Market Depth
Most of Them Cannot Be Bought
Census counts 6,487,247 employer establishments in the industries on this page, and only 2,716,060 have 5 to 99 employees. Below five, most are a job attached to a person, and above a hundred employees the price has left SBA range. The market a searcher can actually hunt in is the middle band, a fraction of the number anyone quotes.
So every rate on this page is computed against the buyable count rather than the headline one, and counts only the SBA purchases of businesses in the same band, the loans whose file records 5 to 99 jobs. A rate whose two halves count different businesses is a rate about the wrong thing.
Industries Measured
286
With enough buyable businesses for a rate to mean anything.
Businesses Counted
6,487,247
Census establishments, 2023.
Of Those, Buyable
2,716,060
42% have 5 to 99 employees.
The Industries We Have Guides For
Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers changes hands 15 times as often, per buyable business, as offices of optometrists does. A year spent hunting in a market that does not trade is a year, whatever the multiples look like.
For several trades at once, across the states you would actually buy in, size the whole box in Deal Box Depth.
Every Industry
Every industry with at least 200 buyable businesses, sorted by how often one of them is bought with SBA money. Sort by All Businesses to see the crowded markets, by Buyable to see the real ones, and by Per 1,000 to see which actually move.
| Baked Goods Retailers | 2,550 | 1,05041% | 78 | 12.38 | $412k |
| All Other Miscellaneous Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 819 | 31138% | 21 | 11.25 | $1.07M |
| Window Treatment Retailers | 2,206 | 54425% | 36 | 11.03 | $462k |
| Home and Garden Equipment Repair and Maintenance | 1,665 | 20412% | 12 | 9.80 | $545k |
| All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 3,499 | 1,76350% | 87 | 8.22 | $1.06M |
| All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 24,892 | 3,96616% | 187 | 7.86 | $650k |
| All Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 3,011 | 1,22741% | 57 | 7.74 | $655k |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | 10,859 | 5,05447% | 214 | 7.06 | $714k |
| All Other Automotive Repair and Maintenance | 5,368 | 1,07120% | 44 | 6.85 | $475k |
| Other Computer Related Services | 13,275 | 2,57919% | 106 | 6.85 | $900k |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers | 36,433 | 13,91938% | 569 | 6.81 | $685k |
| All Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 42,748 | 13,86432% | 542 | 6.52 | $657k |
| Private Mail Centers | 7,614 | 3,76950% | 144 | 6.37 | $376k |
| All Other Miscellaneous Wood Product Manufacturing | 2,326 | 1,10848% | 42 | 6.32 | $768k |
| Other Waste Collection | 1,569 | 46229% | 17 | 6.13 | $473k |
| Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels | 55,895 | 36,13065% | 1,315 | 6.07 | $2.68M |
| Other Specialized Design Services | 3,466 | 35910% | 13 | 6.04 | $703k |
| Wood Window and Door Manufacturing | 1,075 | 54351% | 19 | 5.83 | $1.06M |
| Sign Manufacturing | 5,894 | 2,70746% | 91 | 5.60 | $575k |
| Other Business Service Centers (including Copy Shops) | 2,262 | 78735% | 26 | 5.51 | $438k |
| Recreational Goods Rental | 2,936 | 69924% | 23 | 5.48 | $521k |
| All Other Specialty Food Retailers | 6,122 | 2,99849% | 97 | 5.39 | $350k |
| Other Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance | 11,482 | 2,27420% | 73 | 5.35 | $368k |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners | 10,890 | 2,61624% | 82 | 5.22 | $499k |
| All Other Personal Services | 24,681 | 4,32118% | 133 | 5.13 | $410k |
| Bed-and-Breakfast Inns | 2,304 | 65128% | 20 | 5.12 | $1.42M |
