Contents
- What computer repair business counts statistics measure
- Historical U.S. establishment counts for computer repair
- A separate IT industry series reports different totals
- What the 2002 Economic Census counted
- What NAICS 811212 includes and excludes
- How to interpret employer establishment counts
- Sources
What computer repair business counts statistics measure
A count of establishments is not necessarily a count of business owners or companies. An establishment is a business location or operating unit. A firm can have more than one establishment, and statistics limited to establishments with payroll leave out many self-employed operators. Those distinctions matter when using computer repair business counts statistics to describe the size of the industry.
The available U.S. figures here are historical. They come from different statistical tables and years, so they should be read as separate snapshots rather than combined into one continuous trend. The classification is also specific: NAICS 811212 covers computer and office machine repair and maintenance, subject to the category’s inclusion and exclusion rules.
Historical U.S. establishment counts for computer repair
The Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2002 presents two historical counts for computer maintenance and repair under NAICS 811212. One table reports 4,989 establishments in 1997. Another reports 6,949 establishments in 1999 and 10,029 in 2000. The latter table is based on County Business Patterns and explicitly covers establishments with payroll.
| Year | Establishments reported | Series and scope |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 4,989 | Economic Census figure reproduced in the IT-industry table |
| 1999 | 6,949 | County Business Patterns-based table; establishments with payroll |
| 2000 | 10,029 | County Business Patterns-based table; establishments with payroll |
These figures suggest that the reported count grew across the periods shown, but the 1997 and 1999–2000 observations appear in different tables. They are not a single, fully comparable series. The County Business Patterns table also excludes most government employees, railroad employees, and self-employed persons, according to its note. The increase therefore describes the reported employer establishment counts in those tables; it does not show how many independent repair operators existed in total or explain why counts changed.
Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2002, table 1098, row “Computer maintenance and repair,” NAICS 811212, establishment columns for 1999 and 2000; table 1099, 1997 column. Table 1098 notes that it covers establishments with payroll and specifies exclusions.
A separate IT industry series reports different totals
The same Statistical Abstract includes another table, “Gross Domestic Income in Information Technologies (IT) Industries: 1992 to 2000.” Its NAICS 811212 row lists 11,544 establishments for 1999 and an estimated 13,241 for 2000.
Those values are higher than the 6,949 and 10,029 figures in the County Business Patterns-based table for the same years. The source identifies these as distinct series, and the available evidence does not establish that their methods or coverage are comparable. They should not be averaged or treated as revisions to the County Business Patterns values. When citing a historical count, identify the table and series alongside the year.
Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2002, table 1099, row “Computer maintenance and repair,” NAICS 811212, 1999 and 2000 estimate columns.
What the 2002 Economic Census counted
The 2002 Economic Census gives a more detailed picture of the category. It counted 5,946 employer establishments in computer and office machine repair and maintenance (NAICS 811212). Within that total, computer repair and maintenance accounted for 4,616 establishments, while office machine repair and maintenance accounted for 1,330.
| 2002 category | Establishments | Paid employees per establishment |
|---|---|---|
| Computer repair and maintenance (8112123) | 4,616 | 8.3 |
| Office machine repair and maintenance (8112124) | 1,330 | 14.6 |
| Combined category (811212) | 5,946 | 9.2 |
The two subcategory counts add up to the combined total. The employee figures are averages among establishments of firms with payroll; they do not mean that every shop employed those numbers. In this census, the office machine subcategory had a higher average paid employee count per establishment than the computer repair subcategory. The combined average reflects both groups.
The Economic Census table states that it includes establishments of firms with payroll and that enterprise support establishments are included. It also cautions that comparability with 1997 may be limited. The 2002 total is therefore a useful, detailed snapshot, but it should not be placed in a simple growth calculation against another table without checking coverage and definitions.
Source: 2002 Economic Census: Other Services (Except Public Administration), United States, table 1, rows 811212, 8112123, and 8112124; establishment and paid employees per establishment columns. See the table notes on payroll coverage, enterprise support establishments, and comparability.
What NAICS 811212 includes and excludes
The archived 1997 NAICS definition describes 811212 as establishments primarily engaged in repairing and maintaining computers and office machines without retailing new computers and office machines. Its examples include photocopying machines, computer terminals, storage devices, printers, and CD-ROM drives. The category thus extends beyond repair shops focused on desktop computers or laptops.
The classification also draws boundaries that affect counts. A retailer that sells new computers and peripherals while providing repair services is classified under NAICS 443120, Computer and Software Stores. Fax machine repair is assigned to NAICS 811213, Communication Equipment Repair and Maintenance. As a result, a count for NAICS 811212 does not capture every location where a customer can get a computer or related device repaired.
These details are especially relevant when comparing a government industry count with a directory, business survey, or estimate based on a broader meaning of “computer repair business.” The population being counted may differ even when the label sounds similar.
Source: 1997 NAICS Sector 81, definition and cross-references under “811212 Computer and Office Machine Repair and Maintenance.”
How to interpret employer establishment counts
Employer establishment counts describe locations or operating units associated with payroll, not all people offering repair services. A solo technician working without paid employees can fall outside an employer-only count. A multi-location firm may contribute more than one establishment. Neither situation is visible from the headline number alone.
The Census Bureau’s 2023 County Business Patterns page describes the series as including establishment counts, employment during the week of March 12, first-quarter payroll, and annual payroll. The available page description does not provide a verified 2023 NAICS 811212 count. Accordingly, the historical figures above should not be presented as current totals.
For a clear comparison, report the year, NAICS code, table or series, and whether the count covers establishments with payroll. For scale, report the employee measure separately and retain its unit, such as paid employees per establishment. These details help readers distinguish a historical employer-location count from a count of all repair businesses or individual technicians.
Source: County Business Patterns: 2023, series description.