561611

Analysis

NAICS 561611 is the 2022 national industry for investigation and personal background check services, part of 56161 (Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services). Census lists 12 example activities under it in the official index.

County Business Patterns counts 4,013 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 41,686 people at an average annual payroll of $58,545 per employee (30th percentile of national industries). 71% 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 background check services, bounty hunting services, detective agencies and fingerprint services, among 12 in all.

For example, providing credit checks are classified in 561450 (Credit Bureaus) instead.

Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 5% and employment fell 6%. 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.

Census lists 1 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 561450. 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.