GITNUXREPORT 2026

Small Business In Usa Statistics

Small businesses are the dominant and diverse backbone of the American economy.

Written by Priya Chandrasekaran·Edited by Helena Kowalczyk·Fact-checked by Katherine Brennan

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified Apr 2, 2026·Next review: Oct 2026

How We Build This Report

Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Statistics that could not be independently verified are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are elsewhere.

Our process →

Statistic 1

50 percent of small businesses that fail do so within the first five years, per 2023 data.

Statistic 2

About 20 percent of small businesses fail within the first year, according to BLS data through 2023.

Statistic 3

65 percent of small businesses survive past 10 years, based on 2023 cohort analysis.

Statistic 4

Inflation was the top concern for 13 percent of small business owners in June 2024.

Statistic 5

Labor quality was cited by 34 percent of owners as their top operating problem in June 2024.

Statistic 6

24 percent of small firms reported tax complexity as a top issue in 2024.

Statistic 7

42 percent of small businesses faced supply chain issues in 2023.

Statistic 8

37 percent of small businesses reported increased costs as primary challenge in 2023.

Statistic 9

26 percent of small firms experienced payment delays from customers in 2023.

Statistic 10

44 percent of small businesses not seeking financing cited sufficient funding as reason in 2023.

Statistic 11

Deteriorated financial condition reported by 14 percent of small firms in early 2024.

Statistic 12

19 percent of small businesses closed temporarily during peak pandemic in 2020.

Statistic 13

Cyberattack risks affected 43 percent of small businesses in 2023 surveys.

Statistic 14

Regulatory burden cited by 23 percent of small owners as biggest obstacle in 2024.

Statistic 15

31 percent of small firms planned price hikes due to costs in June 2024.

Statistic 16

Access to credit was a challenge for 22 percent of small businesses in 2023.

Statistic 17

35 percent of small businesses worried about recession in early 2024.

Statistic 18

Employee retention issues impacted 28 percent of small firms in 2023.

Statistic 19

51 percent of small business failures attributed to management issues per 2023 studies.

Statistic 20

Underfinancing caused 29 percent of small business closures in recent data.

Statistic 21

In 2023, there were 33.2 million small businesses in the United States, accounting for 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses.

Statistic 22

Small businesses made up 99.9 percent of U.S. exporting firms in 2022, with 97.3 percent being very small with fewer than 20 employees.

Statistic 23

Of the 6.4 million employer firms in the U.S. in 2021, 99.7 percent were small businesses with fewer than 500 employees.

Statistic 24

In 2023, 28.5 million small businesses were nonemployer firms, comprising 82.7 percent of all small businesses.

Statistic 25

Women-owned small businesses numbered 11.3 million in 2023, representing 34.7 percent of all small businesses.

Statistic 26

Minority-owned small businesses totaled 15.2 million in 2023, accounting for 46.6 percent of all small businesses.

Statistic 27

Veteran-owned small businesses stood at 5.3 million in 2023, making up 16.3 percent of all small businesses.

Statistic 28

In 2022, California had the highest number of small businesses at 4.1 million, followed by Texas with 3.2 million.

Statistic 29

The construction industry had 2.9 million small employer firms in 2021, the largest sector by number of small businesses.

Statistic 30

Professional, scientific, and technical services sector had 2.4 million small employer firms in 2021.

Statistic 31

Administrative and support services had 1.1 million small employer firms in 2021.

Statistic 32

81.2 percent of small employer firms had fewer than 10 employees in 2021.

Statistic 33

Firms with 10-19 employees comprised 10.3 percent of small employer firms in 2021.

Statistic 34

6.8 percent of small employer firms had 20-99 employees in 2021.

Statistic 35

Only 1.7 percent of small employer firms had 100-499 employees in 2021.

Statistic 36

In 2022, 8.0 million new business applications were filed, a record high compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Statistic 37

The share of employer business applications reached 21.6 percent in 2022, up from historical averages.

Statistic 38

High-propensity business applications, likely to hire, numbered 1.3 million in 2022.

