Analysis
NAICS 561421 is the 2022 national industry for telephone answering services, part of 56142 (Telephone Call Centers). Census lists 8 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 1,035 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 41,582 people at an average annual payroll of $38,731 per employee (8th percentile of national industries). 34% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 13% and employment rose 13%. 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.
By establishments it ranks 2nd of the 2 codes at this level within Telephone Call Centers, with 25% of them.
Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include answering services, telephone, emergency telephone dispatch (i.e., contractor) services, local call centers (e.g., answering services, message… and message services, telephone answering, among 8 in all.
For example, providing paging or beeper transmission services are classified in 517112 (Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)) instead.
Official definition
This U.S. industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in answering telephone calls and relaying messages on behalf of clients or for other establishments of the same enterprise.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Providing paging or beeper transmission services | 517112 Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) |
Index entries (8)
- Answering services, telephone
- Emergency telephone dispatch (i.e., contractor) services
- Local call centers (e.g., answering services, message services)
- Message services, telephone answering
- Telephone answering services
- Telephone call forwarding services
- Voice mailbox services
- Wakeup call services