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 2019, at 60,139. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 296. The median was 4,306 and the figure for the United States was 391,670. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest60,139California
Lowest296District of Columbia
Median4,30651 states
United States391,670History

Map of states, 2019

Alabama: 4,787 countAlaska: 529 countArizona: 7,525 countArkansas: 2,701 countCalifornia: 60,139 countColorado: 6,590 countConnecticut: 4,022 countDelaware: 1,293 countDistrict of Columbia: 296 countFlorida: 41,670 countGeorgia: 12,473 countHawaii: 2,324 countIdaho: 1,941 countIllinois: 12,647 countIndiana: 5,610 countIowa: 2,954 countKansas: 2,844 countKentucky: 3,767 countLouisiana: 4,306 countMaine: 1,525 countMaryland: 5,180 countMassachusetts: 7,495 countMichigan: 10,427 countMinnesota: 6,043 countMississippi: 2,837 countMissouri: 5,891 countMontana: 1,265 countNebraska: 1,717 countNevada: 3,760 countNew Hampshire: 1,655 countNew Jersey: 13,829 countNew Mexico: 2,305 countNew York: 31,230 countNorth Carolina: 10,779 countNorth Dakota: 742 countOhio: 11,476 countOklahoma: 3,551 countOregon: 4,424 countPennsylvania: 12,629 countRhode Island: 1,085 countSouth Carolina: 5,200 countSouth Dakota: 841 countTennessee: 6,811 countTexas: 34,813 countUtah: 3,872 countVermont: 819 countVirginia: 6,473 countWashington: 6,678 countWest Virginia: 1,162 countWisconsin: 5,965 countWyoming: 773 count
  • Under 1,300
  • 1,300 to 2,800
  • 2,800 to 4,300
  • 4,300 to 6,200
  • 6,200 to 11K
  • 11K and over
count, 2019. 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, 2019

California: 60,139 countCalifornia60,139Florida: 41,670 countFlorida41,670Texas: 34,813 countTexas34,813New York: 31,230 countNew York31,230New Jersey: 13,829 countNew Jersey13,829Illinois: 12,647 countIllinois12,647Pennsylvania: 12,629 countPennsylvania12,629Georgia: 12,473 countGeorgia12,473Ohio: 11,476 countOhio11,476North Carolina: 10,779 countNorth Carolina10,779Michigan: 10,427 countMichigan10,427Arizona: 7,525 countArizona7,525Massachusetts: 7,495 countMassachusetts7,495Tennessee: 6,811 countTennessee6,811Washington: 6,678 countWashington6,678Colorado: 6,590 countColorado6,590Virginia: 6,473 countVirginia6,473Minnesota: 6,043 countMinnesota6,043Wisconsin: 5,965 countWisconsin5,965Missouri: 5,891 countMissouri5,891Indiana: 5,610 countIndiana5,610South Carolina: 5,200 countSouth Carolina5,200Maryland: 5,180 countMaryland5,180Alabama: 4,787 countAlabama4,787Oregon: 4,424 countOregon4,424Louisiana: 4,306 countLouisiana4,306Connecticut: 4,022 countConnecticut4,022Utah: 3,872 countUtah3,872Kentucky: 3,767 countKentucky3,767Nevada: 3,760 countNevada3,760Oklahoma: 3,551 countOklahoma3,551Iowa: 2,954 countIowa2,954Kansas: 2,844 countKansas2,844Mississippi: 2,837 countMississippi2,837Arkansas: 2,701 countArkansas2,701Hawaii: 2,324 countHawaii2,324New Mexico: 2,305 countNew Mexico2,305Idaho: 1,941 countIdaho1,941Nebraska: 1,717 countNebraska1,717New Hampshire: 1,655 countNew Hampshire1,655Maine: 1,525 countMaine1,525Delaware: 1,293 countDelaware1,293Montana: 1,265 countMontana1,265West Virginia: 1,162 countWest Virginia1,162Rhode Island: 1,085 countRhode Island1,085South Dakota: 841 countSouth Dakota841Vermont: 819 countVermont819Wyoming: 773 countWyoming773North Dakota: 742 countNorth Dakota742Alaska: 529 countAlaska529District of Columbia: 296 countDistrict of Columbia296California: 60,139 countCalifornia60,139Florida: 41,670 countFlorida41,670Texas: 34,813 countTexas34,813New York: 31,230 countNew York31,230New Jersey: 13,829 countNew Jersey13,829Illinois: 12,647 countIllinois12,647Pennsylvania: 12,629 countPennsylvania12,629Georgia: 12,473 countGeorgia12,473Ohio: 11,476 countOhio11,476North Carolina: 10,779 countNorth Carolina10,779Michigan: 10,427 countMichigan10,427Arizona: 7,525 countArizona7,525Massachusetts: 7,495 countMassachusetts7,495Tennessee: 6,811 countTennessee6,811Washington: 6,678 countWashington6,678Colorado: 6,590 countColorado6,590Virginia: 6,473 countVirginia6,473Minnesota: 6,043 countMinnesota6,043Wisconsin: 5,965 countWisconsin5,965Missouri: 5,891 countMissouri5,891Indiana: 5,610 countIndiana5,610South Carolina: 5,200 countSouth Carolina5,200Maryland: 5,180 countMaryland5,180Alabama: 4,787 countAlabama4,787Oregon: 4,424 countOregon4,424Louisiana: 4,306 countLouisiana4,306Connecticut: 4,022 countConnecticut4,022Utah: 3,872 countUtah3,872Kentucky: 3,767 countKentucky3,767Nevada: 3,760 countNevada3,760Oklahoma: 3,551 countOklahoma3,551Iowa: 2,954 countIowa2,954Kansas: 2,844 countKansas2,844Mississippi: 2,837 countMississippi2,837Arkansas: 2,701 countArkansas2,701Hawaii: 2,324 countHawaii2,324New Mexico: 2,305 countNew Mexico2,305Idaho: 1,941 countIdaho1,941Nebraska: 1,717 countNebraska1,717New Hampshire: 1,655 countNew Hampshire1,655Maine: 1,525 countMaine1,525Delaware: 1,293 countDelaware1,293Montana: 1,265 countMontana1,265West Virginia: 1,162 countWest Virginia1,162Rhode Island: 1,085 countRhode Island1,085South Dakota: 841 countSouth Dakota841Vermont: 819 countVermont819Wyoming: 773 countWyoming773North Dakota: 742 countNorth Dakota742Alaska: 529 countAlaska529District of Columbia: 296 countDistrict of Columbia296
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

