Where is it easiest to open: Furniture Merchant Wholesalers
49 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 41-4012” (soc) for Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products. A blank gate means NO RECORD MATCHED, which is not the same as no licence.
| State | Operators | Avg staff | Pay / employee | Gate | Licence titles matched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 868 | 14.1 | $86,064 | licence | Designated Representative License - Wh; Hydroseed Spraying Limited Specialty C |
| FL | 380 | 8.5 | $73,418 | not matched | — |
| TX | 377 | 14.0 | $78,732 | licence | EGG DEALER/WHOLESALER |
| NY | 336 | 10.0 | $93,894 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 229 | 14.0 | $81,834 | not matched | — |
| NC | 229 | 15.2 | $73,466 | licence | Alcoholic Beverage Distributor/Vendor ; Bedding Manufacturer's |
| IL | 169 | 14.9 | $87,232 | exam | AQUATIC LIFE DEALER, RETAIL & WHOLESAL; BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY |
| GA | 161 | 13.2 | $73,109 | not matched | — |
| OH | 136 | 14.5 | $75,940 | licence | Alcohol Wholesaler/Importer Permit; Brewery/Brewpub Federal Permit |
| PA | 113 | 16.4 | $59,708 | not matched | — |
| CO | 98 | 14.8 | $76,970 | exam | Egg Seller; Liquor License |
| MI | 96 | 16.0 | $69,345 | exam | Livestock Dealer; Livestock Trucker |
| AZ | 92 | 11.5 | $82,141 | not matched | — |
| WA | 89 | 17.6 | $76,476 | not matched | — |
| MA | 83 | 13.8 | $105,853 | not matched | — |
| IN | 82 | 23.5 | $85,747 | not matched | — |
| MN | 74 | 17.6 | $92,216 | licence | Agricultural Liming Material License; Club On Sale Retail Liquor License |
| VA | 65 | 15.6 | $74,446 | licence | Charitable Gaming Organization; Commercial Feed License |
| WI | 65 | 16.4 | $86,887 | licence | ANIMAL FOOD PROCESSOR |
| TN | 61 | 10.9 | $69,505 | not matched | — |
| MD | 60 | 18.5 | $88,584 | not matched | — |
| MO | 47 | 16.5 | $75,551 | not matched | — |
| CT | 46 | 10.1 | $84,358 | licence | Casino Class I Employee; Livestock Dealer/broker |
| NV | 40 | 5.0 | $69,714 | not matched | — |
| SC | 38 | 13.3 | $70,915 | not matched | — |
| OR | 33 | 9.2 | $70,941 | not matched | — |
| UT | 33 | 18.5 | $77,733 | not matched | — |
| MS | 30 | 18.6 | $52,075 | not matched | — |
| AL | 30 | 13.1 | $72,404 | not matched | — |
| OK | 30 | 10.6 | $63,899 | licence | Feeding Assistant |
| KS | 22 | 10.0 | $90,785 | not matched | — |
| DC | 20 | 8.2 | $141,626 | not matched | — |
| KY | 19 | 62.6 | $116,390 | exam | Limited Livestock Auctioneer; Livestock Dealer |
| AR | 18 | 10.9 | $76,520 | licence | Feed Facility License; Grain Dealer |
| LA | 16 | 7.3 | $63,359 | not matched | — |
| IA | 15 | 35.6 | $60,478 | not matched | — |
| NH | 14 | 6.4 | $91,889 | not matched | — |
| DE | 13 | 10.0 | $78,431 | not matched | — |
| NM | 10 | 20.1 | $78,846 | not matched | — |
| RI | 10 | 7.9 | $59,177 | licence | Livestock Dealer |
| ME | 8 | 21.0 | $115,143 | not matched | — |
| NE | 8 | 17.4 | $74,727 | licence | Alcohol Establishment; Commercial Dog or Cat Breeder |
| HI | 8 | 14.8 | $80,864 | not matched | — |
| MT | 7 | 5.3 | $54,243 | licence | Fire Protection - Firework Wholesaler |
| ID | 7 | 20.3 | $63,056 | not matched | — |
| VT | 5 | 8.6 | $100,349 | not matched | — |
| AK | 4 | 14.2 | $81,404 | not matched | — |
| WV | 3 | 13.0 | $53,949 | not matched | — |
| SD | 3 | 5.3 | $53,750 | not matched | — |
Axes are shown side by side and deliberately NOT collapsed into a ranking. A composite would be a score with no measured interval, and an unmeasured score is the thing this product exists to argue against. A high licence gate is a cost to enter and a moat once cleared — which of those matters more is the operator's call, not ours.
Licence data courtesy of CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Free to read, no account, always — a condition of the data licence as well as our own position.