Where is it easiest to open: Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers
48 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 | 1,247 | 12.7 | $74,922 | licence | Designated Representative License - Wh; Hydroseed Spraying Limited Specialty C |
| NY | 686 | 11.1 | $85,527 | not matched | — |
| FL | 534 | 8.8 | $73,015 | not matched | — |
| TX | 448 | 17.6 | $76,083 | licence | EGG DEALER/WHOLESALER |
| NJ | 360 | 18.1 | $87,243 | not matched | — |
| GA | 304 | 23.7 | $66,139 | not matched | — |
| IL | 219 | 15.3 | $113,404 | exam | AQUATIC LIFE DEALER, RETAIL & WHOLESAL; BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY |
| NC | 159 | 13.2 | $78,197 | licence | Alcoholic Beverage Distributor/Vendor ; Bedding Manufacturer's |
| PA | 158 | 14.6 | $73,977 | not matched | — |
| OH | 133 | 26.4 | $84,071 | licence | Alcohol Wholesaler/Importer Permit; Brewery/Brewpub Federal Permit |
| WA | 121 | 18.8 | $84,760 | not matched | — |
| CO | 119 | 10.1 | $92,347 | exam | Egg Seller; Liquor License |
| AZ | 118 | 10.4 | $70,545 | not matched | — |
| MA | 98 | 12.4 | $89,817 | not matched | — |
| MI | 88 | 11.5 | $79,946 | exam | Livestock Dealer; Livestock Trucker |
| MD | 82 | 13.9 | $72,032 | not matched | — |
| MN | 75 | 20.0 | $77,222 | licence | Agricultural Liming Material License; Club On Sale Retail Liquor License |
| VA | 74 | 20.1 | $79,368 | licence | Charitable Gaming Organization; Commercial Feed License |
| CT | 72 | 11.4 | $82,136 | licence | Casino Class I Employee; Livestock Dealer/broker |
| TN | 71 | 14.9 | $78,590 | not matched | — |
| OR | 68 | 9.9 | $76,065 | not matched | — |
| MO | 63 | 14.3 | $70,226 | not matched | — |
| SC | 59 | 14.3 | $61,453 | not matched | — |
| IN | 56 | 14.4 | $65,620 | not matched | — |
| NV | 54 | 12.0 | $80,522 | not matched | — |
| UT | 51 | 19.0 | $68,070 | not matched | — |
| WI | 49 | 15.3 | $87,664 | licence | ANIMAL FOOD PROCESSOR |
| AL | 42 | 8.0 | $81,623 | not matched | — |
| OK | 42 | 8.7 | $65,882 | licence | Feeding Assistant |
| KS | 41 | 10.6 | $69,604 | not matched | — |
| LA | 33 | 8.5 | $64,734 | not matched | — |
| AR | 33 | 8.7 | $81,045 | licence | Feed Facility License; Grain Dealer |
| DE | 28 | 12.6 | $76,051 | not matched | — |
| NE | 24 | 8.5 | $60,291 | licence | Alcohol Establishment; Commercial Dog or Cat Breeder |
| KY | 24 | 17.1 | $81,808 | exam | Limited Livestock Auctioneer; Livestock Dealer |
| HI | 23 | 7.0 | $66,156 | not matched | — |
| NM | 19 | 7.8 | $61,523 | not matched | — |
| IA | 19 | 4.2 | $62,532 | not matched | — |
| ID | 16 | 23.4 | $90,150 | not matched | — |
| RI | 16 | 17.7 | $82,025 | licence | Livestock Dealer |
| DC | 15 | 3.4 | $101,667 | not matched | — |
| NH | 14 | 17.4 | $65,303 | not matched | — |
| ME | 10 | 32.7 | $76,401 | not matched | — |
| AK | 6 | 5.2 | $74,839 | not matched | — |
| MT | 6 | 3.7 | $53,864 | licence | Fire Protection - Firework Wholesaler |
| ND | 5 | 3.2 | $62,688 | not matched | — |
| MS | 5 | 10.4 | $71,365 | not matched | — |
| SD | 5 | 11.2 | $75,607 | 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.