§1The market
New York had 95 private establishments in NAICS 321920, wood container and pallet manufacturing, in the 2025 annual average, 3.0% of the U.S. total of 3,143. That ranks 14th of the 50 states with QCEW data for the industry.
That is up 2.2% from 93 in 2020, against +5.8% nationally.
Employment averaged 1,502 in 2025 (+1.7% since 2020), at an average annual pay of $58,674, 8.0% above the industry's national average.
For raw material, New York had 93 sawmill establishments (NAICS 321113) in 2025, employing 1,575 in 2025. Pallet plants outnumber sawmills in the state.
Pallet plants were recorded in 38 counties in 2025.
Freight context: retail diesel in the Central Atlantic (PADD 1B) region averaged $6.490 a gallon in October 2026, +67.2% on a year earlier (EIA).
§2New York by year
| Year | Plants | Employment | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 93 | 1,477 | $44,235 |
| 2021 | 93 | 1,443 | $47,589 |
| 2022 | 97 | 1,461 | $52,123 |
| 2023 | 99 | 1,463 | $54,647 |
| 2024 | 94 | 1,417 | $56,700 |
| 2025 | 95 | 1,502 | $58,674 |
Sawmills (NAICS 321113) in New York: 2020 106, 2021 105, 2022 101, 2023 102, 2024 101, 2025 93.
§3What it means for buyers
With 95 plants, New York supports a competitive RFQ inside the state: invite suppliers close to each delivery point, since freight is a large share of delivered price.
Supply clusters in New York, NY, Rochester, NY, Buffalo, NY; see the metro pages below.
States with a similar number of plants: Kentucky (85), Georgia (96), Alabama (82), North Carolina (99).
Ask each bidder which plant will ship to you, and price delivery as its own line in the bid-leveling sheet.
§4Metro areas
| Metro area | Plants | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 61 | 810 |
| Rochester, NY | 11 | 154 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 10 | 204 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 7 | 136 |
| Syracuse, NY | 6 | not disclosed |
§5Neighbouring states
| State | Plants | Average pay (latest disclosed) |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 189 | $53,952 |
| New Jersey | 60 | $53,999 |
| Massachusetts | 32 | $67,492 |
| Connecticut | 19 | $51,324 |
| Vermont | 4 | $38,092 |