Where is it easiest to open: Footwear Merchant Wholesalers
28 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 | 348 | 11.8 | $111,976 | licence | Designated Representative License - Wh; Hydroseed Spraying Limited Specialty C |
| NY | 152 | 12.9 | $145,172 | not matched | — |
| FL | 90 | 5.0 | $60,925 | not matched | — |
| TX | 53 | 7.2 | $53,355 | licence | EGG DEALER/WHOLESALER |
| NJ | 48 | 11.0 | $102,951 | not matched | — |
| MA | 24 | 134.4 | $139,044 | not matched | — |
| GA | 24 | 6.7 | $69,612 | not matched | — |
| WA | 16 | 90.9 | $116,926 | not matched | — |
| PA | 13 | 8.7 | $156,982 | not matched | — |
| MO | 13 | 108.2 | $138,647 | not matched | — |
| IL | 12 | 6.4 | $48,792 | exam | AQUATIC LIFE DEALER, RETAIL & WHOLESAL; BROKER, MEAT/POULTRY/MEAT AND POULTRY |
| AZ | 9 | 4.0 | $40,694 | not matched | — |
| NC | 9 | 2.7 | $64,583 | licence | Alcoholic Beverage Distributor/Vendor ; Bedding Manufacturer's |
| OR | 9 | 136.3 | $96,205 | not matched | — |
| TN | 8 | 643.0 | $52,005 | not matched | — |
| CT | 7 | 82.6 | $119,623 | licence | Casino Class I Employee; Livestock Dealer/broker |
| UT | 7 | 42.6 | $67,755 | not matched | — |
| CO | 6 | 41.3 | $113,427 | exam | Egg Seller; Liquor License |
| HI | 5 | 4.6 | $41,957 | not matched | — |
| MN | 4 | 25.2 | $53,752 | licence | Agricultural Liming Material License; Club On Sale Retail Liquor License |
| DE | 4 | 21.5 | $80,988 | not matched | — |
| WI | 3 | 116.7 | $90,023 | licence | ANIMAL FOOD PROCESSOR |
| NV | 3 | 3.0 | $25,778 | not matched | — |
| NH | 3 | 29.3 | $94,216 | not matched | — |
| ME | 3 | 9.0 | $73,963 | not matched | — |
| NM | 3 | 7.3 | $31,545 | not matched | — |
| MD | 3 | 6.7 | $88,550 | not matched | — |
| MI | 3 | 4.0 | $67,167 | exam | Livestock Dealer; Livestock Trucker |
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.