Industries and local business density
Pick an industry to see which metro areas and counties have the most residents per business, the most businesses per resident and the highest pay, from the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns (2023) and Nonemployer Statistics (2024).
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Sector 11
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
Sector 21
Utilities
Sector 22
Construction
Sector 23
- Construction814,557 establishments · 7,659,459 employees · $76,580 average pay
- Construction of buildings254,630 establishments · 1,621,439 employees · $82,433 average pay
- Heavy and civil engineering construction38,612 establishments · 1,051,261 employees · $91,313 average pay
- Specialty trade contractors521,315 establishments · 4,986,759 employees · $71,571 average pay
- Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors106,125 establishments · 959,465 employees · $67,882 average pay
- Building equipment contractors202,656 establishments · 2,381,266 employees · $75,980 average pay
- Electrical contractors and wiring installation83,342 establishments · 1,015,983 employees · $76,545 average pay
- Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors111,207 establishments · 1,214,761 employees · $73,693 average pay
- Building finishing contractors128,009 establishments · 863,952 employees · $60,715 average pay
- Other specialty trade contractors84,525 establishments · 782,076 employees · $74,662 average pay
Manufacturing
Sector 31-33
- Manufacturing284,452 establishments · 12,335,234 employees · $73,202 average pay
- Food manufacturing31,130 establishments · 1,707,316 employees · $55,880 average pay
- Fabricated metal product manufacturing53,790 establishments · 1,441,471 employees · $67,129 average pay
- Machinery manufacturing21,668 establishments · 1,086,146 employees · $78,310 average pay
- Computer and electronic product manufacturing11,262 establishments · 815,444 employees · $105,268 average pay
- Transportation equipment manufacturing11,691 establishments · 1,682,910 employees · $82,654 average pay
Wholesale trade
Sector 42
Retail trade
Sector 44-45
- Retail trade1,043,373 establishments · 16,046,207 employees · $37,746 average pay
- Motor vehicle dealers47,057 establishments · 1,293,388 employees · $76,358 average pay
- Auto parts, accessories and tire stores58,817 establishments · 550,237 employees · $40,199 average pay
- Building material and supplies dealers (hardware, home centers)55,545 establishments · 1,248,320 employees · $39,021 average pay
- Furniture and home furnishings stores21,964 establishments · 194,508 employees · $50,508 average pay
- Electronics and appliance stores19,048 establishments · 196,557 employees · $43,352 average pay
- Grocery and convenience stores99,939 establishments · 2,974,201 employees · $29,496 average pay
- Specialty food stores23,926 establishments · 166,164 employees · $27,293 average pay
- Beer, wine and liquor stores36,433 establishments · 193,533 employees · $28,143 average pay
- Health and personal care stores89,276 establishments · 1,066,142 employees · $40,288 average pay
- Pharmacies and drug stores41,792 establishments · 691,152 employees · $44,477 average pay
- Gasoline stations109,174 establishments · 1,016,960 employees · $29,193 average pay
- Clothing and accessories stores122,162 establishments · 1,505,822 employees · $25,830 average pay
- Sporting goods and hobby stores36,008 establishments · 419,984 employees · $27,185 average pay
- General merchandise stores59,516 establishments · 2,666,463 employees · $30,677 average pay
Transportation and warehousing
Sector 48-49
- Transportation and warehousing291,155 establishments · 6,548,924 employees · $61,391 average pay
- Truck transportation170,286 establishments · 1,693,228 employees · $61,111 average pay
- Couriers and messengers16,226 establishments · 1,185,718 employees · $53,395 average pay
- Warehousing and storage21,521 establishments · 1,648,638 employees · $51,510 average pay
Information
Sector 51
- Information160,704 establishments · 3,809,059 employees · $149,198 average pay
- Motion picture and video industries25,641 establishments · 307,031 employees · $61,214 average pay
- Software publishers18,425 establishments · 1,011,187 employees · $201,426 average pay
- Data processing, hosting and related services18,544 establishments · 629,527 employees · $147,665 average pay
Finance and insurance
Sector 52
Real estate and rental and leasing
Sector 53
Professional, scientific, and technical services
Sector 54
- Professional, scientific, and technical services989,182 establishments · 10,401,442 employees · $107,141 average pay
