Self-Employment in Oregon

Every month, the Oregon Employment Department issues a news release with estimates of total nonfarm payroll employment. Quarterly, the agency's Research Division releases new estimates of covered employment -- jobs covered by unemployment insurance tax. Neither of these data sources include self-employed Oregonians. 

So, how many jobs in Oregon are held by those who are self-employed, rather than employed on the payroll of an incorporated firm?

More than one data source provides estimates of self-employment in Oregon (see graph below). According to both the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the U.S. Census Bureau (Census), Oregon had roughly 139,000 self-employed individuals in unincorporated businesses in 2011.That's down slightly from the respective estimates of 150,000 and 142,000 in 2009.

The Census also publishes nonemployer statistics. A nonemployer business is one that has no paid employees, has annual business receipts of at least $1,000, and is subject to federal income taxes. Census estimates show a total of 260,000 nonemployer businesses in the state in 2011.

For more information on self-employment statistics, visit the BLS geographic profile page, the Census Bureau's American Community Survey data tool, or their nonemployer statistics page.