Employee-Owned Companies by State: A Complete Directory

One of the most common questions we get: "Are there employee-owned companies near me?" The answer is almost certainly yes. There are over 6,500 ESOPs and more than 1,000 worker cooperatives operating across all 50 states. Here's how to find them.

States With the Most Employee-Owned Companies

Employee ownership is everywhere, but some states have significantly more activity:

• California — The largest concentration of both ESOPs and worker cooperatives, driven by a large economy and strong cooperative development infrastructure
• Ohio — Home to the Ohio Employee Ownership Center at Kent State, one of the oldest and most active state centers. Ohio has over 300 ESOP companies
• Texas — A major hub for employee-owned engineering, construction, and energy companies
• New York — Especially strong in worker cooperatives, thanks to NYC's Worker Cooperative Business Development Initiative which has invested $20M+ since 2015
• Pennsylvania — A long history of employee ownership, home to companies like Wawa (partially employee-owned) and a strong manufacturing ESOP base
• Wisconsin — Punches above its weight with an active state employee ownership center and companies like Sargento (employee-owned dairy)

State Employee Ownership Centers

Many states have dedicated organizations that promote and support employee ownership. These are invaluable resources whether you're a job seeker trying to find ESOP companies near you or a business owner exploring a transition:

• Ohio Employee Ownership Center (OEOC) — Kent State University
• Vermont Employee Ownership Center (VEOC)
• Michigan Center for Employee Ownership (MiCEO)
• Wisconsin Center for Employee Ownership (WiCEO)
• Connecticut Center for Employee Ownership (CtCEO)
• Colorado Employee Ownership Office — First state-funded office dedicated to EO

If your state doesn't have a dedicated center, the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) maintains a nationwide directory and can point you to local resources.

Finding Companies Near You

The fastest way to find employee-owned companies in your state is through Commonwealth's company directory. You can filter by location, ownership type (ESOP, worker cooperative, profit sharing), industry, and company size.

For ESOPs specifically, the ESOP Association maintains an interactive map at esop.org showing individual ESOP companies by location and industry. The Department of Labor's Form 5500 database also lists all ESOP plans, though it's less user-friendly.

State-Level Policy Matters

Some states have gone further than others in supporting employee ownership through policy:

• Colorado created the first state Employee Ownership Office and provides grants for feasibility studies
• Oregon passed HB 3646, creating procurement preferences for majority ESOP-owned companies
• California has cooperative corporation statutes that make it relatively straightforward to form worker cooperatives
• Massachusetts offers tax credits for cooperative conversions

If your state doesn't have strong employee ownership policy yet, organizations like Project Equity and the Aspen Institute's Employee Ownership Initiative are working to change that.

Explore the Directory

Ready to find employee-owned companies in your area? Browse the Commonwealth directory and filter by your state. If you're looking for open positions specifically, check the job board — you can search by location and find roles at employee-owned employers near you.