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RANKING · 2024 ACS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most self-employed workers, US states

US states ranked by the share of employed residents who work for themselves in an incorporated or unincorporated business (2024 ACS). Alaska leads at 18.9%. 51 states qualify in total.

All statesAll rankings
RANKPLACESTATEPOPSELF-EMPLOYED WORKERSVS 2010
USUnited States334,922,49913.1%–
01Alaska, AKAK735,70618.9%+1.2 pts
02Wyoming, WYWY582,39717.4%+1.6 pts
03New York, NYNY19,852,36616.7%+0.4 pts
04New Mexico, NMNM2,120,24616.4%+0.4 pts
05Vermont, VTVT647,10616.2%+1.7 pts
06West Virginia, WVWV1,778,37315.3%+1.0 pts
07North Dakota, NDND784,84115.0%+1.0 pts
08Kansas, KSKS2,947,19714.6%+0.6 pts
09Mississippi, MSMS2,946,77914.5%−0.3 pts
10Hawaii, HIHI1,445,23514.3%+1.3 pts
11District of Columbia, DCDC681,29414.2%−0.4 pts
12Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,05614.2%+0.6 pts
13Maine, MEME1,387,81714.1%+0.4 pts
14South Dakota, SDSD907,42814.0%+0.6 pts
15Oregon, OROR4,254,29313.9%+0.8 pts
16Maryland, MDMD6,206,01113.9%+0.2 pts
17Montana, MTMT1,116,87513.9%−0.2 pts
18Louisiana, LALA4,611,96113.9%−0.1 pts
19California, CACA39,287,37713.8%+0.7 pts
20Minnesota, MNMN5,739,44513.7%+1.3 pts
21Nebraska, NENE1,978,70713.7%+1.0 pts
22Washington, WAWA7,816,11613.7%+0.3 pts
23Virginia, VAVA8,705,17013.6%+0.2 pts
24New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,80913.5%+0.3 pts
25Connecticut, CTCT3,624,50813.4%+0.2 pts
26Arkansas, ARAR3,049,39113.3%−0.2 pts
27Iowa, IAIA3,210,50713.3%+0.6 pts
28Delaware, DEDE1,021,19113.2%+1.1 pts
29Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,63413.1%−0.1 pts
30Kentucky, KYKY4,534,82413.0%+0.1 pts
31Illinois, ILIL12,694,79813.0%+0.7 pts
32New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,86812.9%+0.1 pts
33Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,80112.9%+0.1 pts
34South Carolina, SCSC5,296,22512.9%−0.2 pts
35Ohio, OHOH11,810,29312.8%+0.4 pts
36Alabama, ALAL5,086,76812.8%−0.2 pts
37Utah, UTUT3,392,33112.8%+0.1 pts
38Idaho, IDID1,934,26212.7%+0.1 pts
39Colorado, COCO5,862,18912.7%+0.5 pts
40Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,87212.4%+0.5 pts
41Missouri, MOMO6,191,81412.3%+0.3 pts
42Tennessee, TNTN7,066,38312.3%−0.2 pts
43North Carolina, NCNC10,730,40412.3%−0.7 pts
44Texas, TXTX30,188,42412.2%−0.2 pts
45Georgia, GAGA10,940,40712.2%−0.8 pts
46Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,63912.1%+0.5 pts
47Arizona, AZAZ7,378,83811.9%−0.7 pts
48Indiana, ININ6,851,07311.7%+0.6 pts
49Michigan, MIMI10,077,76111.6%−0.3 pts
50Florida, FLFL22,416,07710.8%−1.1 pts
51Nevada, NVNV3,184,61210.5%+0.3 pts
SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest self-employed workers?

Alaska ranks #1 with 18.9% (2024 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by self-employed workers?

Alaska, Wyoming, New York, New Mexico, Vermont.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2024 ACS 5-year data.

How is self-employed workers measured?

Share of the employed civilian population 16+ who are self-employed (own incorporated or unincorporated business). Source: ACS B24080. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024).