Analysis
NAICS 424920 is the 2022 national industry for book, periodical, and newspaper merchant wholesalers, part of 42492 (Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers). Census lists 11 example activities under it in the official index.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 28% and employment fell 47%. 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 1,020 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 16,762 people at an average annual payroll of $54,207 per employee (23rd percentile of national industries). 60% 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 antique book merchant wholesalers, atlases merchant wholesalers, books merchant wholesalers and brochures merchant wholesalers, among 11 in all.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of books, periodicals, and newspapers.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Index entries (11)
- Antique book merchant wholesalers
- Atlases merchant wholesalers
- Books merchant wholesalers
- Brochures merchant wholesalers
- Magazines merchant wholesalers
- Maps (except globe, school, wall) merchant wholesalers
- Newspaper agencies merchant wholesalers
- Newspapers merchant wholesalers
- Pamphlets merchant wholesalers
- Periodicals merchant wholesalers
- Textbooks merchant wholesalers