Which industries grew and shrank, 2017 to 2023
Change in the number of employer establishments across the United States, from the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns. 380 six-digit industries with at least 3,000 sites in both years were compared.
The 12 trades on this site
| Industry | 2017 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 250,871 | 258,626 | +3.1% |
| Coffee shops and snack bars | 65,010 | 85,140 | +31.0% |
| Beauty salons | 78,901 | 84,176 | +6.7% |
| Barber shops | 5,147 | 7,784 | +51.2% |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 102,455 | 111,207 | +8.5% |
| Roofing contractors | 19,396 | 25,519 | +31.6% |
| Landscaping services | 104,337 | 117,969 | +13.1% |
| Janitorial services | 60,280 | 67,799 | +12.5% |
| Child day care | 77,413 | 82,162 | +6.1% |
| General auto repair | 83,216 | 84,859 | +2.0% |
| Fitness centers | 36,525 | 41,556 | +13.8% |
| Pet care services | 18,577 | 25,551 | +37.5% |
Largest increases
| Industry | 2017 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Food Services | 5,386 | 12,487 | +131.8% |
| All Other Miscellaneous Ambulatory Health Care Services | 4,357 | 9,527 | +118.7% |
| Tobacco Stores | 10,618 | 21,082 | +98.5% |
| Other Management Consulting Services | 7,516 | 14,539 | +93.4% |
| Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | 25,355 | 46,513 | +83.4% |
| Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) | 3,410 | 5,658 | +65.9% |
| General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload | 37,028 | 60,131 | +62.4% |
| Offices of All Other Miscellaneous Health Practitioners | 22,651 | 36,107 | +59.4% |
| Breweries | 3,305 | 5,218 | +57.9% |
| Medical Laboratories | 10,541 | 16,635 | +57.8% |
| Private Mail Centers | 4,844 | 7,611 | +57.1% |
| All Other Personal Services | 15,874 | 24,681 | +55.5% |
| Barber Shops | 5,147 | 7,784 | +51.2% |
| Miscellaneous Intermediation | 8,611 | 12,892 | +49.7% |
| General Freight Trucking, Local | 31,489 | 46,292 | +47.0% |
Largest decreases
| Industry | 2017 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 5,752 | 3,011 | −47.7% |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores | 6,921 | 3,666 | −47.0% |
| Electronics Stores | 23,129 | 13,615 | −41.1% |
| Travel Agencies | 15,726 | 9,308 | −40.8% |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers | 8,808 | 5,377 | −39.0% |
| Consumer Electronics and Appliances Rental | 7,044 | 4,433 | −37.1% |
| Other Activities Related to Credit Intermediation | 17,049 | 11,299 | −33.7% |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers | 8,561 | 5,674 | −33.7% |
| Telecommunications Resellers | 5,602 | 3,739 | −33.3% |
| Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 4,439 | 3,190 | −28.1% |
| Crude Petroleum Extraction | 5,299 | 3,844 | −27.5% |
| Periodical Publishers | 5,279 | 3,869 | −26.7% |
| Shoe Stores | 24,716 | 18,177 | −26.5% |
| Household Appliance Stores | 7,342 | 5,431 | −26.0% |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores | 5,678 | 4,210 | −25.9% |
Read this carefully
A rising count means more employer sites existed in 2023 than in 2017. It does not mean the trade is profitable or that a new entrant would succeed. The period includes the 2020 pandemic, and Census industry definitions can shift between editions. 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.