1) I am looking for the most up-to-date numbers, as the
statistics below are 12 years old...

Self-employment hit its low point in the 1970s, at 7 million. But
by 1980, that number had climbed to 8.6 million and by 1994, the
number of self-employed in the U.S. had increased to 10.65
million people. And the numbers continue to rise.

Hello taylorc-ga,

According to the most recent report from the US Census Bureau, the
number of US self-employed was 18.6 millions in 2003. The news release
below provides you with additional statistics that might be of
interest to you.

All the best.

~ czh ~


http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/005784.html
SEPTEMBER 30, 2005
Nation Adds 1 Million Self-Employed Businesses  to Reach 18.6 Million,
Census Bureau Reports
    
     The number of businesses with no paid employees grew from 17.6
million in 2002 to more than 18.6 million in 2003, a growth rate of
5.7 percent, according to a report issued today by the U.S. Census
Bureau. This represents the biggest rate of increase in
self-employment since the Census Bureau began releasing such
statistics in 1997; the rate during the 2001 to 2002 period, 3.9
percent, was the previous high.

===

http://www.census.gov/epcd/nonemployer/index.html
Nonemployer Statistics

Nonemployer Statistics summarizes the number of establishments and
sales or receipts of businesses without paid employees that are
subject to federal income tax. Most nonemployers are self-employed
individuals operating very small unincorporated businesses, which may
or may not be the owner?s principal source of income.

Follow these links to definitions, coverage & methodology, and more
information for Nonemployer Statistics.


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