Statistic 39

46 percent of small businesses were owned by people of color in 2020.

Statistic 40

28 percent of small businesses were majority-owned by women in 2020.

Statistic 41

12 percent of small businesses were owned by veterans in 2020.

Statistic 42

Urban areas hosted 78 percent of small businesses in 2021.

Statistic 43

Rural small businesses made up 22 percent of the total in 2021.

Statistic 44

89 percent of rural small employer firms had fewer than 20 employees in 2019.

Statistic 45

Healthcare and social assistance had 712,000 small employer firms in 2021.

Statistic 46

Retail trade sector had 1.2 million small employer firms in 2021.

Statistic 47

Accommodation and food services had 661,000 small employer firms in 2021.

Statistic 48

Manufacturing had 295,000 small employer firms in 2021.

Statistic 49

Transportation and warehousing had 780,000 small employer firms in 2021.

Statistic 50

Real estate and rental and leasing had 1.3 million small employer firms in 2021.

Statistic 51

Small businesses employed 61.7 million people in 2023, representing 46.4 percent of the private workforce.

Statistic 52

Small businesses created 12.9 million net new jobs from March 2021 to March 2023.

Statistic 53

Firms with 20-499 employees accounted for 48.5 percent of small business employment in 2021.

Statistic 54

Firms with fewer than 20 employees provided 16.4 percent of small business employment in 2021.

Statistic 55

In 2023, small businesses employed 54.3 percent of the workforce in goods-producing industries.

Statistic 56

Small businesses accounted for 51.5 percent of employment in service-providing industries in 2023.

Statistic 57

Construction sector small businesses employed 2.0 million people in 2021, 80.9 percent of sector employment.

Statistic 58

Professional services small businesses employed 12.1 million, 82.3 percent of sector jobs in 2021.

Statistic 59

Healthcare small businesses employed 5.7 million, 68.1 percent of sector employment in 2021.

Statistic 60

Retail trade small businesses employed 5.8 million, 77.6 percent of sector jobs in 2021.

Statistic 61

Hospitality small businesses employed 5.3 million, 62.7 percent of sector employment in 2021.

Statistic 62

Manufacturing small businesses employed 2.2 million, 47.7 percent of sector jobs in 2021.

Statistic 63

Wholesale trade small businesses employed 2.5 million, 62.3 percent of sector employment in 2021.

Statistic 64

Transportation small businesses employed 2.8 million, 79.4 percent of sector jobs in 2021.

Statistic 65

77.4 percent of small firms reported hiring or trying to hire in 2023.

Statistic 66

34 percent of small business owners reported few or no qualified workers available in June 2024.

Statistic 67

Job openings at small firms averaged 6.4 percent of employment in Q1 2024.

Statistic 68

Compensation rose 0.5 percent at small firms in June 2024, seasonally adjusted.

Statistic 69

48 percent of small firms reported capital expenditures in Q1 2024.

Statistic 70

Small business employment grew by 2.1 percent year-over-year in 2023.

Statistic 71

Firms with 1-4 employees employed 5.2 million in 2022.

Statistic 72

Firms with 5-9 employees employed 4.1 million in 2022.

Statistic 73

Firms with 10-19 employees employed 5.8 million in 2022.

Statistic 74

Agriculture, forestry, fishing small businesses employed 0.9 million, 85.2 percent of sector in 2021.

Statistic 75

Small businesses generated 44.0 percent of U.S. private-sector GDP in 2022.

Statistic 76

Small businesses paid 45.9 percent of U.S. private-sector payroll in 2022.

Statistic 77

Nonemployer small businesses generated $1.6 trillion in receipts in 2021.

Statistic 78

Small employer businesses had total receipts of $17.0 trillion in 2021.

Statistic 79

Average receipts per small employer firm were $2.7 million in 2021.

Statistic 80

Average receipts per nonemployer firm were $55,000 in 2021.

Statistic 81

Construction small businesses had $1.8 trillion in receipts, 80.1 percent of sector total in 2021.