- Legal services181,092 establishments · 1,190,297 employees · $120,985 average pay
- Accounting, tax preparation and payroll services137,069 establishments · 1,297,995 employees · $76,876 average pay
- Architectural, engineering and related services117,417 establishments · 1,741,313 employees · $102,782 average pay
- Computer systems design and related services145,813 establishments · 2,050,626 employees · $122,296 average pay
- Management, scientific and technical consulting225,945 establishments · 1,736,343 employees · $106,100 average pay
- Scientific research and development22,403 establishments · 1,003,975 employees · $153,460 average pay
- Advertising, public relations and related services38,864 establishments · 465,231 employees · $93,178 average pay
- Veterinary services34,296 establishments · 475,106 employees · $52,978 average pay
Management of companies and enterprises
Sector 55
Administrative, support, and waste management services
Sector 56
- Administrative, support, and waste management services451,014 establishments · 13,454,862 employees · $56,705 average pay
- Employment services56,173 establishments · 7,790,831 employees · $60,555 average pay
- Business support services29,171 establishments · 673,396 employees · $47,783 average pay
- Services to buildings and dwellings227,045 establishments · 2,156,568 employees · $40,433 average pay
- Landscaping services117,969 establishments · 802,899 employees · $51,286 average pay
Educational services
Sector 61
- Educational services118,004 establishments · 3,926,820 employees · $50,335 average pay
- Schools, colleges and instruction118,004 establishments · 3,926,820 employees · $50,335 average pay
- Elementary and secondary schools23,201 establishments · 1,176,824 employees · $48,283 average pay
- Colleges, universities and professional schools3,989 establishments · 1,862,528 employees · $56,181 average pay
- Fine arts, sports and other instruction59,138 establishments · 503,283 employees · $24,788 average pay
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
Sector 71
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation166,356 establishments · 2,491,408 employees · $47,770 average pay
- Amusement, gambling and recreation industries89,540 establishments · 1,794,693 employees · $28,539 average pay
- Other amusement and recreation industries81,659 establishments · 1,426,535 employees · $26,185 average pay
- Fitness and recreational sports centers41,556 establishments · 708,273 employees · $19,070 average pay
Accommodation and food services
Sector 72
- Accommodation and food services784,882 establishments · 14,608,170 employees · $26,914 average pay
- Traveler accommodation60,776 establishments · 1,905,596 employees · $41,114 average pay
- RV parks and recreational camps7,985 establishments · 50,244 employees · $45,935 average pay
- Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)40,835 establishments · 432,542 employees · $25,612 average pay
- Restaurants and other eating places618,476 establishments · 11,406,584 employees · $24,280 average pay
- Full-service restaurants258,626 establishments · 5,387,020 employees · $28,018 average pay
- Limited-service restaurants270,088 establishments · 4,965,080 employees · $20,857 average pay
- Cafeterias, grill buffets and buffets4,622 establishments · 68,901 employees · $22,646 average pay
- Snack and non-alcoholic beverage bars85,140 establishments · 985,583 employees · $21,205 average pay
Other services (except public administration)
Sector 81
- Other services (except public administration)807,804 establishments · 5,616,494 employees · $43,492 average pay
- Automotive repair and maintenance169,572 establishments · 992,292 employees · $49,123 average pay
- Electronic and precision equipment repair10,917 establishments · 89,305 employees · $68,726 average pay
- Commercial and industrial machinery repair22,907 establishments · 219,835 employees · $73,266 average pay
- Personal care services160,726 establishments · 764,640 employees · $30,547 average pay
- Barber shops7,789 establishments · 29,017 employees · $33,667 average pay
- Beauty salons84,176 establishments · 391,064 employees · $31,717 average pay
- Drycleaning and laundry services29,017 establishments · 256,702 employees · $37,204 average pay
- Other personal services62,812 establishments · 394,520 employees · $32,181 average pay
- Pet care (except veterinary) services25,551 establishments · 175,116 employees · $28,047 average pay
- Religious organizations186,801 establishments · 1,576,295 employees · $28,701 average pay
- Civic and social organizations24,698 establishments · 201,423 employees · $31,334 average pay