January to September 2026. Hover or tap a state.
What stands out
- Florida has the most applications (577,694 so far in 2026), followed by California (497,172) and Texas (457,383).
- The fastest growth is in Alaska, Oklahoma and Kentucky, each up 34% or more on the same months of 2025. The national pace is +15.3%.
- Hawaii and Washington are the only states with fewer applications than last year (Hawaii -7.1%, Washington -18.8%).
- Per resident, Wyoming leads with 148.9 applications per 1,000 people over the last 12 months, then Delaware (58.5) and Florida (30.9). The lowest rate is West Virginia's 11.0.
Thinking of registering a company? The number of applications in a state doesn't change what you pay or file. Our LLC cost by state page has every state's fees, and the business search directory covers each state's official lookup.
Every state, January to September 2026
Click a column heading to sort.
| Alaska | 11,351 | +48.1% | 19.3 | 23.3% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 58,049 | +35.4% | 17.5 | 29.9% |
| Kentucky | 61,730 | +34.0% | 17.3 | 23.1% |
| Missouri | 96,509 | +30.3% | 19.8 | 22.7% |
| Mississippi | 50,522 | +30.0% | 21.7 | 23.6% |
| Utah | 69,052 | +29.5% | 25.0 | 24.6% |
| New Hampshire | 16,348 | +28.4% | 14.6 | 28.1% |
| Arkansas | 37,035 | +25.7% | 15.1 | 26.5% |
| West Virginia | 15,618 | +24.6% | 11.0 | 28.0% |
| Colorado | 136,993 | +24.5% | 28.4 | 24.2% |
| Kansas | 33,984 | +23.9% | 14.8 | 27.8% |
| Arizona | 123,141 | +22.7% | 20.8 | 25.2% |
| Vermont | 6,992 | +20.7% | 13.6 | 30.4% |
| Idaho | 30,567 | +19.7% | 18.9 | 29.0% |
| Connecticut | 44,391 | +19.1% | 15.4 | 27.0% |
| South Dakota | 10,965 | +18.6% | 14.8 | 26.8% |
| Maine | 12,796 | +18.2% | 11.4 | 31.9% |
| California | 497,172 | +18.1% | 16.0 | 34.7% |
| Indiana | 80,688 | +17.8% | 14.6 | 26.7% |
| Michigan | 131,698 | +17.7% | 17.0 | 25.7% |
| Alabama | 60,621 | +17.6% | 15.3 | 25.5% |
| North Dakota | 8,012 | +17.2% | 12.6 | 29.9% |
| Wisconsin | 60,944 | +17.0% | 13.5 | 26.5% |
| Tennessee | 90,299 | +16.9% | 15.9 | 28.2% |
| Ohio | 142,973 | +16.7% | 15.9 | 24.8% |
| Georgia | 224,142 | +16.1% | 25.3 | 24.9% |
| New Jersey | 141,921 | +16.1% | 18.9 | 26.4% |
| Florida | 577,694 | +15.7% | 30.9 | 27.7% |
| Louisiana | 63,227 | +15.2% | 18.2 | 25.3% |
| Montana | 25,904 | +14.9% | 29.0 | 27.0% |
| Wyoming | 67,486 | +14.7% | 148.9 | 23.4% |
| New Mexico | 35,083 | +14.6% | 21.3 | 27.3% |
| Rhode Island | 10,347 | +14.3% | 11.7 | 29.3% |
| Massachusetts | 68,670 | +14.1% | 12.2 | 34.3% |
| Iowa | 30,457 | +13.6% | 11.9 | 27.3% |
| Maryland | 87,179 | +13.6% | 17.8 | 27.6% |
| Texas | 457,383 | +13.6% | 18.9 | 26.8% |
| Virginia | 118,488 | +13.6% | 17.2 | 26.3% |
| South Carolina | 81,831 | +13.2% | 18.6 | 24.9% |
| North Carolina | 156,790 | +13.1% | 17.9 | 27.3% |
| Minnesota | 63,322 | +12.7% | 13.9 | 25.7% |
| New York | 255,797 | +12.0% | 16.4 | 37.0% |
| Nevada | 54,415 | +9.7% | 21.2 | 26.2% |
| Illinois | 150,514 | +9.2% | 15.9 | 30.4% |
| Nebraska | 18,643 | +9.2% | 12.1 | 29.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 131,016 | +9.0% | 13.2 | 28.6% |
| District of Columbia | 12,387 | +8.5% | 22.9 | 27.5% |
| Oregon | 52,044 | +6.0% | 15.3 | 27.8% |
| Delaware | 47,277 | +4.1% | 58.5 | 35.0% |
| Hawaii | 14,053 | -7.1% | 12.9 | 29.2% |
| Washington | 93,320 | -18.8% | 15.1 | 28.2% |
| United States | 4,927,840 | +15.3% | 6,326,590 in the last 12 months | |
About the numbers
Every figure on this page comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's Business Formation Statistics. The Bureau counts business applications: applications for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) on IRS Form SS-4 that are made mainly for business purposes. It leaves out applications for tax liens, estates and trusts, certain financial filings, farms and public administration, and a few other industries.
That makes it a good read on how many people are starting something, but it isn't a count of new LLCs or corporations. A sole proprietor who gets an EIN is counted. An LLC owner who never applies for one isn't.
- So far in 2026 adds up the monthly applications from January to September, not seasonally adjusted.
- Vs. 2025 compares that total with the same months of 2025.
- Per 1,000 residents uses the last 12 months of applications and the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 population estimate, so states of every size compare fairly.
- Likely employers is the Bureau's high-propensity share: applications from a corporation, or that plan to hire, give a first wage date, or are in industries where payroll usually follows.
You're welcome to use this data. Please credit the U.S. Census Bureau and link to this page.
Frequently asked questions
Is a business application the same as a new LLC?
No. The Census Bureau counts applications for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) made mainly for business purposes. That includes sole proprietors and corporations, not only LLCs, and some applicants never start operating. State LLC filings are counted separately by each state.
Why is Wyoming so high per resident?
Wyoming has a small population, so each application moves the rate a lot. Wyoming and Delaware also draw companies registered by owners who live in other states, which lifts their per-resident numbers.
What does "likely employers" mean?
It is the Census Bureau's "high-propensity" share: applications with signs that a payroll business will follow, such as a corporate applicant, a planned wage date, or plans to hire employees.
How often does this page change?
The Census Bureau publishes new monthly numbers about two weeks after each month ends. We rebuild this page from its CSV file when a new month is out.
Sources
We take every fee, deadline and rule on this page from these pages and nowhere else. Rules change, so open the source before you pay anything.
- 1.U.S. Census Bureau: Business Formation StatisticsChecked November 8, 2026
- 2.Business Formation Statistics: monthly data file (CSV)Checked November 8, 2026
- 3.Business Formation Statistics: definitionsChecked November 8, 2026
- 4.U.S. Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 state population estimates (CSV)Checked November 8, 2026
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