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

US states by nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade

California had the highest nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade of 51 states in 2015, at 62,926. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 306. The median was 4,512 and the figure for the United States was 417,272. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest62,926California
Lowest306District of Columbia
Median4,51251 states
United States417,272History

Map of states, 2015

Alabama: 5,223 countAlaska: 642 countArizona: 8,022 countArkansas: 3,010 countCalifornia: 62,926 countColorado: 7,317 countConnecticut: 4,386 countDelaware: 1,136 countDistrict of Columbia: 306 countFlorida: 40,685 countGeorgia: 13,237 countHawaii: 2,641 countIdaho: 2,034 countIllinois: 14,376 countIndiana: 6,477 countIowa: 3,147 countKansas: 3,203 countKentucky: 4,287 countLouisiana: 4,512 countMaine: 1,630 countMaryland: 5,727 countMassachusetts: 7,349 countMichigan: 11,157 countMinnesota: 6,719 countMississippi: 3,001 countMissouri: 6,450 countMontana: 1,243 countNebraska: 1,843 countNevada: 3,825 countNew Hampshire: 1,868 countNew Jersey: 14,362 countNew Mexico: 2,904 countNew York: 33,835 countNorth Carolina: 11,625 countNorth Dakota: 715 countOhio: 12,759 countOklahoma: 3,817 countOregon: 5,045 countPennsylvania: 13,819 countRhode Island: 1,194 countSouth Carolina: 5,505 countSouth Dakota: 909 countTennessee: 7,315 countTexas: 36,349 countUtah: 3,991 countVermont: 906 countVirginia: 7,325 countWashington: 7,818 countWest Virginia: 1,363 countWisconsin: 6,577 countWyoming: 760 count
  • Under 1,300
  • 1,300 to 3,000
  • 3,000 to 4,500
  • 4,500 to 6,900
  • 6,900 to 12K
  • 12K and over
count, 2015. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2015