RankStates2019
count		Change on 2018
1California60,139-1.9%
2Florida41,670+1.7%
3Texas34,813+0.2%
4New York31,230-2.4%
5New Jersey13,829-2.3%
6Illinois12,647-3.9%
7Pennsylvania12,629-5.2%
8Georgia12,473+0.7%
9Ohio11,476-3.8%
10North Carolina10,779-1.6%
11Michigan10,427-3.7%
12Arizona7,525-0.3%
13Massachusetts7,495-3.6%
14Tennessee6,811+0.1%
15Washington6,678-3.4%
16Colorado6,590-3.5%
17Virginia6,473-5.9%
18Minnesota6,043-1.6%
19Wisconsin5,965-3.5%
20Missouri5,891-5.7%
21Indiana5,610-5.3%
22South Carolina5,200-1.5%
23Maryland5,180-1.4%
24Alabama4,787-4.1%
25Oregon4,424-2.8%
26Louisiana4,306-3.3%
27Connecticut4,022-3.8%
28Utah3,872-4%
29Kentucky3,767-4.3%
30Nevada3,760+0.8%
31Oklahoma3,551-1.2%
32Iowa2,954-4.5%
33Kansas2,844-3%
34Mississippi2,837+0.6%
35Arkansas2,701-5.8%
36Hawaii2,324-3%
37New Mexico2,305-4.6%
38Idaho1,941-3.8%
39Nebraska1,717-1%
40New Hampshire1,655-5.2%
41Maine1,525-0.7%
42Delaware1,293+5.6%
43Montana1,265+3.3%
44West Virginia1,162-4.2%
45Rhode Island1,085-3.1%
46South Dakota841-6.1%
47Vermont819-1.7%
48Wyoming773+2%
49North Dakota742+0.1%
50Alaska529-10.6%
51District of Columbia296+3.1%

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/2019/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), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms (US states by nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade, 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2019/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, 2019. U.S. Census Bureau, 8 Oct. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2019/historical-datasets/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2019. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms. US states by nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade, 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2019/historical-datasets/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2019.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Nonemployer Statistics, state and US files: establishments (ESTAB), wholesale trade (NAICS 42), all legal forms, US states by nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade, 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2019/historical-datasets/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_nonemployer_2019,
  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, 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2019/historical-datasets/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2019. 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/2019/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, 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/08
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/nonemployer-statistics/datasets/2019/historical-datasets/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/nonemployer-businesses-wholesale-trade/us-states?period=2019.
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/2019/historical-datasets/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade?

California, with 60,139 in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest nonemployer businesses: wholesale trade?

District of Columbia, with 296 in 2019.

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.

US states: more rankings