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America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers
Most U.S. Businesses Have Only One Owner
More than half of the businesses in the United States had a sole owner, consistently outnumbering multi-owner businesses each year from 2017 to 2021, according to an analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Business Survey, which explores how reported business ownership varies by sex, race and ethnicity over time.
During the five-year period, the share of businesses with a single owner was remarkably stable, averaging 59.2%. By comparison, businesses with two to four owners made up an average 36.3% of all respondent firms.
The share of businesses owned by five to 10 owners and those with 11 or more owners was significantly smaller and showed little variation. The portion with five to 10 owners consistently remained under 2% on average, while businesses with 11 or more owners accounted for about 1% of firms during this period.
Continue reading to learn more about:
- The distribution of sole ownership by sex of business owners
- Sole ownership by sex, race, and ethnicity
- Sole ownership among Hispanic and non-Hispanic owned businesses by sex
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