| Landscape Architectural Services | 5,176 | 1,43428% | 43 | 5.00 | $675k |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services | 6,671 | 1,76126% | 50 | 4.73 | $339k |
| Drycleaning and Laundry Services (except Coin-Operated) | 15,801 | 5,29333% | 147 | 4.63 | $422k |
| Wood Kitchen Cabinet and Countertop Manufacturing | 6,055 | 2,66344% | 73 | 4.57 | $990k |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water | 2,210 | 48622% | 13 | 4.46 | $467k |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors | 6,945 | 3,24747% | 86 | 4.41 | $646k |
| Remediation Services | 5,826 | 2,94351% | 73 | 4.13 | $594k |
| Other Building Finishing Contractors | 8,076 | 3,15339% | 78 | 4.12 | $808k |
| Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 18,069 | 4,68326% | 115 | 4.09 | $456k |
| Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing | 1,659 | 66140% | 16 | 4.03 | $940k |
| Other Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers | 10,111 | 3,30733% | 80 | 4.03 | $1.01M |
| Home Centers | 5,832 | 1,03918% | 25 | 4.01 | $734k |
| General Freight Trucking, Local | 46,302 | 9,98322% | 240 | 4.01 | $985k |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery | 5,367 | 2,52347% | 59 | 3.90 | $827k |
| Commercial Printing (except Screen and Books) | 15,140 | 6,86645% | 150 | 3.64 | $501k |
| Lessors of Miniwarehouses and Self-Storage Units | 18,564 | 1,5218% | 33 | 3.62 | $1.11M |
| Bowling Centers | 3,154 | 2,43777% | 53 | 3.62 | $1.14M |
| Septic Tank and Related Services | 4,054 | 1,57939% | 34 | 3.59 | $444k |
| General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers | 3,383 | 1,11733% | 24 | 3.58 | $823k |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Retailers | 3,876 | 2,07153% | 44 | 3.54 | $593k |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services | 25,551 | 10,74142% | 228 | 3.54 | $473k |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds | 5,016 | 1,48230% | 31 | 3.49 | $763k |
| Florists | 11,834 | 4,11435% | 86 | 3.48 | $216k |
| Commercial Screen Printing | 5,854 | 2,68946% | 56 | 3.47 | $413k |
| Other Management Consulting Services | 14,568 | 1,1698% | 24 | 3.42 | $732k |
| All Other Telecommunications | 1,930 | 49826% | 10 | 3.35 | $2.32M |
| All Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation | 2,283 | 59926% | 12 | 3.34 | $669k |
| Cut Stone and Stone Product Manufacturing | 2,161 | 1,30760% | 26 | 3.32 | $782k |
| General Rental Centers | 2,725 | 1,26646% | 25 | 3.29 | $775k |
| Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | 20,884 | 13,19163% | 254 | 3.21 | $1.06M |
| General Automotive Repair | 84,859 | 29,10634% | 559 | 3.20 | $593k |
| Offices of Chiropractors | 39,913 | 10,92727% | 209 | 3.19 | $293k |
| All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing | 1,314 | 69653% | 13 | 3.11 | $500k |
| Other Industrial Machinery Manufacturing | 1,507 | 86157% | 16 | 3.10 | $806k |
| Building Inspection Services | 7,496 | 97013% | 18 | 3.09 | $475k |
| Hardware Retailers | 15,694 | 9,53261% | 175 | 3.06 | $693k |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses | 1,701 | 84049% | 15 | 2.98 | $776k |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair | 3,168 | 61820% | 11 | 2.97 | $430k |
| Flooring Contractors | 17,989 | 4,07723% | 72 | 2.94 | $619k |
| Other Activities Related to Real Estate | 23,159 | 2,85612% | 50 | 2.92 | $625k |
| Car Washes | 19,807 | 9,38747% | 160 | 2.84 | $1.23M |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services | 15,183 | 7,63150% | 126 | 2.75 | $1.27M |
| Electroplating, Plating, Polishing, Anodizing, and Coloring | 1,984 | 1,28265% | 21 | 2.73 | $1.14M |
| Other Building Equipment Contractors | 8,107 | 4,09350% | 67 | 2.73 | $683k |
| Packaging and Labeling Services | 1,964 | 92047% | 15 | 2.72 | $940k |
| Locksmiths | 3,961 | 98025% | 16 | 2.72 | $500k |
