Here’s Where it Pays the Most to be a Small Business Owner

Many small business owners around the country are pretty fed up with Washington, reported the Washington Post.

But for those who actually live in the nation’s capital, there may not be much reason to complain.

Self-employed individuals in Washington, D.C. enjoy a higher median income than their counterparts in the 50 states - and it’s not even close. The median annual haul for District business owners is $91,644, according to new data released Wednesday by the Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy. Second on the list is Massachusetts, where the median income for self-employed individuals is $61,434.

Of course, the District of Columbia is comprised of a dense, urban area (compared to the mix of urban and rural areas found in most states) brimming with professional services businesses, which undoubtedly skews the numbers higher. Still, $90,000 is a high median income.

North Dakota ($60,602), New Jersey ($60,089) and Connecticut ($59,067) round out the first five on the list, while Alaska, California, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware complete the top 10, each with median incomes for small business owners north of $52,000. The median income nationally is $49,363.

Montana’s small business owners make the least, with median annual pay of $38,234. The only other state where self-employed individuals make less than $40,000 a year is Mississippi ($39,953).

The figures come from the SBA Office of Advocacy’s state profiles report, in which the department every year compiles a litany of information concerning the makeup and success of small companies in each state. Here are three other notable rankings from this year’s report.

The survivors: States where the highest percentage of small businesses survived from last year.

1. Washington state, 87.4 percent
2. Delaware, 84. 7 percent
3. Wisconsin, 83.1 percent
4. Connecticut, 82.1 percent
5. Utah, 81.8 percent

The exporters: States where small businesses are responsible for the largest share of total exporting value.

1. Washington, D.C., 78.7 percent
2. Montana, 70.8 percent
3. Florida, 68.6 percent
4. Rhode Island, 63.2 percent
5. Wyoming, 61 percent

1. Montana, 67.6 percent
2. Wyoming, 62.3 percent
3. South Dakota, 59.2 percent
4. Vermont, 58.9 percent
5. North Dakota, 58.6 percent