Statistic 82

Professional services small businesses receipts totaled $3.2 trillion, 82.1 percent of sector in 2021.

Statistic 83

Healthcare small business receipts were $1.9 trillion, 66.9 percent of sector in 2021.

Statistic 84

Retail small businesses receipts $3.1 trillion, 76.5 percent of sector total in 2021.

Statistic 85

Hospitality small business receipts $0.8 trillion, 61.2 percent of sector in 2021.

Statistic 86

Manufacturing small business receipts $1.5 trillion, 46.3 percent of sector in 2021.

Statistic 87

56 percent of small businesses reported higher profit margins in 2023 compared to 2022.

Statistic 88

45 percent of small firms increased inventories in Q1 2024.

Statistic 89

Average small business loan size was $413,000 in 2023 from SBA programs.

Statistic 90

62 percent of small businesses sought financing in 2023, with 47 percent applying for loans.

Statistic 91

Approval rates for bank loans to small businesses were 52 percent in 2023.

Statistic 92

Online lenders approved 44 percent of small business loan applications in 2023.

Statistic 93

Small businesses with revenues under $1 million had median revenue growth of 5 percent in 2023.

Statistic 94

40 percent of small businesses reported revenue increases in the last quarter of 2023.

Statistic 95

Wholesale small business receipts $3.0 trillion, 61.8 percent of sector in 2021.

Statistic 96

Transportation small business receipts $1.2 trillion, 78.9 percent of sector in 2021.

Statistic 97

SBA approved 66,000 7(a) loans totaling $27.5 billion in FY 2023.

Statistic 98

340 Program provided 8,500 loans worth $1.1 billion to underserved communities in FY 2023.

Statistic 99

Microloans from SBA totaled 2,200 loans averaging $14,000 in FY 2023.

Statistic 100

Small businesses received 25 percent of federal contracting dollars, $178 billion in FY 2023.

Statistic 101

Women-owned small businesses got 5 percent of federal contracts, $33 billion in FY 2023.

Statistic 102

28 percent of small businesses planned expansion in 2024.

Statistic 103

Optimism index for small businesses was 98.8 in June 2024, above historical average.

Statistic 104

12 percent of small firms viewed the economy as good in June 2024.

Statistic 105

Exporting small businesses numbered 1.2 million in 2022, 97.3 percent very small.

Statistic 106

Small businesses accounted for 17.6 percent of known export value in 2022.

Statistic 107

21 percent of small businesses innovated products/services in 2023.

Statistic 108

Adoption of AI tools by 25 percent of small businesses in 2024 surveys.

Statistic 109

E-commerce sales by small businesses reached $1.1 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 110

71 percent of small businesses increased digital presence post-pandemic.

Statistic 111

Rural small businesses received $1.2 billion in SBA loans in FY 2023.

Statistic 112

Veteran-owned small businesses awarded $25 billion in federal contracts FY 2023.

Statistic 113

HUBZone small businesses got $13 billion in contracts in FY 2023.

Statistic 114

15 percent annual growth in small business patents from 2018-2022.

1/114

Sources

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From California storefronts to Texas tech startups, America's economic story is overwhelmingly written by its 33.2 million small businesses, which make up a staggering 99.9% of all U.S. firms and serve as the diverse and dynamic backbone of our national economy.

Key Takeaways

In 2023, there were 33.2 million small businesses in the United States, accounting for 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses.
Small businesses made up 99.9 percent of U.S. exporting firms in 2022, with 97.3 percent being very small with fewer than 20 employees.
Of the 6.4 million employer firms in the U.S. in 2021, 99.7 percent were small businesses with fewer than 500 employees.
Small businesses employed 61.7 million people in 2023, representing 46.4 percent of the private workforce.
Small businesses created 12.9 million net new jobs from March 2021 to March 2023.
Firms with 20-499 employees accounted for 48.5 percent of small business employment in 2021.
Small businesses generated 44.0 percent of U.S. private-sector GDP in 2022.
Small businesses paid 45.9 percent of U.S. private-sector payroll in 2022.
Nonemployer small businesses generated $1.6 trillion in receipts in 2021.
50 percent of small businesses that fail do so within the first five years, per 2023 data.
About 20 percent of small businesses fail within the first year, according to BLS data through 2023.
65 percent of small businesses survive past 10 years, based on 2023 cohort analysis.
SBA approved 66,000 7(a) loans totaling $27.5 billion in FY 2023.
340 Program provided 8,500 loans worth $1.1 billion to underserved communities in FY 2023.
Microloans from SBA totaled 2,200 loans averaging $14,000 in FY 2023.