| Industrial Mold Manufacturing | 1,242 | 74660% | 12 | 2.68 | $899k |
| Commercial Bakeries | 2,842 | 1,43350% | 23 | 2.68 | $242k |
| Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing | 3,432 | 2,17363% | 35 | 2.68 | $1.40M |
| All Other Business Support Services | 3,628 | 88524% | 14 | 2.64 | $659k |
| Machine Shops | 17,154 | 8,99252% | 139 | 2.58 | $965k |
| Home Health Care Services | 40,762 | 23,00756% | 356 | 2.58 | $706k |
| Floor Covering Retailers | 9,723 | 4,12942% | 60 | 2.42 | $695k |
| Sporting Goods Retailers | 20,373 | 10,10050% | 146 | 2.41 | $382k |
| Retail Bakeries | 9,219 | 4,71551% | 68 | 2.40 | $405k |
| All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction | 7,912 | 2,66934% | 38 | 2.37 | $435k |
| Other Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers | 10,571 | 3,13930% | 44 | 2.34 | $1.29M |
| Advertising Agencies | 15,512 | 4,52129% | 63 | 2.32 | $740k |
| All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing | 5,545 | 3,27659% | 44 | 2.24 | $1.68M |
| All Other Miscellaneous General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing | 1,423 | 82358% | 11 | 2.23 | $1.15M |
| All Other Miscellaneous Waste Management Services | 1,563 | 67543% | 9 | 2.22 | $629k |
| Landscaping Services | 117,969 | 33,94129% | 449 | 2.20 | $500k |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants | 55,052 | 18,60934% | 242 | 2.17 | $500k |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 4,805 | 2,13744% | 27 | 2.11 | $1.41M |
| Appliance Repair and Maintenance | 5,593 | 1,03819% | 13 | 2.09 | $569k |
| Convenience Retailers | 36,992 | 11,11830% | 139 | 2.08 | $514k |
| Automobile Driving Schools | 2,645 | 97237% | 12 | 2.06 | $428k |
| Roofing Contractors | 25,519 | 8,62334% | 106 | 2.05 | $957k |
| Employment Placement Agencies | 7,679 | 2,85737% | 35 | 2.04 | $1.00M |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 111,207 | 44,68040% | 548 | 2.04 | $735k |
| Special Needs Transportation | 3,918 | 1,90249% | 23 | 2.02 | $650k |
| Confectionery and Nut Retailers | 3,409 | 1,59547% | 19 | 1.99 | $349k |
| Interior Design Services | 16,797 | 3,02118% | 36 | 1.99 | $480k |
| Other Support Activities for Road Transportation | 3,571 | 1,01628% | 12 | 1.97 | $500k |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 22,907 | 8,87439% | 105 | 1.97 | $803k |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers | 2,970 | 2,05869% | 24 | 1.94 | $1.80M |
| All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 22,786 | 8,69138% | 101 | 1.94 | $558k |
| Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing | 2,786 | 1,82365% | 21 | 1.92 | $978k |
| Other Personal Care Services | 31,863 | 10,91334% | 124 | 1.89 | $450k |
| Other Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 6,489 | 2,23034% | 25 | 1.87 | $994k |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | 41,556 | 23,41656% | 261 | 1.86 | $304k |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies | 6,582 | 1,98430% | 22 | 1.85 | $1.86M |
| Other Accounting Services | 47,699 | 9,99721% | 111 | 1.85 | $500k |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving | 9,436 | 4,27545% | 47 | 1.83 | $759k |
| Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers | 6,688 | 3,84057% | 42 | 1.82 | $1.34M |
| Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores | 96,002 | 61,82864% | 675 | 1.82 | $1.41M |
| Automotive Body, Paint, and Interior Repair and Maintenance | 35,029 | 16,12946% | 174 | 1.80 | $655k |
| Claims Adjusting | 4,934 | 1,02821% | 11 | 1.78 | $833k |
| Motor Vehicle Towing | 10,566 | 4,11339% | 44 | 1.78 | $1.20M |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers | 3,230 | 1,61250% | 17 | 1.76 | $440k |
| Marinas | 3,734 | 1,61843% | 17 | 1.75 | $1.37M |
