Selling a Business in Barnwell County

Barnwell County has 353 employer businesses, and 90% of them have fewer than 20 employees. This page shows the local mix of industries and how a sale is handled here.

LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Barnwell County by the numbers

353

353

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

90%

90%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,618

1,618

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

3,904

3,904

EMPLOYMENT

$166 million

$166 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

149

149

BUSINESSES WITH 5 TO 49 EMPLOYEES

U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024. Counts are employer establishments, meaning business locations with paid employees.

How Barnwell County compares

  • Barnwell County ranks 36th of 46 South Carolina counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 3.2% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Repair, personal care and other services makes up 17% of employer businesses in Barnwell County, compared with 10% in South Carolina.

  • 149 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Barnwell County ranks 36th of 46 South Carolina counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 3.2% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Repair, personal care and other services makes up 17% of employer businesses in Barnwell County, compared with 10% in South Carolina.

  • 149 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 71 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 59 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 34 employer businesses

  • Professional and technical services: 30 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 28 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 71 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 59 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 34 employer businesses

  • Professional and technical services: 30 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 28 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Barnwell County

Retail, repair, personal care and other services, accommodation and food service, professional and technical services

Every kind of business we sell in Barnwell County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Barnwell County. Counts are employer businesses in the closest Census industry codes. Industries without a clean Census match are listed without a count, and a few industries share one Census category, so their counts match. A sale multiple is the price a business typically sells for as a multiple of its earnings. SDE means seller's discretionary earnings, which is the owner's pay plus the profit of the business. EBITDA means earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Restaurants & Food

34 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Retail Stores

19 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Financial & Professional Services

17 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Construction & Engineering

16 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Landscaping: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Interior Finishing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • HVAC Services: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

Automotive & Boat

15 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Auto Repair: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

  • Car Dealerships: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Gas Stations & Convenience

15 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Gas Stations: 15 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Medical Practices

13 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Logistics & Transportation

8 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Education & Childcare

7 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Daycare Centers: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Manufacturing

6 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Hospitality & Travel

4 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Hotels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

4 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Entertainment & Recreation

3 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Golf Courses: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 8.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Barnwell County. Counts are employer businesses in the closest Census industry codes. Industries without a clean Census match are listed without a count, and a few industries share one Census category, so their counts match. A sale multiple is the price a business typically sells for as a multiple of its earnings. SDE means seller's discretionary earnings, which is the owner's pay plus the profit of the business. EBITDA means earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Restaurants & Food

34 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Retail Stores

19 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Financial & Professional Services

17 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Construction & Engineering

16 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Landscaping: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Interior Finishing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • HVAC Services: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

Automotive & Boat

15 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Auto Repair: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

  • Car Dealerships: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Gas Stations & Convenience

15 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Gas Stations: 15 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Medical Practices

13 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Logistics & Transportation

8 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Education & Childcare

7 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Daycare Centers: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Manufacturing

6 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Hospitality & Travel

4 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Hotels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

4 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

Entertainment & Recreation

3 related employer businesses in Barnwell County.

  • Golf Courses: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 8.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.

Working with owners in Barnwell County

Business Advisors of America works with owners who are selling a business in Barnwell County. Contact us to talk about a sale.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Barnwell County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Barnwell County?

The time depends on the price, the quality of the records and the number of qualified buyers. Many sales take six months or longer from the start of the process to closing.

How is a business valued in Barnwell County?

Valuation starts with the earnings the business produces for an owner, then adjusts for assets, size, industry and the terms a buyer is likely to accept. The result is a range, and the asking price is set inside it.

Is the sale confidential?

Buyers are asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before they see the name of the business or its financial statements.

FROM OUR BLOG

Guides for owners in Barnwell County

October 3, 2025

Business Owners

Add-Backs: What Counts, What Does Not, and What Buyers Push Back On

Every add-back you can prove raises your sale price by two to three times its amount. Every add-back you cannot prove costs you credibility on all the others.

Read article

October 3, 2025

Business Owners

Add-Backs: What Counts, What Does Not, and What Buyers Push Back On

Every add-back you can prove raises your sale price by two to three times its amount. Every add-back you cannot prove costs you credibility on all the others.

Read article

March 5, 2026

Business Owners

Buyer Qualification: How We Screen Out the Buyers Who Cannot Close

Most inquiries on a business listing come from people who cannot close. Here is how they get screened out before they see your name or your financials.

Read article

March 5, 2026

Business Owners

Buyer Qualification: How We Screen Out the Buyers Who Cannot Close

Most inquiries on a business listing come from people who cannot close. Here is how they get screened out before they see your name or your financials.

Read article

February 9, 2026

Business Owners

The Confidential Information Memorandum: What Goes In It and Why

The CIM is the document a buyer reads before they decide to spend time on your business. Here is what it has to contain and the mistakes that cost sellers offers.

Read article

February 9, 2026

Business Owners

The Confidential Information Memorandum: What Goes In It and Why

The CIM is the document a buyer reads before they decide to spend time on your business. Here is what it has to contain and the mistakes that cost sellers offers.

Read article