Beauty salons / West Virginia
How many beauty salons are in West Virginia?
The Census Bureau counted 277 beauty salons with paid employees in West Virginia in 2023. That is 1.8% more than in 2017.
WEST VIRGINIA · 2023
The count
277
beauty salons with paid employees
- Employees
- 1,357
- Average per site
- 4.9
- Change since 2017
- +1.8%
- State rank
- 44 of 51
What the number means
West Virginia had 277 beauty salons in 2023, ranking number 44 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Together they employed 1,357 people and paid $36 million in annual payroll, an average of 4.9 employees per site.
These businesses make up 0.77% of every employer establishment in West Virginia, below the 1.01% national share. A site count is not the same as the number of companies: a chain with 40 locations counts 40 times.
61% of beauty salons in West Virginia have fewer than 5 employees, against 69% across the U.S.
West Virginia holds 0.3% of the nation's beauty salons and 0.4% of all U.S. employer establishments, so, measured against the state's overall size, the trade is under-represented. The most common size class is under 5 employees (169 sites). Average payroll per employee is $26,763, against $31,717 for the U.S. trade.
Size of the businesses
| Employees per site | Share | Sites | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 169 | 61.2% | |
| 5 to 9 | 67 | 24.3% | |
| 10 to 19 | 34 | 12.3% | |
| 20 to 49 | 6 | 2.2% | |
| 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 272; 2019 count 264; 2022 count 271; 2023 count 277. Employment −3.1% since 2017.
Biggest other trades in West Virginia
| Trade | Sites | Employees | Since 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 1,234 | 23,777 | +3.4% |
| General auto repair | 459 | 1,846 | +8.5% |
| Child day care | 407 | 5,031 | +12.1% |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 406 | 2,981 | +3.0% |
| Landscaping services | 402 | 2,048 | +20.4% |
| Coffee shops and snack bars | 241 | 2,478 | +50.6% |
| Janitorial services | 194 | 2,892 | +12.1% |
| Fitness centers | 118 | 1,566 | −7.8% |
Beauty salons in nearby ranks
| State | Sites | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 302 | 41 |
| Maine | 293 | 42 |
| Delaware | 277 | 43 |
| North Dakota | 240 | 45 |
| Montana | 224 | 46 |
| South Dakota | 160 | 47 |
Questions
How many beauty salons are in West Virginia?
The Census Bureau's County Business Patterns counted 277 beauty salons with paid employees in West Virginia in 2023. That ranks West Virginia number 44 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Is the number of beauty salons in West Virginia growing?
Between 2017 and 2023 the count grew (1.8%), from 272 to 277. Across the United States the count changed by +6.7% 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.