Federal Communications Commission FCC 24-24
of Governments
17
indicate there were 90,075 local governmental jurisdictions consisting of general
purpose governments and special purpose governments in the United States.
18
Of this number, there were
36,931 general purpose governments (county,
19
municipal, and town or township
20
) with populations of
less than 50,000 and 12,040 special purpose governments—independent school districts
21
with enrollment
populations of less than 50,000.
22
Accordingly, based on the 2017 U.S. Census of Governments data, we
estimate that at least 48,971 entities fall into the category of “small governmental jurisdictions.”
23
8. Wireless Carriers and Service Providers. Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except
Satellite) is the closest industry with a SBA small business size standard applicable to these service
providers.
24
The SBA small business size standard for this industry classifies a business as small if it has
1,500 or fewer employees.
25
U.S. Census Bureau data for 2017 show that there were 2,893 firms that
operated in this industry for the entire year.
26
Of this number, 2,837 firms employed fewer than 250
employees.
27
Additionally, based on Commission data in the 2022 Universal Service Monitoring Report,
17
See 13 U.S.C. § 161. The Census of Governments survey is conducted every five (5) years compiling data for
years ending with “2” and “7”. See also Census of Governments, https://www.census.gov/programs-
surveys/cog/about.html.
18
See U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 Census of Governments – Organization Table 2. Local Governments by Type and
State: 2017 [CG1700ORG02], https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2017/econ/gus/2017-governments.html. Local
governmental jurisdictions are made up of general purpose governments (county, municipal and town or township)
and special purpose governments (special districts and independent school districts). See also tbl.2. CG1700ORG02
Table Notes_Local Governments by Type and State_2017.
19
See id. at tbl.5. County Governments by Population-Size Group and State: 2017 [CG1700ORG05],
https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2017/econ/gus/2017-governments.html. There were 2,105 county governments
with populations less than 50,000. This category does not include subcounty (municipal and township)
governments.
20
See id. at tbl.6. Subcounty General-Purpose Governments by Population-Size Group and State: 2017
[CG1700ORG06], https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2017/econ/gus/2017-governments.html. There were 18,729
municipal and 16,097 town and township governments with populations less than 50,000.
21
See id. at tbl.10. Elementary and Secondary School Systems by Enrollment-Size Group and State: 2017
[CG1700ORG10], https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2017/econ/gus/2017-governments.html. There were 12,040
independent school districts with enrollment populations less than 50,000. See also tbl.4. Special-Purpose Local
Governments by State Census Years 1942 to 2017 [CG1700ORG04], CG1700ORG04 Table Notes_Special Purpose
Local Governments by State_Census Years 1942 to 2017.
22
While the special purpose governments category also includes local special district governments, the 2017 Census
of Governments data does not provide data aggregated based on population size for the special purpose governments
category. Therefore, only data from independent school districts is included in the special purpose governments
category.
23
This total is derived from the sum of the number of general purpose governments (county, municipal and town or
township) with populations of less than 50,000 (36,931) and the number of special purpose governments -
independent school districts with enrollment populations of less than 50,000 (12,040), from the 2017 Census of
Governments - Organizations tbls. 5, 6 & 10.
24
See U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 NAICS Definition, “517312 Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except
Satellite),” https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=517312&year=2017&details=517312.
25
See 13 CFR § 121.201, NAICS Code 517312 (as of 10/1/22, NAICS Code 517112).
26
See U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 Economic Census of the United States, Employment Size of Firms for the U.S.:
2017, Table ID: EC1700SIZEEMPFIRM, NAICS Code 517312,
https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?y=2017&n=517312&tid=ECNSIZE2017.EC1700SIZEEMPFIRM&hidePrevie
w=false.
27
Id. The available U.S. Census Bureau data does not provide a more precise estimate of the number of firms that
meet the SBA size standard.