Rankings · Jobs

Lowest self-employed by state

Share of workers who are self-employed.

This measure has no better end. The order describes the states, it does not rank them — see the other direction.

Workers in their own unincorporated business, as a share of the civilian employed. High in farming and ranching counties, in resort towns built on trades and services, and in places with a strong freelance economy. Excludes people who incorporated, so it understates small business owners somewhat.

  1. 1West Virginia4.0%
  2. 2District of Columbia4.4%
  3. 3Delaware4.4%
  4. 4Illinois4.7%
  5. 5Indiana4.7%
  6. 6Virginia4.9%
  7. 7New Jersey5.0%
  8. 8Ohio5.0%
  9. 9Pennsylvania5.0%
  10. 10Utah5.0%
  11. 11Maryland5.1%
  12. 12Wisconsin5.1%
  13. 13Michigan5.2%
  14. 14Kentucky5.4%
  15. 15Minnesota5.4%
  16. 16Alabama5.5%
  17. 17Massachusetts5.5%
  18. 18Rhode Island5.5%
  19. 19Washington5.5%
  20. 20Georgia5.6%
  21. 21Nevada5.6%
  22. 22Missouri5.7%
  23. 23Mississippi5.7%
  24. 24North Carolina5.7%
  25. 25New York5.7%
  26. 26South Carolina5.9%
  27. 27Arizona6.0%
  28. 28Kansas6.0%
  29. 29Alaska6.2%
  30. 30Colorado6.2%
  31. 31Connecticut6.2%
  32. 32New Hampshire6.2%
  33. 33Nebraska6.3%
  34. 34Iowa6.4%
  35. 35Arkansas6.5%
  36. 36Florida6.5%
  37. 37Louisiana6.6%
  38. 38Oklahoma6.7%
  39. 39Oregon6.8%
  40. 40Wyoming6.8%
  41. 41Hawaii6.9%
  42. 42New Mexico6.9%
  43. 43Tennessee6.9%
  44. 44Texas6.9%
  45. 45California7.4%
  46. 46North Dakota7.5%
  47. 47Idaho7.6%
  48. 48South Dakota7.9%
  49. 49Maine8.3%
  50. 50Vermont8.7%
  51. 51Montana9.0%
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau. · How this is built