How we count

Every number on this site comes from one taxonomy: 112 categories in 13 groups, each with a low and high estimate of how many entities operate in the United States. This page explains what those numbers are and, just as important, what they are not.

Sourced counts vs. estimates

Each category carries a confidence flag. A sourced count is anchored to published data: government registries (CMS certified home health agencies, FMCSA licensed freight brokers, NMLS licensed mortgage companies, State Department designated au pair sponsors), industry associations, or published market research. 7 categories currently have sourced counts. Everything else is an estimate: a directional range built from business registries, directory footprints, and industry knowledge. We state which is which on every category page, and we never present an estimate as a precise fact.

Why subcategories overlap

Agencies do not respect category boundaries. Most SEO agencies also sell PPC. Many staffing firms run both temp and direct hire desks. So adding up subcategory counts double counts firms, sometimes badly. Where a group has a reliable overall count (marketing, staffing, care, and others), we use that figure as the group total instead of the sum of its parts. Where no anchor exists, the group total is the sum of its standalone categories.

The totals

Summing the thirteen group totals gives an estimated 491,450 to 830,500 agency entities in the United States. Treat that as a scale statement, not a census. The true number depends on definitions: whether solo practitioners count, whether a firm with two service lines counts twice, and where an agency ends and a consultancy begins.

The group totals

Corrections

If you have better data for any category, especially from a registry or association we have not used, we want it. Email hello@evyai.com and we will review and update the taxonomy. Counts on this site change when the data does, not before.