Small businesses are the dominant and diverse backbone of the American economy.

Challenges

150 percent of small businesses that fail do so within the first five years, per 2023 data.

Verified

2About 20 percent of small businesses fail within the first year, according to BLS data through 2023.

Verified

365 percent of small businesses survive past 10 years, based on 2023 cohort analysis.

Verified

4Inflation was the top concern for 13 percent of small business owners in June 2024.

Directional

5Labor quality was cited by 34 percent of owners as their top operating problem in June 2024.

Single source

624 percent of small firms reported tax complexity as a top issue in 2024.

Verified

742 percent of small businesses faced supply chain issues in 2023.

Verified

837 percent of small businesses reported increased costs as primary challenge in 2023.

Verified

926 percent of small firms experienced payment delays from customers in 2023.

Directional

1044 percent of small businesses not seeking financing cited sufficient funding as reason in 2023.

Single source

11Deteriorated financial condition reported by 14 percent of small firms in early 2024.

Verified

1219 percent of small businesses closed temporarily during peak pandemic in 2020.

Verified

13Cyberattack risks affected 43 percent of small businesses in 2023 surveys.

Verified

14Regulatory burden cited by 23 percent of small owners as biggest obstacle in 2024.

Directional

1531 percent of small firms planned price hikes due to costs in June 2024.

Single source

16Access to credit was a challenge for 22 percent of small businesses in 2023.

Verified

1735 percent of small businesses worried about recession in early 2024.

Verified

18Employee retention issues impacted 28 percent of small firms in 2023.

Verified

1951 percent of small business failures attributed to management issues per 2023 studies.

Directional

20Underfinancing caused 29 percent of small business closures in recent data.

Single source

Challenges Interpretation

While half of small businesses succumb within five years, often due to internal missteps, the resilient majority that survives contends with an endless gauntlet of inflation, labor woes, and supply chain chaos, proving that entrepreneurship is less a sprint to success and more a grueling marathon of constant adaptation.

Demographics

1In 2023, there were 33.2 million small businesses in the United States, accounting for 99.9 percent of all U.S. businesses.

Verified

2Small businesses made up 99.9 percent of U.S. exporting firms in 2022, with 97.3 percent being very small with fewer than 20 employees.

Verified

3Of the 6.4 million employer firms in the U.S. in 2021, 99.7 percent were small businesses with fewer than 500 employees.

Verified

4In 2023, 28.5 million small businesses were nonemployer firms, comprising 82.7 percent of all small businesses.

Directional

5Women-owned small businesses numbered 11.3 million in 2023, representing 34.7 percent of all small businesses.

Single source

6Minority-owned small businesses totaled 15.2 million in 2023, accounting for 46.6 percent of all small businesses.

Verified

7Veteran-owned small businesses stood at 5.3 million in 2023, making up 16.3 percent of all small businesses.

Verified

8In 2022, California had the highest number of small businesses at 4.1 million, followed by Texas with 3.2 million.

Verified

9The construction industry had 2.9 million small employer firms in 2021, the largest sector by number of small businesses.

Directional

10Professional, scientific, and technical services sector had 2.4 million small employer firms in 2021.

Single source

11Administrative and support services had 1.1 million small employer firms in 2021.

Verified

1281.2 percent of small employer firms had fewer than 10 employees in 2021.

Verified

13Firms with 10-19 employees comprised 10.3 percent of small employer firms in 2021.

Verified

146.8 percent of small employer firms had 20-99 employees in 2021.