California: 62,926 countCalifornia62,926Florida: 40,685 countFlorida40,685Texas: 36,349 countTexas36,349New York: 33,835 countNew York33,835Illinois: 14,376 countIllinois14,376New Jersey: 14,362 countNew Jersey14,362Pennsylvania: 13,819 countPennsylvania13,819Georgia: 13,237 countGeorgia13,237Ohio: 12,759 countOhio12,759North Carolina: 11,625 countNorth Carolina11,625Michigan: 11,157 countMichigan11,157Arizona: 8,022 countArizona8,022Washington: 7,818 countWashington7,818Massachusetts: 7,349 countMassachusetts7,349Virginia: 7,325 countVirginia7,325Colorado: 7,317 countColorado7,317Tennessee: 7,315 countTennessee7,315Minnesota: 6,719 countMinnesota6,719Wisconsin: 6,577 countWisconsin6,577Indiana: 6,477 countIndiana6,477Missouri: 6,450 countMissouri6,450Maryland: 5,727 countMaryland5,727South Carolina: 5,505 countSouth Carolina5,505Alabama: 5,223 countAlabama5,223Oregon: 5,045 countOregon5,045Louisiana: 4,512 countLouisiana4,512Connecticut: 4,386 countConnecticut4,386Kentucky: 4,287 countKentucky4,287Utah: 3,991 countUtah3,991Nevada: 3,825 countNevada3,825Oklahoma: 3,817 countOklahoma3,817Kansas: 3,203 countKansas3,203Iowa: 3,147 countIowa3,147Arkansas: 3,010 countArkansas3,010Mississippi: 3,001 countMississippi3,001New Mexico: 2,904 countNew Mexico2,904Hawaii: 2,641 countHawaii2,641Idaho: 2,034 countIdaho2,034New Hampshire: 1,868 countNew Hampshire1,868Nebraska: 1,843 countNebraska1,843Maine: 1,630 countMaine1,630West Virginia: 1,363 countWest Virginia1,363Montana: 1,243 countMontana1,243Rhode Island: 1,194 countRhode Island1,194Delaware: 1,136 countDelaware1,136South Dakota: 909 countSouth Dakota909Vermont: 906 countVermont906Wyoming: 760 countWyoming760North Dakota: 715 countNorth Dakota715Alaska: 642 countAlaska642District of Columbia: 306 countDistrict of Columbia306California: 62,926 countCalifornia62,926Florida: 40,685 countFlorida40,685Texas: 36,349 countTexas36,349New York: 33,835 countNew York33,835Illinois: 14,376 countIllinois14,376New Jersey: 14,362 countNew Jersey14,362Pennsylvania: 13,819 countPennsylvania13,819Georgia: 13,237 countGeorgia13,237Ohio: 12,759 countOhio12,759North Carolina: 11,625 countNorth Carolina11,625Michigan: 11,157 countMichigan11,157Arizona: 8,022 countArizona8,022Washington: 7,818 countWashington7,818Massachusetts: 7,349 countMassachusetts7,349Virginia: 7,325 countVirginia7,325Colorado: 7,317 countColorado7,317Tennessee: 7,315 countTennessee7,315Minnesota: 6,719 countMinnesota6,719Wisconsin: 6,577 countWisconsin6,577Indiana: 6,477 countIndiana6,477Missouri: 6,450 countMissouri6,450Maryland: 5,727 countMaryland5,727South Carolina: 5,505 countSouth Carolina5,505Alabama: 5,223 countAlabama5,223Oregon: 5,045 countOregon5,045Louisiana: 4,512 countLouisiana4,512Connecticut: 4,386 countConnecticut4,386Kentucky: 4,287 countKentucky4,287Utah: 3,991 countUtah3,991Nevada: 3,825 countNevada3,825Oklahoma: 3,817 countOklahoma3,817Kansas: 3,203 countKansas3,203Iowa: 3,147 countIowa3,147Arkansas: 3,010 countArkansas3,010Mississippi: 3,001 countMississippi3,001New Mexico: 2,904 countNew Mexico2,904Hawaii: 2,641 countHawaii2,641Idaho: 2,034 countIdaho2,034New Hampshire: 1,868 countNew Hampshire1,868Nebraska: 1,843 countNebraska1,843Maine: 1,630 countMaine1,630West Virginia: 1,363 countWest Virginia1,363Montana: 1,243 countMontana1,243Rhode Island: 1,194 countRhode Island1,194Delaware: 1,136 countDelaware1,136South Dakota: 909 countSouth Dakota909Vermont: 906 countVermont906Wyoming: 760 countWyoming760North Dakota: 715 countNorth Dakota715Alaska: 642 countAlaska642District of Columbia: 306 countDistrict of Columbia306
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2015
count		Change on 2014
1California62,926+0.7%
2Florida40,685+1.2%
3Texas36,349+0.5%
4New York33,835-0.5%
5Illinois14,376-1.2%
6New Jersey14,362-1.1%
7Pennsylvania13,819-2.2%
8Georgia13,237+0.5%
9Ohio12,759-0.5%
10North Carolina11,625-0.6%
11Michigan11,157-2%
12Arizona8,022+1%
13Washington7,818+1%
14Massachusetts7,349+2.5%
15Virginia7,325+3%
16Colorado7,317+2.3%
17Tennessee7,315+0.9%
18Minnesota6,719-1.1%
19Wisconsin6,577-0.2%
20Indiana6,477+1.3%
21Missouri6,4500%
22Maryland5,727-2.9%
23South Carolina5,505+3.4%
24Alabama5,223-0.4%
25Oregon5,045+2%
26Louisiana4,512-3.8%
27Connecticut4,386-1%
28Kentucky4,287-2.4%
29Utah3,991+1.6%
30Nevada3,825-0.1%
31Oklahoma3,817+2.1%
32Kansas3,203+0.1%
33Iowa3,147+1.4%
34Arkansas3,010+1.7%
35Mississippi3,001-4%
36New Mexico2,904-7.7%
37Hawaii2,641-1.2%
38Idaho2,034+3.5%
39New Hampshire1,868+1.2%
40Nebraska1,843+2.3%
41Maine1,630+2.6%
42West Virginia1,363-2.2%
43Montana1,243-4.9%
44Rhode Island1,194-1.7%
45Delaware1,136-0.9%
46South Dakota909+2.1%
47Vermont906-3.7%
48Wyoming760+8.4%
49North Dakota715-1.5%
50Alaska642+7%
51District of Columbia306+3%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of businesses without paid employees in wholesale trade (NAICS 42), 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), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2015/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), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2015/historical-datasets/

MLA 9

Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade, 2015. U.S. Census Bureau, 7 July 2017, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2015/historical-datasets/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2017. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2015/historical-datasets/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2017) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2015/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_nonemployer_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade, 2015}},
  year = {2017},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2015/historical-datasets/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2015/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms: US states by nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade, 2015
PY  - 2017
DA  - 2017/07/07
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2015/historical-datasets/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2015/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade?

California, with 62,926 in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade?

District of Columbia, with 306 in 2015.

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), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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