| Ornamental and Architectural Metal Work Manufacturing | 2,826 | 1,34348% | 14 | 1.74 | $1.45M |
| Boat Dealers | 4,245 | 2,29454% | 24 | 1.74 | $1.39M |
| Child Care Services | 82,162 | 51,95563% | 539 | 1.73 | $783k |
| Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers | 3,602 | 1,85451% | 19 | 1.71 | $435k |
| Fruit and Vegetable Retailers | 4,255 | 1,07625% | 11 | 1.70 | $240k |
| All Other Consumer Goods Rental | 5,321 | 2,25742% | 23 | 1.70 | $590k |
| Photography Studios, Portrait | 11,483 | 1,29711% | 13 | 1.67 | $450k |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems | 4,554 | 1,82640% | 18 | 1.64 | $500k |
| Flower, Nursery Stock, and Florists' Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 4,105 | 1,83445% | 18 | 1.64 | $900k |
| All Other Legal Services | 5,776 | 92816% | 9 | 1.62 | $300k |
| Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers | 2,217 | 1,13251% | 11 | 1.62 | $1.38M |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors | 38,280 | 9,37024% | 90 | 1.60 | $431k |
| Janitorial Services | 67,799 | 24,59436% | 236 | 1.60 | $400k |
| Full-Service Restaurants | 258,626 | 185,49272% | 1,748 | 1.57 | $428k |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops | 7,201 | 2,45234% | 23 | 1.56 | $583k |
| Automotive Oil Change and Lubrication Shops | 9,085 | 6,42071% | 60 | 1.56 | $728k |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers | 9,921 | 7,25973% | 68 | 1.56 | $487k |
| Vending Machine Operators | 3,227 | 96530% | 9 | 1.55 | $291k |
| Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 9,605 | 4,98852% | 46 | 1.54 | $1.07M |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages | 133,728 | 36,18127% | 324 | 1.49 | $761k |
| Other Commercial Equipment Merchant Wholesalers | 3,633 | 1,72547% | 15 | 1.45 | $774k |
| Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | 41,792 | 34,04681% | 297 | 1.45 | $1.19M |
| Service Establishment Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 5,294 | 2,78953% | 24 | 1.43 | $860k |
| Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers | 13,195 | 8,29063% | 71 | 1.43 | $536k |
| Tax Preparation Services | 28,762 | 8,83431% | 76 | 1.43 | $490k |
| Beauty Salons | 84,176 | 26,29831% | 221 | 1.40 | $270k |
| Medical, Dental, and Hospital Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 10,296 | 3,61135% | 30 | 1.38 | $700k |
| Nail Salons | 34,417 | 11,81734% | 98 | 1.38 | $350k |
| Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) | 62,947 | 32,10651% | 266 | 1.38 | $698k |
| Support Activities for Animal Production | 4,790 | 97420% | 8 | 1.37 | $653k |
| Other Construction Material Merchant Wholesalers | 3,756 | 2,10456% | 17 | 1.35 | $890k |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property | 8,957 | 1,61218% | 13 | 1.34 | $941k |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | 7,463 | 3,98853% | 32 | 1.34 | $523k |
| Dental Laboratories | 4,780 | 1,67235% | 13 | 1.30 | $585k |
| Other Services Related to Advertising | 7,395 | 2,30531% | 18 | 1.30 | $459k |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing | 3,894 | 2,70770% | 21 | 1.29 | $1.45M |
| Offices of All Other Miscellaneous Health Practitioners | 36,107 | 6,84619% | 53 | 1.29 | $483k |
| All Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers (except Tobacco Stores) | 24,598 | 9,07137% | 69 | 1.27 | $350k |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | 40,835 | 24,84261% | 189 | 1.27 | $353k |
| Sporting and Recreational Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 5,355 | 2,24042% | 17 | 1.26 | $551k |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Retailers | 4,210 | 2,65863% | 20 | 1.25 | $299k |
| Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers | 2,668 | 1,61460% | 12 | 1.24 | $500k |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | 83,342 | 33,05940% | 246 | 1.24 | $801k |