Directional

15Only 1.7 percent of small employer firms had 100-499 employees in 2021.

Single source

16In 2022, 8.0 million new business applications were filed, a record high compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Verified

17The share of employer business applications reached 21.6 percent in 2022, up from historical averages.

Verified

18High-propensity business applications, likely to hire, numbered 1.3 million in 2022.

Verified

1946 percent of small businesses were owned by people of color in 2020.

Directional

2028 percent of small businesses were majority-owned by women in 2020.

Single source

2112 percent of small businesses were owned by veterans in 2020.

Verified

22Urban areas hosted 78 percent of small businesses in 2021.

Verified

23Rural small businesses made up 22 percent of the total in 2021.

Verified

2489 percent of rural small employer firms had fewer than 20 employees in 2019.

Directional

25Healthcare and social assistance had 712,000 small employer firms in 2021.

Single source

26Retail trade sector had 1.2 million small employer firms in 2021.

Verified

27Accommodation and food services had 661,000 small employer firms in 2021.

Verified

28Manufacturing had 295,000 small employer firms in 2021.

Verified

29Transportation and warehousing had 780,000 small employer firms in 2021.

Directional

30Real estate and rental and leasing had 1.3 million small employer firms in 2021.

Single source

Demographics Interpretation

The American economy is a vast and diverse quilt, but if you look closely, you'll see it's almost entirely stitched together by an army of very small, very determined businesses, from solo entrepreneurs to tiny teams, who collectively form the overwhelming and surprisingly inclusive backbone of the nation.

Employment

1Small businesses employed 61.7 million people in 2023, representing 46.4 percent of the private workforce.

Verified

2Small businesses created 12.9 million net new jobs from March 2021 to March 2023.

Verified

3Firms with 20-499 employees accounted for 48.5 percent of small business employment in 2021.

Verified

4Firms with fewer than 20 employees provided 16.4 percent of small business employment in 2021.

Directional

5In 2023, small businesses employed 54.3 percent of the workforce in goods-producing industries.

Single source

6Small businesses accounted for 51.5 percent of employment in service-providing industries in 2023.

Verified

7Construction sector small businesses employed 2.0 million people in 2021, 80.9 percent of sector employment.

Verified

8Professional services small businesses employed 12.1 million, 82.3 percent of sector jobs in 2021.

Verified

9Healthcare small businesses employed 5.7 million, 68.1 percent of sector employment in 2021.

Directional

10Retail trade small businesses employed 5.8 million, 77.6 percent of sector jobs in 2021.

Single source

11Hospitality small businesses employed 5.3 million, 62.7 percent of sector employment in 2021.

Verified

12Manufacturing small businesses employed 2.2 million, 47.7 percent of sector jobs in 2021.

Verified

13Wholesale trade small businesses employed 2.5 million, 62.3 percent of sector employment in 2021.

Verified

14Transportation small businesses employed 2.8 million, 79.4 percent of sector jobs in 2021.

Directional

1577.4 percent of small firms reported hiring or trying to hire in 2023.

Single source

1634 percent of small business owners reported few or no qualified workers available in June 2024.

Verified

17Job openings at small firms averaged 6.4 percent of employment in Q1 2024.

Verified

18Compensation rose 0.5 percent at small firms in June 2024, seasonally adjusted.

Verified

1948 percent of small firms reported capital expenditures in Q1 2024.

Directional

20Small business employment grew by 2.1 percent year-over-year in 2023.

Single source

21Firms with 1-4 employees employed 5.2 million in 2022.

Verified

22Firms with 5-9 employees employed 4.1 million in 2022.

Verified

23Firms with 10-19 employees employed 5.8 million in 2022.

Verified

24Agriculture, forestry, fishing small businesses employed 0.9 million, 85.2 percent of sector in 2021.

Directional

Employment Interpretation

Small businesses are the nation's surprisingly muscular backbone, shouldering nearly half of all private jobs while constantly grumbling that they can't find enough qualified shoulders to help carry the load.

