  • Under 8,000
  • 8,000 to 17K
  • 17K to 25K
  • 25K to 38K
  • 38K to 57K
  • 57K and over
count, 2013. 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, 2013

California: 228,534 countCalifornia228,534Texas: 171,486 countTexas171,486Florida: 133,883 countFlorida133,883New York: 117,606 countNew York117,606Pennsylvania: 78,681 countPennsylvania78,681Illinois: 68,256 countIllinois68,256Ohio: 67,765 countOhio67,765Georgia: 60,873 countGeorgia60,873Michigan: 57,485 countMichigan57,485North Carolina: 56,929 countNorth Carolina56,929New Jersey: 48,442 countNew Jersey48,442Virginia: 41,746 countVirginia41,746Tennessee: 41,445 countTennessee41,445Indiana: 39,205 countIndiana39,205Missouri: 38,166 countMissouri38,166Minnesota: 37,967 countMinnesota37,967Washington: 37,765 countWashington37,765Wisconsin: 37,597 countWisconsin37,597Arizona: 35,830 countArizona35,830Colorado: 35,540 countColorado35,540Maryland: 32,514 countMaryland32,514Massachusetts: 29,449 countMassachusetts29,449Alabama: 27,992 countAlabama27,992Kentucky: 27,591 countKentucky27,591South Carolina: 26,741 countSouth Carolina26,741Louisiana: 25,195 countLouisiana25,195Oklahoma: 24,539 countOklahoma24,539Oregon: 23,057 countOregon23,057Iowa: 22,655 countIowa22,655Utah: 21,126 countUtah21,126Kansas: 19,980 countKansas19,980Connecticut: 18,844 countConnecticut18,844Arkansas: 17,269 countArkansas17,269Mississippi: 17,017 countMississippi17,017Nevada: 16,575 countNevada16,575Nebraska: 13,188 countNebraska13,188Idaho: 12,167 countIdaho12,167New Mexico: 10,889 countNew Mexico10,889West Virginia: 10,621 countWest Virginia10,621Hawaii: 9,812 countHawaii9,812Maine: 9,013 countMaine9,013New Hampshire: 8,379 countNew Hampshire8,379Montana: 8,230 countMontana8,230South Dakota: 7,428 countSouth Dakota7,428North Dakota: 5,754 countNorth Dakota5,754Rhode Island: 5,520 countRhode Island5,520Delaware: 5,172 countDelaware5,172Wyoming: 4,387 countWyoming4,387Vermont: 4,324 countVermont4,324Alaska: 3,988 countAlaska3,988District of Columbia: 1,980 countDistrict of Columbia1,980California: 228,534 countCalifornia228,534Texas: 171,486 countTexas171,486Florida: 133,883 countFlorida133,883New York: 117,606 countNew York117,606Pennsylvania: 78,681 countPennsylvania78,681Illinois: 68,256 countIllinois68,256Ohio: 67,765 countOhio67,765Georgia: 60,873 countGeorgia60,873Michigan: 57,485 countMichigan57,485North Carolina: 56,929 countNorth Carolina56,929New Jersey: 48,442 countNew Jersey48,442Virginia: 41,746 countVirginia41,746Tennessee: 41,445 countTennessee41,445Indiana: 39,205 countIndiana39,205Missouri: 38,166 countMissouri38,166Minnesota: 37,967 countMinnesota37,967Washington: 37,765 countWashington37,765Wisconsin: 37,597 countWisconsin37,597Arizona: 35,830 countArizona35,830Colorado: 35,540 countColorado35,540Maryland: 32,514 countMaryland32,514Massachusetts: 29,449 countMassachusetts29,449Alabama: 27,992 countAlabama27,992Kentucky: 27,591 countKentucky27,591South Carolina: 26,741 countSouth Carolina26,741Louisiana: 25,195 countLouisiana25,195Oklahoma: 24,539 countOklahoma24,539Oregon: 23,057 countOregon23,057Iowa: 22,655 countIowa22,655Utah: 21,126 countUtah21,126Kansas: 19,980 countKansas19,980Connecticut: 18,844 countConnecticut18,844Arkansas: 17,269 countArkansas17,269Mississippi: 17,017 countMississippi17,017Nevada: 16,575 countNevada16,575Nebraska: 13,188 countNebraska13,188Idaho: 12,167 countIdaho12,167New Mexico: 10,889 countNew Mexico10,889West Virginia: 10,621 countWest Virginia10,621Hawaii: 9,812 countHawaii9,812Maine: 9,013 countMaine9,013New Hampshire: 8,379 countNew Hampshire8,379Montana: 8,230 countMontana8,230South Dakota: 7,428 countSouth Dakota7,428North Dakota: 5,754 countNorth Dakota5,754Rhode Island: 5,520 countRhode Island5,520Delaware: 5,172 countDelaware5,172Wyoming: 4,387 countWyoming4,387Vermont: 4,324 countVermont4,324Alaska: 3,988 countAlaska3,988District of Columbia: 1,980 countDistrict of Columbia1,980
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

RankStates2013
count		Change on 2012
1California228,534+1.3%
2Texas171,486+0.4%
3Florida133,883+2.4%
4New York117,606-0.2%
5Pennsylvania78,681-0.5%
6Illinois68,256-1.7%
7Ohio67,765-1.4%
8Georgia60,873+1.7%
9Michigan57,485-1.8%
10North Carolina56,929-0.7%
11New Jersey48,442+0.7%
12Virginia41,746-0.6%
13Tennessee41,445-0.3%
14Indiana39,205+0.7%
15Missouri38,166-0%
16Minnesota37,967+0.3%
17Washington37,765-0.1%
18Wisconsin37,597-0.7%
19Arizona35,830+1%
20Colorado35,540-1.2%
21Maryland32,514-0.2%
22Massachusetts29,449-3.4%
23Alabama27,992+1%
24Kentucky27,591-0.4%
25South Carolina26,741-1.8%
26Louisiana25,195+1.1%
27Oklahoma24,539+1.5%
28Oregon23,057-2.4%
29Iowa22,655-1.1%
30Utah21,126+2.3%
31Kansas19,980+0.2%
32Connecticut18,844-0.3%
33Arkansas17,269-1.3%
34Mississippi17,017+1%
35Nevada16,575+4.1%
36Nebraska13,188-2.4%
37Idaho12,167-1.4%
38New Mexico10,889-3.5%
39West Virginia10,621-0.7%
40Hawaii9,812+3.2%
41Maine9,013-3.1%
42New Hampshire8,379-3%
43Montana8,230-1.5%
44South Dakota7,428-2.9%
45North Dakota5,754+2%
46Rhode Island5,520+0.9%
47Delaware5,172+0.8%
48Wyoming4,387-1%
49Vermont4,324-2.3%
50Alaska3,988+0.4%
51District of Columbia1,980-0.5%

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/2013/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. (2017). Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade, 2013) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2013/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, 2013. U.S. Census Bureau, 6 June 2017, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2013/historical-datasets/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states?period=2013. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2017. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade, 2013. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2013/historical-datasets/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states?period=2013.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2017) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), retail trade (NAICS 44-45), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: retail trade, 2013 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2013/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states?period=2013 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_nonemployer_2013,
  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, 2013}},
  year = {2017},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2013/historical-datasets/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states?period=2013. 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/2013/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, 2013
PY  - 2017
DA  - 2017/06/06
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2013/historical-datasets/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states?period=2013
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-retail-trade/us-states?period=2013.
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/2013/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 228,534 in 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: retail trade?

District of Columbia, with 1,980 in 2013.

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