36.2M — Small businesses in the U.S.. SBA Office of Advocacy, 2025 Small Business Profile.
According to the SBA Office of Advocacy's 2025 Small Business Profile, there are 36.2 million small businesses in the United States — defined as firms with fewer than 500 employees. These businesses represent roughly 46% of private-sector employment and generated approximately 9 of every 10 net new jobs over the prior decade.
The Census Bureau's Business Formation Statistics show elevated new-business application rates through 2024, suggesting the small-business count will continue rising into 2026 as applications from the post-pandemic formation surge mature into operating firms.
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