Data study · updated August 2026
Where America starts businesses — all 50 states, ranked
Americans filed 6.19 million new business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +16.0% on the year before. Florida, California and Texas account for the most filings; per resident, nobody comes close to Wyoming at 146 applications per 1,000 people. This page ranks every state on the U.S. Census Bureau's Business Formation Statistics and adds what we see in the 26.23 million registry records we hold from ten state Secretaries of State.
The 50-state ranking
Ranked by total applications in the latest twelve months. Each state name links to its registry guide — what the state's Secretary of State requires in a business name, the filing fee and how to check whether a name is taken.
| # | State | Applications, last 12 mo | Per 1,000 residents | vs prior 12 mo | vs 2019 | Share of U.S. | Busiest month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 712,436 | 30.5 #3 | +13.6% | +81.7% | 11.5% | April |
| 2 | California | 614,271 | 15.6 #30 | +15.7% | +68.3% | 9.9% | July |
| 3 | Texas | 590,452 | 18.9 #13 | +18.0% | +93.5% | 9.5% | July |
| 4 | New York | 321,935 | 16.2 #26 | +10.5% | +40.8% | 5.2% | July |
| 5 | Georgia | 279,567 | 25.0 #6 | +15.7% | +62.4% | 4.5% | July |
| 6 | Illinois | 199,404 | 15.7 #28 | +14.5% | +70.0% | 3.2% | October |
| 7 | North Carolina | 197,879 | 17.9 #19 | +17.5% | +91.0% | 3.2% | April |
| 8 | Ohio | 185,245 | 15.6 #29 | +22.8% | +95.0% | 3.0% | July |
| 9 | New Jersey | 175,623 | 18.5 #17 | +13.2% | +56.3% | 2.8% | April |
| 10 | Michigan | 168,867 | 16.7 #25 | +23.2% | +78.6% | 2.7% | July |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 168,110 | 12.9 #43 | +12.4% | +63.6% | 2.7% | April |
| 12 | Colorado | 166,950 | 28.0 #5 | +20.0% | +93.1% | 2.7% | April |
| 13 | Arizona | 155,983 | 20.6 #12 | +25.5% | +103.5% | 2.5% | April |
| 14 | Virginia | 149,671 | 17.0 #23 | +15.4% | +70.1% | 2.4% | April |
| 15 | Washington | 117,824 | 14.8 #34 | -19.4% | +67.4% | 1.9% | April |
| 16 | Missouri | 116,931 | 18.7 #14 | +30.7% | +99.0% | 1.9% | July |
| 17 | Tennessee | 115,152 | 15.9 #27 | +23.7% | +96.1% | 1.9% | July |
| 18 | Maryland | 108,717 | 17.4 #21 | +12.1% | +44.1% | 1.8% | April |
| 19 | South Carolina | 101,791 | 18.6 #15 | +15.2% | +97.7% | 1.6% | April |
| 20 | Indiana | 99,147 | 14.3 #38 | +13.5% | +84.3% | 1.6% | July |
| 21 | Wyoming | 85,527 | 145.5 #1 | +18.5% | +335.0% | 1.4% | April |
| 22 | Massachusetts | 85,334 | 12.0 #47 | +11.4% | +49.0% | 1.4% | April |
| 23 | Utah | 84,706 | 24.2 #7 | +29.1% | +70.5% | 1.4% | April |
| 24 | Louisiana | 82,372 | 17.9 #18 | +23.5% | +52.3% | 1.3% | July |
| 25 | Wisconsin | 79,564 | 13.3 #41 | +25.8% | +81.7% | 1.3% | July |
| 26 | Minnesota | 78,300 | 13.5 #40 | +14.0% | +70.1% | 1.3% | April |
| 27 | Alabama | 77,865 | 15.1 #31 | +24.8% | +87.6% | 1.3% | July |
| 28 | Kentucky | 77,684 | 16.9 #24 | +40.6% | +136.1% | 1.3% | July |
| 29 | Oklahoma | 69,880 | 17.1 #22 | +29.2% | +70.3% | 1.1% | February |
| 30 | Nevada | 69,288 | 21.2 #10 | +9.8% | +63.4% | 1.1% | April |
| 31 | Oregon | 63,965 | 15.0 #33 | -2.9% | +63.0% | 1.0% | April |
| 32 | Mississippi | 62,713 | 21.3 #9 | +33.0% | +99.9% | 1.0% | July |
| 33 | Delaware | 60,938 | 57.9 #2 | +2.8% | +135.4% | 1.0% | April |
| 34 | Connecticut | 55,209 | 15.0 #32 | +16.3% | +67.8% | 0.9% | April |
| 35 | Arkansas | 45,686 | 14.8 #35 | +24.5% | +79.1% | 0.7% | July |
| 36 | New Mexico | 44,099 | 20.7 #11 | +20.3% | +152.5% | 0.7% | April |
| 37 | Kansas | 43,425 | 14.6 #36 | +30.3% | +92.8% | 0.7% | July |
| 38 | Iowa | 37,944 | 11.7 #48 | +14.2% | +72.3% | 0.6% | April |
| 39 | Idaho | 37,149 | 18.6 #16 | +16.0% | +71.9% | 0.6% | April |
| 40 | Montana | 32,518 | 28.6 #4 | +15.1% | +129.8% | 0.5% | April |
| 41 | Nebraska | 24,222 | 12.1 #46 | +14.8% | +61.9% | 0.4% | April |
| 42 | New Hampshire | 19,989 | 14.2 #39 | +23.8% | +79.4% | 0.3% | April |
| 43 | West Virginia | 18,707 | 10.6 #51 | +20.2% | +87.9% | 0.3% | April |
| 44 | Hawaii | 18,439 | 12.8 #44 | -2.6% | +27.1% | 0.3% | April |
| 45 | District of Columbia | 15,752 | 22.4 #8 | +9.7% | +28.3% | 0.3% | April |
| 46 | Maine | 15,435 | 11.0 #50 | +9.0% | +54.6% | 0.2% | April |
| 47 | South Dakota | 13,415 | 14.5 #37 | +15.2% | +71.9% | 0.2% | April |
| 48 | Alaska | 13,210 | 17.8 #20 | +36.2% | +63.3% | 0.2% | May |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 12,696 | 11.4 #49 | +12.3% | +49.5% | 0.2% | April |
| 50 | North Dakota | 9,835 | 12.3 #45 | +14.4% | +43.0% | 0.2% | April |
| 51 | Vermont | 8,481 | 13.1 #42 | +16.3% | +52.3% | 0.1% | April |
Click a column heading to sort. "Applications" are IRS EIN applications by businesses, as counted by the Census Bureau's Business Formation Statistics; they run ahead of Secretary of State filings and include sole proprietorships that never register a name.
