Small Business Statistics
Last updated: June 2026 · 6 sourced statistics
Small businesses are statistically almost all businesses: the SBA counts more than 33 million in the US — 99.9% of all firms — employing nearly half the private workforce. Business formation has run at record levels since 2020. The figures below come from the SBA Office of Advocacy and the Census Bureau.
Key takeaways
- 33+ million small businesses operate in the US — 99.9% of all firms (SBA).
- Small businesses employ roughly 46% of the private workforce.
- New business applications have run above 5 million per year since 2021 (Census).
The statistics
The US has more than 33 million small businesses, representing 99.9% of all American firms (SBA Office of Advocacy).
Source:SBA Office of Advocacy2023
Small businesses employ about 61.6 million Americans — roughly 45.9% of the private-sector workforce (SBA).
Source:SBA Office of Advocacy2023
Americans filed around 5.5 million new business applications in 2023 — a record — and have sustained 5M+ annual filings since 2021 (Census Bureau).
More than 28 million US businesses have no employees at all — nonemployer firms are the most common business type (Census Bureau).
Source:US Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics2023
Small businesses generated nearly two-thirds of net new US jobs over recent decades (SBA Office of Advocacy analysis).
Source:SBA Office of Advocacy2023
56% of US small businesses carry unpaid invoices, averaging $17,500 owed (QuickBooks, January 2025).
Source:Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Late Payments Report2025
Methodology & sources
Compiled June 2026 from SBA Office of Advocacy profiles, Census Bureau Business Formation and Nonemployer Statistics, and Intuit QuickBooks survey data. 'Small business' follows the SBA definition (under 500 employees).
Frequently asked questions
How many small businesses are there in the US?
More than 33 million per the SBA — 99.9% of all firms. The large majority (28M+) have no employees.
How many people do small businesses employ?
About 61.6 million — roughly 46% of the private workforce (SBA Office of Advocacy).
Is small business formation growing?
Yes — new business applications have run above 5 million annually since 2021, with 2023 setting a record around 5.5 million (Census).
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