115310

Analysis

NAICS 115310 is the 2022 national industry for support activities for forestry, part of 11531 (Support Activities for Forestry). Census lists 13 example activities under it in the official index.

Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 12% and employment rose 15%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.

County Business Patterns counts 2,023 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 15,361 people at an average annual payroll of $65,246 per employee (43rd percentile of national industries). 72% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.

Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include aerial forest firefighting, aerial forest mulching or seeding, aerial wildland firefighting and cruising timber, among 13 in all.

For example, public administration and conservation of forest lands are classified in 924120 (Administration of Conservation Programs) instead.

Census lists 2 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 924120 and 113210. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.