U.S. industry reference
Woodworking and home furnishing statistics.
A current collection of public figures on American woodworkers, wood household furniture manufacturing, and the home-furnishings market. Updated September 23, 2026.
Explore the figures
At a glance
Facts worth keeping close.
These figures bring together the practical scale of woodworking, furniture making, and the places Americans shop for pieces that make a home feel personal. Every number below links to its original public source.
2,075
wood household furniture manufacturers
The U.S. Census Bureau counted 2,075 establishments in nonupholstered wood household furniture manufacturing in 2023.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023 ↗1,256
had fewer than five employees
Of those establishments, 1,256 were in the smallest employment-size group, showing how much of this corner of the industry is made up of small shops.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023 ↗$969.3M
in annual payroll
Nonupholstered wood household furniture manufacturers reported $969.3 million in annual payroll in 2023.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023 ↗199,900
woodworkers employed
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated 199,900 woodworkers were employed in the United States in 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook ↗$45,310
median annual pay
The median annual wage for woodworkers was $45,310 in May 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook ↗$46,680
for cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters had a median annual wage of $46,680 in May 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook ↗18,100
average annual openings
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an average of 18,100 openings for woodworkers each year from 2025 through 2035, largely from replacement needs.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook ↗$125.0B
in furniture and home-furnishings sales
U.S. furniture and home-furnishings stores reported $125.0 billion in sales in 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Integrated Economic Survey, 2024 ↗395,639
employees in the retail sector
Furniture and home-furnishings store employer firms reported 395,639 employees in 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Integrated Economic Survey, 2024 ↗What the figures show
A field built by both skill and scale.
Wood furniture making is not one uniform industry. The public data shows a field with thousands of establishments, including many very small employers, alongside a national home-furnishings market measured in billions of dollars.
For buyers, the numbers are a useful reminder that the work behind a finished wood piece is more than a material choice. It is a skilled trade, and a handmade piece carries the decisions of the person who selected, shaped, finished, and built it.
Method and sources
How this page is kept current.
This page uses the latest available public figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as of September 23, 2026. The figures describe different parts of the broader woodworking and home-furnishings economy, so each statistic keeps its original year and scope rather than being treated as one single market total.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns: Nonupholstered Wood Household Furniture Manufacturing, 2023
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Integrated Economic Survey: Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores, 2024
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Woodworkers
Dogwood Creek Woodworking. “Woodworking and Home Furnishing Statistics.” Updated September 23, 2026. https://dogwoodcreekwoodworking.com/woodworking-statistics
Built one piece at a time