| Piece Goods, Notions, and Other Dry Goods Merchant Wholesalers | 2,829 | 81929% | 6 | 1.22 | $390k |
| Exam Preparation and Tutoring | 9,820 | 5,09552% | 37 | 1.21 | $348k |
| Caterers | 13,222 | 5,76744% | 42 | 1.21 | $560k |
| Breweries | 5,218 | 3,75172% | 27 | 1.20 | $619k |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services | 16,535 | 7,02342% | 50 | 1.19 | $403k |
| Graphic Design Services | 15,828 | 2,39915% | 17 | 1.18 | $298k |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers | 5,965 | 2,96950% | 21 | 1.18 | $1.25M |
| Barber Shops | 7,789 | 1,84724% | 13 | 1.17 | $451k |
| Meat Markets | 5,676 | 3,02253% | 21 | 1.16 | $201k |
| Brick, Stone, and Related Construction Material Merchant Wholesalers | 3,735 | 1,89951% | 13 | 1.14 | $1.06M |
| Wineries | 4,558 | 2,48054% | 17 | 1.14 | $795k |
| Automobile and Other Motor Vehicle Merchant Wholesalers | 6,115 | 3,07050% | 21 | 1.14 | $927k |
| Industrial Building Construction | 3,379 | 1,47344% | 10 | 1.13 | $866k |
| Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers | 7,046 | 4,41363% | 30 | 1.13 | $1.44M |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers | 18,896 | 8,28644% | 56 | 1.13 | $350k |
| Other Building Material Dealers | 26,733 | 15,68459% | 106 | 1.13 | $755k |
| Marketing Consulting Services | 52,258 | 8,17616% | 54 | 1.10 | $729k |
| Cemeteries and Crematories | 5,049 | 1,99640% | 13 | 1.09 | $925k |
| All Other Home Furnishings Retailers | 11,046 | 6,14156% | 40 | 1.09 | $377k |
| Electrical Apparatus and Equipment, Wiring Supplies, and Related Equipment Merchant Wholesalers | 13,379 | 7,91859% | 52 | 1.09 | $1.08M |
| Amusement Arcades | 3,630 | 1,88952% | 12 | 1.06 | $795k |
| Siding Contractors | 9,142 | 2,20924% | 14 | 1.06 | $600k |
| Computer Facilities Management Services | 6,374 | 1,90930% | 12 | 1.05 | $728k |
| All Other Health and Personal Care Retailers | 10,170 | 3,48834% | 22 | 1.05 | $1.51M |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers | 5,023 | 2,25845% | 14 | 1.03 | $594k |
| Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services | 28,043 | 4,70517% | 29 | 1.03 | $762k |
| Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors | 23,350 | 9,18639% | 56 | 1.02 | $500k |
| Limited-Service Restaurants | 270,088 | 202,32675% | 1,233 | 1.02 | $370k |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers | 8,803 | 5,06758% | 30 | 0.99 | $465k |
| Furniture Retailers | 21,964 | 10,33347% | 61 | 0.98 | $521k |
| Other Technical and Trade Schools | 4,655 | 2,05844% | 12 | 0.97 | $645k |
| Offices of Podiatrists | 7,523 | 2,73936% | 16 | 0.97 | $461k |
| Investment Advice | 23,359 | 3,44915% | 20 | 0.97 | $783k |
| Solid Waste Collection | 10,982 | 5,69152% | 33 | 0.97 | $581k |
| Public Relations Agencies | 8,646 | 2,11624% | 12 | 0.95 | $1.00M |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors | 32,219 | 8,38326% | 48 | 0.95 | $667k |
| All Other Support Services | 12,567 | 4,98540% | 28 | 0.94 | $454k |
| Residential Remodelers | 135,337 | 25,49119% | 142 | 0.93 | $549k |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars | 85,140 | 56,69567% | 318 | 0.93 | $350k |
| Site Preparation Contractors | 41,777 | 15,73238% | 87 | 0.92 | $848k |
| Masonry Contractors | 18,258 | 5,52030% | 30 | 0.91 | $896k |
| Other Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing | 10,248 | 5,88457% | 32 | 0.91 | $900k |
| Tile and Terrazzo Contractors | 10,685 | 2,95328% | 16 | 0.90 | $740k |
| General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload | 60,137 | 12,28820% | 66 | 0.90 | $1.08M |
| Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets | 4,621 | 2,79961% | 15 | 0.89 | $353k |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing | 4,652 | 3,00965% | 16 | 0.89 | $952k |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors | 20,760 | 7,71837% | 39 | 0.84 | $896k |
| Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) | 7,151 | 3,44548% | 17 | 0.82 | $655k |
| Engineering Services | 63,233 | 27,52444% | 136 | 0.82 | $965k |
| Educational Support Services | 12,227 | 3,74031% | 18 | 0.80 | $327k |
| Industrial Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers | 25,947 | 13,71353% | 64 | 0.78 | $1.09M |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | 40,265 | 23,05657% | 108 | 0.78 | $501k |
| Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists | 13,449 | 2,58619% | 12 | 0.77 | $382k |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction | 20,916 | 8,53041% | 39 | 0.76 | $389k |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices | 9,825 | 3,57736% | 16 | 0.75 | $647k |
| Veterinary Services | 34,296 | 24,53872% | 111 | 0.75 | $802k |
| Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services | 7,288 | 2,94240% | 13 | 0.74 | $772k |
| Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers | 14,991 | 6,49243% | 29 | 0.74 | $428k |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 18,126 | 10,17056% | 45 | 0.74 | $1.20M |
| Tire Dealers | 20,250 | 13,88069% | 62 | 0.74 | $743k |
| Food (Health) Supplement Retailers | 8,267 | 2,51830% | 11 | 0.73 | $610k |
| Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers | 8,845 | 4,34449% | 19 | 0.73 | $1.11M |
| Other Residential Care Facilities | 5,988 | 3,92165% | 17 | 0.72 | $1.00M |
| Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers | 7,744 | 4,42557% | 19 | 0.72 | $1.58M |
| New Car Dealers | 21,908 | 15,97973% | 68 | 0.71 | $3.60M |
| Computer Systems Design Services | 58,113 | 13,53423% | 57 | 0.70 | $883k |
| Lessors of Nonresidential Buildings (except Miniwarehouses) | 34,559 | 7,31721% | 30 | 0.68 | $802k |
| Other Clothing Stores | 11,286 | 5,70951% | 23 | 0.67 | $315k |
| Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | 52,058 | 22,08442% | 89 | 0.67 | $355k |
| Professional and Management Development Training | 8,067 | 1,82123% | 7 | 0.64 | $818k |
| Commercial and Institutional Building Construction | 39,072 | 19,32349% | 72 | 0.62 | $1.33M |
| Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction | 10,841 | 5,46950% | 20 | 0.61 | $745k |
| Other Direct Selling Establishments | 22,088 | 5,78426% | 21 | 0.61 | $500k |
| Fuel Dealers | 7,703 | 4,45858% | 16 | 0.60 | $123k |
| Jewelry Retailers | 19,897 | 8,93145% | 32 | 0.60 | $300k |
| Environmental Consulting Services | 9,696 | 3,38235% | 12 | 0.59 | $694k |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement | 21,873 | 9,27042% | 33 | 0.59 | $760k |
| Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services | 104,494 | 15,78715% | 56 | 0.59 | $1.12M |
| Newspaper Publishers | 5,851 | 2,93350% | 10 | 0.57 | $315k |
| Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | 18,544 | 6,96938% | 22 | 0.53 | $774k |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Retailers | 38,567 | 27,88472% | 89 | 0.53 | $710k |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | 7,112 | 3,88055% | 12 | 0.52 | $1.35M |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs | 10,076 | 6,35363% | 20 | 0.52 | $949k |
| Architectural Services | 22,805 | 8,06635% | 25 | 0.52 | $735k |
| Motion Picture and Video Production | 17,366 | 2,29813% | 7 | 0.51 | $450k |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 9,256 | 5,19056% | 16 | 0.51 | $842k |
| Motor Vehicle Supplies and New Parts Merchant Wholesalers | 12,265 | 7,03557% | 21 | 0.50 | $630k |
| Used Car Dealers | 25,146 | 7,64130% | 23 | 0.50 | $1.15M |
| Offices of Dentists | 135,665 | 84,38762% | 250 | 0.49 | $741k |
| Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies (Hydronics) Merchant Wholesalers | 6,410 | 4,14565% | 12 | 0.48 | $1.83M |
| Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations | 9,620 | 4,28445% | 12 | 0.47 | $426k |
| Medical Laboratories | 16,635 | 4,62528% | 13 | 0.47 | $440k |
| Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | 46,513 | 9,92721% | 28 | 0.47 | $545k |
| Metal Service Centers and Other Metal Merchant Wholesalers | 8,608 | 5,06759% | 14 | 0.46 | $1.10M |
| Electronics Stores | 13,615 | 6,13545% | 17 | 0.46 | $312k |
| Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers | 17,328 | 9,50555% | 26 | 0.46 | $383k |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 9,321 | 5,52059% | 15 | 0.45 | $771k |
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | 8,575 | 5,88869% | 16 | 0.45 | $1.30M |
| Residential Property Managers | 60,818 | 20,62234% | 56 | 0.45 | $657k |
| Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers | 8,919 | 3,83043% | 10 | 0.44 | $1.66M |
| Offices of Optometrists | 22,501 | 11,68052% | 31 | 0.44 | $456k |
| Custom Computer Programming Services | 68,051 | 17,28325% | 46 | 0.44 | $1.20M |
| Software Publishers | 18,425 | 7,39840% | 19 | 0.43 | $1.03M |
| Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Local | 32,207 | 9,70130% | 25 | 0.43 | $900k |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 23,201 | 16,82173% | 40 | 0.40 | $563k |
| Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers | 163,894 | 12,5098% | 29 | 0.39 | $467k |
| Fine Arts Schools | 16,284 | 7,99949% | 18 | 0.38 | $250k |
| Mobile Food Services | 12,487 | 2,35819% | 5 | 0.35 | $150k |
| Used Merchandise Retailers | 19,466 | 10,97256% | 22 | 0.33 | $423k |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | 34,595 | 7,38021% | 14 | 0.32 | $730k |
| New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) | 60,635 | 13,14722% | 25 | 0.32 | $1.33M |
| Shoe Retailers | 18,177 | 14,13478% | 27 | 0.32 | $388k |
| Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses | 54,707 | 14,38826% | 25 | 0.29 | $765k |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services | 11,104 | 5,91053% | 10 | 0.28 | $506k |
| Optical Goods Retailers | 11,719 | 6,13752% | 10 | 0.27 | $458k |
| Food Service Contractors | 29,512 | 16,38956% | 27 | 0.27 | $602k |
| All Other Outpatient Care Centers | 21,074 | 12,28158% | 18 | 0.24 | $991k |
| Other Gasoline Stations | 13,172 | 7,28755% | 9 | 0.21 | $3.74M |
| Other Individual and Family Services | 37,716 | 15,31341% | 18 | 0.20 | $520k |
| Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) | 24,269 | 11,89049% | 12 | 0.17 | $503k |
| Women's Clothing Stores | 26,279 | 15,78260% | 16 | 0.17 | $303k |
| Temporary Help Services | 38,254 | 16,84444% | 16 | 0.16 | $1.14M |
| Offices of Lawyers | 165,491 | 45,58328% | 41 | 0.15 | $488k |
| All Other General Merchandise Retailers | 49,121 | 41,62385% | 35 | 0.14 | $380k |
| Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) | 204,617 | 93,42546% | 78 | 0.14 | $970k |
| Office Administrative Services | 36,864 | 12,76435% | 8 | 0.10 | $773k |
What This Rate Is Not
It is not how often a business sells. SBA acquisition lending is one financing channel. Cash deals, seller-financed deals, and conventional bank loans are all absent from it, and there is no reason to think they are absent evenly. A dental practice is far more likely to be sold with practice-specific bank debt than a laundromat is, which is part of why dentistry looks thin here and is not. A trade usually bought with a skeleton staff, a storage facility or a laundromat, has most of its SBA purchases below the band, so its rate counts only the staffed businesses that sell, the same businesses its buyable count holds.