Filings per resident: the small-state surprise
Raw totals follow population. Per resident the picture inverts: Wyoming (145.5 per 1,000), Delaware (57.9) and Florida (30.5) lead, against a national rate of about 18.2 per 1,000. Wyoming's rate reflects out-of-state founders who form there for privacy and tax reasons rather than local activity. At the other end, West Virginia sits at 10.6.
Lowest five:
Where formation is growing fastest
Year over year, the strongest growth is in Kentucky, Alaska, Mississippi (+40.6%, +36.2%, +33.0%). The weakest: Maine (+9.0%), Delaware (+2.8%), Hawaii (-2.6%), Oregon (-2.9%), Washington (-19.4%).
Since 2019 — the post-pandemic step change
Almost every state files far more than it did in the twelve months of 2019. The biggest multipliers:
- Wyoming: 19,663 → 85,527 (+335.0%)
- New Mexico: 17,463 → 44,099 (+152.5%)
- Kentucky: 32,908 → 77,684 (+136.1%)
- Delaware: 25,885 → 60,938 (+135.4%)
- Montana: 14,152 → 32,518 (+129.8%)
- Arizona: 76,637 → 155,983 (+103.5%)
- Mississippi: 31,375 → 62,713 (+99.9%)
- Missouri: 58,748 → 116,931 (+99.0%)
When people start businesses
The busiest filing month across the states: April (32 states), July (16 states), May (1 states), October (1 states). January carries New-Year resolutions and tax-year starts; spring months carry seasonal trades (landscaping, construction, tourism) getting set up before the season. Only 0 states peak in November or December.
What kind of businesses are being started
Nationally (the Census Bureau publishes the sector split for the U.S. as a whole, not by state), the twelve-month leaders are:
Fastest-growing sectors year over year: Information (+30.0%), Professional, scientific and technical services (+27.4%), Retail trade (+24.6%). Shrinking: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (-7.7%), Utilities (-17.6%).
Inside the registries: how businesses are structured
We hold the full bulk registry files for ten states — 26.23 million records, of which 13.57 million are active. The LLC dominates everywhere, but not evenly: Colorado is 72% LLCs while Pennsylvania is only 50%, its registry still weighted toward older corporations.
| State | Active entities | LLC | Corporation | Nonprofit | Avg name length | Most common words |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 4,283,693 | 53% | 46% | 0% | 23.6 | Group, Services, Realty |
| Florida | 4,109,232 | 52% | 43% | 4% | 24.4 | Services, Group, Enterprises |
| Pennsylvania | 2,360,829 | 50% | 39% | 8% | 24.9 | Services, Group, Associates |
| Colorado | 1,031,284 | 72% | 22% | 4% | 23.2 | Services, Group, Consulting |
| Oregon | 560,800 | 59% | 14% | 6% | 22.8 | Services, Construction, Properties |
| Connecticut | 463,465 | — | — | — | 24.8 | Services, Associates, Group |
| Virginia | 388,974 | — | — | — | 22.8 | Services, Group, Properties |
| Vermont | 150,617 | 60% | 18% | 6% | 23.9 | Services, Farm, Properties |
| District of Columbia | 116,308 | — | — | — | 26.1 | Services, Group, Associates |
| Alaska | 99,826 | 67% | 18% | 8% | 24.2 | Services, Management, Holdings |
Entity mix and name statistics are computed on a sample of up to 400,000 active names per state; counts are exact. A dash means the state's file does not code entity types in a way we can split reliably. See What America Names Its Businesses for the full naming study.
Starting one of next year's 6.19 million? Check whether your business name is free in your state's registry, in federal trademark filings and as a domain — one search, free.
Check a business name →Methodology and sources
- Business applications: U.S. Census Bureau, Business
Formation Statistics, monthly series (not seasonally adjusted),
bfs_monthly.csv, series BA_BA (all business applications), state level; sector detail is national only. Twelve-month windows end August 2026; "vs 2019" compares with calendar 2019. - Per 1,000 residents: applications divided by Census Bureau Vintage 2024 state population estimates.
- Registry composition: bulk entity files published by the corporations divisions of AK, CO, CT, DC, FL, NY, OR, PA, VA and VT, as imported into our name-availability database (2026-09-21). "Active" follows each state's own status vocabulary.
- Refreshed twice a year (Census figures may be refreshed monthly). Figures on each state's page match this table.
Cite or reuse
Free to quote and reproduce with a link. Suggested citation:
State Registry Search (2026). Where America Starts Businesses: 50-State Business Formation
Ranking. https://stateregistrysearch.com/states/data — based on U.S. Census Bureau Business Formation Statistics and state
business registries.State registry guides
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming