Identify states where business owners command a larger share of total income—signaling strong entrepreneurship culture. This analysis reveals which states are most business-owner friendly based on economic data. Register in an entrepreneur-friendly state with Business Initiative!
Methodology
Proprietors’ income (SAINC4, LineCode 70; millions of dollars) divided by total personal income (CAINC1, LineCode 1; thousands of dollars), 2023. The ratio uses BEA units so the share is comparable across states.
Units: Percent.
Rankings (selected geographies)
| Rank | Area | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | 18.38 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 16.17 |
| 3 | Tennessee | 15.33 |
| 4 | Nebraska | 15.15 |
| 5 | Texas | 12.80 |
| 6 | North Dakota | 12.49 |
| 7 | Colorado | 10.99 |
| 8 | Indiana | 10.95 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 10.78 |
| 10 | Iowa | 10.54 |
| 11 | Montana | 10.46 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | 10.26 |
| 13 | Kansas | 9.76 |
| 14 | Idaho | 9.66 |
| 15 | Connecticut | 9.60 |
Proprietor share of total personal income (%)
Data sources
FAQs
What is proprietors' income share of total personal income?
It is BEA proprietors' income (SAINC4 LineCode 70, in millions of dollars) divided by total personal income (CAINC1 LineCode 1, in thousands of dollars), shown as a percent for each state.
It tells you how large a slice of statewide personal income comes from proprietors' income in BEA's national accounts—not how many people are self-employed.
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The ratio uses BEA's published units so the share is economically meaningful: numerator and denominator are not mixed blindly.
Rankings include the 50 states and D.C.; macro-regions (for example, Southwest) are excluded so the chart stays state-level.
How is this different from the 2010–2023 gap page?
This page is a snapshot for 2023 only. The related gap page ranks states by the change in this share from 2010 to 2023 in percentage points.
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Use this page for “where is the share highest right now?” Use the gap page for “where did the share rise or fall most over time?”
Why isn't this the self-employment rate?
Self-employment rates usually come from surveys and count workers. This measure uses income totals from BEA and can move with profits, partnerships, and industry mix.
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A state with many high-earning partners can show a high proprietors' income share even if survey self-employment rates are moderate.
How often is the data updated?
BEA Regional personal income is updated on an annual cycle; this post is refreshed when we rebuild BEA statistics pages from the API.
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BEA revises past years when better source data arrive; treat rankings as the vintage shown on the post date.
Where are the sources?
See the Data sources section on the post for BEA Regional Economic Accounts and the BEA API.
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To replicate, pull SAINC4 LineCode 70 and CAINC1 LineCode 1 for GeoFIPS STATE and apply the same unit logic as in the methodology.
