Where is it easiest to open: Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment 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 | 530 | 14.6 | $87,401 | licence | Designated Representative License - Wh; Hydroseed Spraying Limited Specialty C |
| TX | 502 | 14.4 | $76,020 | licence | EGG DEALER/WHOLESALER |
| IA | 363 | 15.2 | $75,890 | not matched | — |
| NE | 272 | 16.4 | $77,025 | licence | Alcohol Establishment; Commercial Dog or Cat Breeder |
| MN | 265 | 18.1 | $85,350 | licence | Agricultural Liming Material License; Club On Sale Retail Liquor License |
| IL | 259 | 19.7 | $80,896 | exam | AQUATIC LIFE DEALER, RETAIL & WHOLESAL; BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY |
| FL | 252 | 9.2 | $67,749 | not matched | — |
| WI | 242 | 17.2 | $71,963 | licence | ANIMAL FOOD PROCESSOR |
| OH | 202 | 17.4 | $66,644 | licence | Alcohol Wholesaler/Importer Permit; Brewery/Brewpub Federal Permit |
| KS | 192 | 22.4 | $81,058 | not matched | — |
| IN | 191 | 18.4 | $72,812 | not matched | — |
| MO | 167 | 14.9 | $67,193 | not matched | — |
| GA | 156 | 15.3 | $62,386 | not matched | — |
| MI | 142 | 15.3 | $70,979 | exam | Livestock Dealer; Livestock Trucker |
| PA | 140 | 16.2 | $60,660 | not matched | — |
| NY | 136 | 13.4 | $69,801 | not matched | — |
| ND | 135 | 18.2 | $87,664 | not matched | — |
| AR | 133 | 14.0 | $73,215 | licence | Feed Facility License; Grain Dealer |
| CO | 132 | 11.3 | $81,023 | exam | Egg Seller; Liquor License |
| ID | 120 | 14.1 | $74,838 | not matched | — |
| NC | 118 | 23.2 | $73,222 | licence | Alcoholic Beverage Distributor/Vendor ; Bedding Manufacturer's |
| WA | 118 | 14.4 | $85,277 | not matched | — |
| OR | 105 | 12.2 | $75,854 | not matched | — |
| SD | 101 | 13.5 | $83,040 | not matched | — |
| TN | 91 | 12.3 | $72,699 | not matched | — |
| AL | 88 | 12.1 | $56,979 | not matched | — |
| OK | 85 | 13.1 | $93,463 | licence | Feeding Assistant |
| MS | 72 | 20.1 | $70,743 | not matched | — |
| KY | 72 | 16.6 | $61,105 | exam | Limited Livestock Auctioneer; Livestock Dealer |
| AZ | 69 | 16.0 | $84,333 | not matched | — |
| LA | 65 | 12.4 | $65,476 | not matched | — |
| VA | 55 | 21.7 | $61,064 | licence | Charitable Gaming Organization; Commercial Feed License |
| MT | 52 | 15.3 | $70,576 | licence | Fire Protection - Firework Wholesaler |
| SC | 50 | 20.0 | $81,396 | not matched | — |
| NJ | 47 | 19.3 | $60,032 | not matched | — |
| UT | 44 | 17.0 | $66,533 | not matched | — |
| MA | 29 | 10.0 | $87,433 | not matched | — |
| DE | 28 | 12.3 | $66,994 | not matched | — |
| NV | 26 | 8.5 | $46,760 | not matched | — |
| NM | 25 | 8.7 | $68,037 | not matched | — |
| VT | 23 | 10.5 | $59,398 | not matched | — |
| CT | 21 | 15.2 | $87,223 | licence | Casino Class I Employee; Livestock Dealer/broker |
| MD | 20 | 13.7 | $61,220 | not matched | — |
| WY | 17 | 10.1 | $68,778 | not matched | — |
| ME | 17 | 12.8 | $68,404 | not matched | — |
| NH | 13 | 18.8 | $72,799 | not matched | — |
| HI | 8 | 7.4 | $49,085 | not matched | — |
| WV | 4 | 4.8 | $47,211 | 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.