NAICS 2022
493
Warehousing and Storage
Analysis
NAICS 493 is the 2022 subsector for warehousing and storage.
It has only one more detailed code, 4931, which covers exactly the same activities; the definition, index entries and statistics are on that page.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 27% and employment rose 70%. 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 21,521 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 1,648,638 people at an average annual payroll of $51,510 per employee (19th percentile of national industries). 33% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Official definition
Industries in the Warehousing and Storage subsector are primarily engaged in operating warehousing and storage facilities for general merchandise, refrigerated goods, and other warehouse products. These establishments provide facilities to store goods. They do not sell the goods they handle. These establishments take responsibility for storing the goods and keeping them secure. They may also provide a range of services, often referred to as logistics services, related to the distribution of goods. Logistics services can include labeling, breaking bulk, inventory control and management, light assembly, order entry and fulfillment, packaging, pick and pack, price marking and ticketing, and transportation arrangement. However, establishments in this industry group always provide warehousing or storage services in addition to any logistic services. Furthermore, the warehousing or storage of goods must be more than incidental to the performance of services, such as price marking.
Bonded warehousing and storage services and warehouses located in free trade zones are included in the industries of this subsector.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.