Covering two years of business progress, the 2023 Worker Cooperative State of the Sector is a report on worker-owned and democratic workplaces in the United States. This report is a co-production of Democracy at Work Institute and the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives. The report draws upon the latest developments in the field captured in the 2023 Worker Cooperative Enterprise Census and is an essential tool to understanding the sector.
Download the 2023 Worker Cooperative State of the Sector Report
The Worker Cooperative Enterprise Census is the national, comprehensive opportunity to capture trends across worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces in the United States.
Whether you’re a startup or have been running your co-op for years, worker-owners are at the forefront of a collective effort to transform the economy into one that prioritizes the needs of everyday people.
Help us show that worker cooperatives are thriving and growing by participating in the Worker Cooperative Enterprise Census today.
The Worker Cooperative Enterprise Census is a survey of worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces in the United States. It is our opportunity to show the growth, success, and experience within the sector of cooperative small businesses and democratic workplaces.
Thanks to participation in previous editions of the census, we know that worker cooperatives in the U.S. have:
- An average 2:1 top-to-bottom pay ratio, in contrast to the massive 351:1 pay ratio at the typical U.S. corporation;
- An average wage of $19.67 per hour, more than two times the federal minimum wage;
- A majority of worker-owners are women and just less than half are people of color;
- Retained workers in economic downturns, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Take a look at the 2021 Worker Co-op and Democratic Workplace State of the Sector
When your cooperative participates in the Enterprise Census, you help increase access to capital, support cooperative-friendly policy development, and showcase shared ownership as a source of high-quality jobs. The census directly benefits BIPOC, immigrant, and low-wage workers who have historically been excluded from good jobs and ownership opportunities.
The Worker Cooperative Enterprise Census is conducted by the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives and the Democracy at Work Institute. The results of the census are published as the Worker Cooperative State of the Sector Report.