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HOLDBACK MONITOR
Report No. 01 · 2024–2026 Sourced · 2 sources

How many small businesses are there, and how many are starting?

36.2 million U.S. small businesses (SBA Office of Advocacy) and 534,947 business applications in September 2026 (Census Bureau), with sources.

Published
Data as of
2026-10-14
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At a glance

Key figures

2024–2026Every figure sourced
Small businesses in the United States
36.2million
2025 profiles[1]#
Net new jobs at small businesses, March 2023 – March 2024
1.2million
About 9 in 10 net new jobs
[1]#
Business applications, September 2026
534,947
Seasonally adjusted
[2]#
In short

The SBA Office of Advocacy counts 36.2 million small businesses in the United States, and the Census Bureau recorded 534,947 seasonally adjusted business applications in September 2026.

Figure 1 #
States with the most small businessesStates with the most small businesses: California 4.34M, Texas 3.52M, Florida 3.49MStates with the most small businessesMillions of small businesses, 2025 profiles012345CaliforniaCalifornia: 4.34M4.34MTexasTexas: 3.52M3.52MFloridaFlorida: 3.49M3.49MSource: U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, New Advocacy Report Shows the Numberof Small Businesses in the U.S. Exceeds 36 million (2025 Small Business Profiles) (2025-06-30)Holdback Monitor
States with the most small businessesStates with the most small businesses: California 4.34M, Texas 3.52M, Florida 3.49MStates with the most small businessesMillions of small businesses, 2025 profiles012345CaliforniaCalifornia: 4.34M4.34MTexasTexas: 3.52M3.52MFloridaFlorida: 3.49M3.49MSource: U.S. Small Business Administration, Office ofAdvocacy, New Advocacy Report Shows the Number of SmallHoldback Monitor
[1] U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, 2025
Data for figure 1
States with the most small businesses
Value
California4.34M
Texas3.52M
Florida3.49M
Figure 2 #
Highest share of employment at small businessesHighest share of employment at small businesses (%): Montana 66.3, Wyoming 65.2, Vermont 62.1Highest share of employment at small businessesPercent of employment, 2025 profiles0%20%40%60%80%MontanaWyomingVermontMontana: 66.366.3%Wyoming: 65.265.2%Vermont: 62.162.1%Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, New Advocacy Report Shows the Numberof Small Businesses in the U.S. Exceeds 36 million (2025 Small Business Profiles) (2025-06-30)Holdback Monitor
Highest share of employment at small businessesHighest share of employment at small businesses (%): Montana 66.3, Wyoming 65.2, Vermont 62.1Highest share of employment at smallbusinessesPercent of employment, 2025 profiles0%20%40%60%80%MontanaWyomingVermontMontana: 66.366.3%Wyoming: 65.265.2%Vermont: 62.162.1%Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, Office ofAdvocacy, New Advocacy Report Shows the Number of SmallHoldback Monitor
[1] U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, 2025
Data for figure 2
Highest share of employment at small businesses
%
Montana66.3%
Wyoming65.2%
Vermont62.1%

How many small businesses are there in the United States? #

The Office of Advocacy's 2025 Small Business Profiles count 36.2 million small businesses, which account for almost 46 percent of private-sector employment. From March 2023 to March 2024 they created a net 1.2 million jobs, about 9 in every 10 net new jobs.

Which states have the most small businesses? #

California has the most, at 4.34 million, followed by Texas (3.52 million) and Florida (3.49 million). Montana has the highest share of employment at small businesses, at 66.3 percent.

How many new businesses are being started? #

The Census Bureau's Business Formation Statistics recorded 534,947 business applications in September 2026, adjusted for seasonal variation, an increase of 0.5 percent on August 2026.

Method

Figures follow the desk's standing method: the variable, unit, period and sample are stated; averages are arithmetic means unless the report says otherwise; nothing is modelled or extrapolated.

The desk's full methodology

Sources

  1. [1] U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy. New Advocacy Report Shows the Number of Small Businesses in the U.S. Exceeds 36 million (2025 Small Business Profiles). .https://advocacy.sba.gov/2025/06/30/new-advocacy-report-shows-the-number-of-small-businesses-in-the-u-s-exceeds-36-million/
  2. [2] U.S. Census Bureau. Business Formation Statistics, September 2026 (release CB26-163). . The linked page carries the latest monthly release; the figure here is from the October 14, 2026 release.https://www.census.gov/econ/bfs/current/index.html

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APA

Holdback Monitor. (2026, November 1). How many small businesses are there, and how many are starting?. https://holdbackmonitor.com/reports/small-business-counts-2025

MLA

“How many small businesses are there, and how many are starting?.” Holdback Monitor, 1 Nov. 2026, holdbackmonitor.com/reports/small-business-counts-2025.

Plain

Holdback Monitor, “How many small businesses are there, and how many are starting?”, 1 November 2026, covering 2024–2026. https://holdbackmonitor.com/reports/small-business-counts-2025

BibTeX 
@techreport{holdbackmonitor2026smallbusinesscounts2025,
  title        = {How many small businesses are there, and how many are starting?},
  author       = {{Holdback Monitor}},
  institution  = {Holdback Monitor},
  year         = {2026},
  month        = {nov},
  url          = {https://holdbackmonitor.com/reports/small-business-counts-2025},
  note         = {Covers 2024–2026}
}
Publisher
Holdback Monitor
Published
Covers
2024–2026
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https://holdbackmonitor.com/reports/small-business-counts-2025

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