So the rate is a floor, not a measurement, and it is worth reading between industries rather than as a level. That the gap between the deepest and thinnest trades here is the multiple stated further up this page, in the one channel we can actually count, is a real thing to know when you are choosing where to spend a year. What the number cannot tell you is what fraction of that industry is for sale.
What the Market Reports
A search fund typically takes around 20 months to acquire a company, and 58% of all search funds since 1996 have gone on to buy one at all.
Source: Stanford GSB, Search Funds Keep Offering a Proven Path to Ownership
Businesses sold through BizBuySell's network reached $7.95 billion in total enterprise value in 2025, up 3% from 2024, with transaction counts roughly flat.
The median closed sale price on BizBuySell rose 2% to $350,000 in 2025; median cash flow of sold businesses was $158,950 and median revenue $703,000.
44% of business brokers report increased private-equity activity in the small-business market, but only 12% say PE buyers move faster than individual buyers.
SBA lenders approved 7,533 change-of-ownership 7(a) loans totaling $8.82 billion in FY2025, the highest of the last six fiscal years; the median acquisition loan was $700,000.
Source: Acquisition Lending by State (SBA 7(a) FOIA, our computation)
Acquisition borrowing costs swung hard with rates: the average initial rate on SBA change-of-ownership loans was 5.31% in FY2021, 10.17% in FY2024, and 9.38% in FY2025.
Source: Acquisition Lending by State (SBA 7(a) FOIA, our computation)
The whole 7(a) program approved 78,078 loans for $37.3 billion in FY2025, up from 70,242 loans and $31.1 billion in FY2024.
The Retirement Wave Behind the Supply
The figures above are the demand side. The supply side is demographic: how many owners are at retirement age, and how few have a transfer plan.
52.3% of U.S. employer businesses are owned by people 55 or older, about 3 million of the nearly 6 million private employer firms.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Annual Business Survey, as Gallup reports it
The United States is inside the "Peak 65" zone (2024 through 2027): a record 4.18 million Americans reach 65 in 2025, roughly 11,400 people per day.
Source: Alliance for Lifetime Income, Retirement Income Institute
Among owners of nonemployer businesses, only 35% plan to transfer ownership through a sale or gift; 27% plan to simply close, and 40% are uncertain.
Source: Gallup Pathways to Wealth Survey (JPMorganChase and the Kauffman Foundation), fall 2024
Owners of employer businesses plan ahead more often: 74% intend to sell or transfer the business rather than close it.
SBA change-of-ownership approvals, one financing channel among several, ran between 4,983 and 7,533 loans per year across FY2020 to FY2025.
Source: Acquisition Lending by State (SBA 7(a) FOIA, our computation)
Method & Source
Business counts: Census County Business Patterns (2023). Loan counts: the SBA's loan-level FOIA data (FY2020 through FY2025, annualized over 6 years). How often these loans go bad is a different question, answered in Default Rates by Industry, and where they happen is in Where the Businesses Are.