522220

Analysis

NAICS 522220 is the 2022 national industry for sales financing, part of 52222 (Sales Financing). Census lists 11 example activities under it in the official index.

County Business Patterns counts 3,353 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 82,691 people at an average annual payroll of $115,056 per employee (90th percentile of national industries). 63% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which marks it as a small-business industry.

Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 15% and employment fell 7%. 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.

Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include automobile finance leasing companies, automobile financing, commercial and inventory financing (except international… and equipment finance leasing, among 11 in all.

For example, businesses not engaged in sales financing, but primarily engaged in providing leases for equipment and other assets are classified in 532 (Rental and Leasing Services) instead.

Census lists 1 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 532. 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.