311615/Poultry Processing
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
239K
employees, 2023
239K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 520 US Poultry Processing business locations employed 238,635 people and paid $10.4 billion in annual payroll, $43,477 per employee on average. Employment was up 4.0% from 2022. Georgia had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
520
+0.2% vs 2022
Employees
238,635
+4.0% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$10.4B
+3.0% vs 2022
Average pay
$43,477
-0.9% vs 2022
Over the years
United States, 2017 to 2023
Employees
Paid employees in mid-March
Business locations
Places with paid employees
By state
Employees of Poultry Processing in each state, 2023
Employees by state
States with the most employees
Employees and the share of all the state's jobs
| State | Business locations | Employees | Average pay | Share of state jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 45 | 31,093 | $43,817 | 0.71% |
| Arkansas | 44 | 30,374 | $41,583 | 2.71% |
| North Carolina | 29 | 24,019 | $40,551 | 0.56% |
| Alabama | 35 | 23,866 | $40,892 | 1.31% |
| Mississippi | 21 | 17,668 | $38,679 | 1.85% |
| Texas | 34 | 16,381 | $46,464 | 0.14% |
| California | 39 | 10,339* | $37,704 | 0.06% |
| Virginia | 14 | 9,258* | $44,573 | 0.26% |
| Delaware | 7 | 8,439 | $43,240 | 1.84% |
| Missouri | 13 | 7,163* | $46,940 | 0.27% |
| Tennessee | 11 | 6,429 | $42,440 | 0.22% |
| South Carolina | 13 | 6,158 | $45,528 | 0.30% |
| Minnesota | 19 | 5,685 | $55,074 | 0.20% |
| Kentucky | 9 | 5,467 | $37,874 | 0.32% |
| Pennsylvania | 19 | 4,421 | $54,295 | 0.08% |
The 15 states with the most employees. Download the CSV for all 34.
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Poultry Processing employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MS | 9 | 7,648* | $39,866 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 12 | 7,536* | $42,212 |
| Albertville, AL | 10 | 7,470 | $42,161 |
| Gainesville, GA | 13 | 6,977 | $48,565 |
| Seaford, DE | 6 | 6,838 | $44,934 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 6 | 5,845 | $37,006 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 12 | 5,804 | $46,030 |
| Fresno, CA | 3 | 4,764* | $26,301 |
| Lumberton, NC | 3 | 4,372 | $40,433 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 7 | 4,337 | $49,248 |
| Laurel, MS | 4 | 2,851 | $42,847 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 4 | 2,641 | $42,192 |
| Russellville, AR | 4 | 2,625* | $36,137 |
| Columbia, SC | 5 | 2,480 | $48,151 |
| Merced, CA | 3 | 2,475* | $62,507 |
Business size
US Poultry Processing business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 75 | 14.4% |
| 5 to 9 | 32 | 6.2% |
| 10 to 19 | 37 | 7.1% |
| 20 to 49 | 46 | 8.8% |
| 50 to 99 | 30 | 5.8% |
| 100 to 249 | 35 | 6.7% |
| 250 to 499 | 64 | 12.3% |
| 500 to 999 | 113 | 21.7% |
| 1,000 or more | 88 | 16.9% |
Related industries
The industries this code belongs to
Part of Manufacturing 31-33Food Manufacturing 311Animal Slaughtering and Processing 3116Animal Slaughtering and Processing 31161
Questions and answers
How many people work in Poultry Processing in the US?
238,635 people worked at 520 US Poultry Processing business locations in 2023, up 4.0% from 2022. That is 0.17% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Poultry Processing?
$43,477 a year per employee in 2023, from $10.4 billion in annual payroll (down 0.9% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Poultry Processing jobs?
Georgia had the most, with 31,093 employees in 2023, followed by Arkansas (30,374) and North Carolina (24,019).
Which metro areas have the most Poultry Processing jobs?
Jackson, MS (7,648), Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR (7,536), Albertville, AL (7,470) had the most Poultry Processing employees in 2023.
Are most Poultry Processing businesses small?
27.7% of the 520 Poultry Processing business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 201 had 500 or more.
Official US government statistics, published once a year. Business locations are places with paid employees; employees are counted in mid-March; payroll covers the whole year. Covers most private employers, not the self-employed, most government workers or farm workers on farms. * Less accurate: changed by 5% or more to protect privacy. Changes from the year before are shown only when both years use the same edition of the industry codes.