Barber shops / Massachusetts
How many barber shops are in Massachusetts?
The Census Bureau counted 164 barber shops with paid employees in Massachusetts in 2023. That is 67.3% more than in 2017.
MASSACHUSETTS · 2023
The count
164
barber shops with paid employees
- Employees
- 398
- Average per site
- 2.4
- Change since 2017
- +67.3%
- State rank
- 15 of 51
What the number means
Massachusetts had 164 barber shops in 2023, ranking number 15 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Together they employed 398 people and paid $14 million in annual payroll, an average of 2.4 employees per site.
These businesses make up 0.09% of every employer establishment in Massachusetts, close to the 0.09% national share. A site count is not the same as the number of companies: a chain with 40 locations counts 40 times.
87% of barber shops in Massachusetts have fewer than 5 employees, against 76% across the U.S.
Massachusetts holds 2.1% of the nation's barber shops and 2.2% of all U.S. employer establishments, so, measured against the state's overall size, the trade is about as common as in the country as a whole. The most common size class is under 5 employees (143 sites). Average payroll per employee is $36,307, against $33,667 for the U.S. trade.
Size of the businesses
| Employees per site | Share | Sites | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 143 | 87.2% | |
| 5 to 9 | 15 | 9.1% | |
| 10 to 19 | 6 | 3.7% | |
| 20 to 49 | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 50 to 99 | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 100 to 249 | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 250 to 499 | 0 | 0.0% |
Count since 2017
Index: 2017 = 100. Employer establishments only. 2017 count 98; 2019 count 120; 2022 count 145; 2023 count 164. Employment +22.8% since 2017.
Biggest other trades in Massachusetts
| Trade | Sites | Employees | Since 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 6,558 | 133,020 | +1.0% |
| Landscaping services | 4,555 | 18,649 | +15.4% |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 3,069 | 29,674 | −3.8% |
| Coffee shops and snack bars | 2,667 | 36,086 | +10.3% |
| Beauty salons | 2,569 | 13,453 | +2.9% |
| Child day care | 2,309 | 32,471 | +4.6% |
| General auto repair | 1,806 | 7,771 | −9.7% |
| Janitorial services | 1,757 | 25,295 | +14.3% |
Barber shops in nearby ranks
Questions
How many barber shops are in Massachusetts?
The Census Bureau's County Business Patterns counted 164 barber shops with paid employees in Massachusetts in 2023. That ranks Massachusetts number 15 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Is the number of barber shops in Massachusetts growing?
Between 2017 and 2023 the count grew (67.3%), from 98 to 164. Across the United States the count changed by +51.2% over the same period. These years include the 2020 pandemic.
Does this count include self-employed owners with no staff?
No. County Business Patterns covers establishments with at least one paid employee. A sole proprietor with no employees is counted in a separate Census series called Nonemployer Statistics, which this site does not use yet, so the real number of people working in this trade is higher than the figure shown.
Read this before using the number
These counts describe how many businesses already exist. They say nothing about demand, profit, competition near you or how much any owner earns, and we make no estimate of income. Check local licensing, costs and rules before acting on any figure here. See the disclaimer.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns (2023; change measured against 2017, 2019 and 2022). Establishments with paid employees only; employment and payroll carry Census noise infusion. Retrieved November 2, 2026. Method and sources.