Financial Performance

1Small businesses generated 44.0 percent of U.S. private-sector GDP in 2022.

Verified

2Small businesses paid 45.9 percent of U.S. private-sector payroll in 2022.

Verified

3Nonemployer small businesses generated $1.6 trillion in receipts in 2021.

Verified

4Small employer businesses had total receipts of $17.0 trillion in 2021.

Directional

5Average receipts per small employer firm were $2.7 million in 2021.

Single source

6Average receipts per nonemployer firm were $55,000 in 2021.

Verified

7Construction small businesses had $1.8 trillion in receipts, 80.1 percent of sector total in 2021.

Verified

8Professional services small businesses receipts totaled $3.2 trillion, 82.1 percent of sector in 2021.

Verified

9Healthcare small business receipts were $1.9 trillion, 66.9 percent of sector in 2021.

Directional

10Retail small businesses receipts $3.1 trillion, 76.5 percent of sector total in 2021.

Single source

11Hospitality small business receipts $0.8 trillion, 61.2 percent of sector in 2021.

Verified

12Manufacturing small business receipts $1.5 trillion, 46.3 percent of sector in 2021.

Verified

1356 percent of small businesses reported higher profit margins in 2023 compared to 2022.

Verified

1445 percent of small firms increased inventories in Q1 2024.

Directional

15Average small business loan size was $413,000 in 2023 from SBA programs.

Single source

1662 percent of small businesses sought financing in 2023, with 47 percent applying for loans.

Verified

17Approval rates for bank loans to small businesses were 52 percent in 2023.

Verified

18Online lenders approved 44 percent of small business loan applications in 2023.

Verified

19Small businesses with revenues under $1 million had median revenue growth of 5 percent in 2023.

Directional

2040 percent of small businesses reported revenue increases in the last quarter of 2023.

Single source

21Wholesale small business receipts $3.0 trillion, 61.8 percent of sector in 2021.

Verified

22Transportation small business receipts $1.2 trillion, 78.9 percent of sector in 2021.

Verified

Financial Performance Interpretation

Despite the romantic notion of the scrappy entrepreneur, the numbers don't lie: small businesses are not just the heart of the American economy, they're its robust and profit-growing backbone, generating nearly half of all private-sector activity while constantly hustling for the loans to keep the whole show running.

Support and Growth

1SBA approved 66,000 7(a) loans totaling $27.5 billion in FY 2023.

Verified

2340 Program provided 8,500 loans worth $1.1 billion to underserved communities in FY 2023.

Verified

3Microloans from SBA totaled 2,200 loans averaging $14,000 in FY 2023.

Verified

4Small businesses received 25 percent of federal contracting dollars, $178 billion in FY 2023.

Directional

5Women-owned small businesses got 5 percent of federal contracts, $33 billion in FY 2023.

Single source

628 percent of small businesses planned expansion in 2024.

Verified

7Optimism index for small businesses was 98.8 in June 2024, above historical average.

Verified

812 percent of small firms viewed the economy as good in June 2024.

Verified

9Exporting small businesses numbered 1.2 million in 2022, 97.3 percent very small.

Directional

10Small businesses accounted for 17.6 percent of known export value in 2022.

Single source

1121 percent of small businesses innovated products/services in 2023.

Verified

12Adoption of AI tools by 25 percent of small businesses in 2024 surveys.

Verified

13E-commerce sales by small businesses reached $1.1 trillion in 2023.

Verified

1471 percent of small businesses increased digital presence post-pandemic.

Directional

15Rural small businesses received $1.2 billion in SBA loans in FY 2023.

Single source

16Veteran-owned small businesses awarded $25 billion in federal contracts FY 2023.

Verified

17HUBZone small businesses got $13 billion in contracts in FY 2023.

Verified

1815 percent annual growth in small business patents from 2018-2022.

Verified

Support and Growth Interpretation

The numbers paint a portrait of a small business sector running on stubborn optimism, fueled by government loans and digital commerce, while constantly peeking around the corner for the next opportunity, even as it side-eyes the current economy with well-earned skepticism.