Nonemployer Businesses Are Increasing in Number in Rural America

Tessa Conroy, Austin Landini and Mary McDermott

Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm, and Resource Issues, 2025, vol. 40, issue 2

Abstract: The number of nonemployer businesses, those without payroll employees, has increased remarkably. From 2000 to 2021, nonemployer businesses in the United States increased by 72%, from 16.5 million to 28.5 million. This increase is striking compared to employer businesses, which increased by 15% during the same period, from just under 7 million in 2000 to over 8 million in 2021. Nonemployers now make up 78% of all businesses, up from 70% in 2000. In rural areas, the trend is even more striking in that the increase in nonemployer businesses has been accompanied by a decrease in the number of employer businesses.

Keywords: Agribusiness; Community/Rural/Urban Development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:aaeach:356493

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.356493

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