Selling a Business in Beaufort County
Beaufort County has 1,138 employer businesses, and 89% of them have fewer than 20 employees. This page shows the local mix of industries and how a sale is handled here. The largest industries here are retail and repair, personal care and other services.
Areas in North Carolina
LOCAL SNAPSHOT
Beaufort County by the numbers
1,138
1,138
EMPLOYER BUSINESSES
89%
89%
SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE
3,601
3,601
BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES
13,893
13,893
EMPLOYMENT
$645 million
$645 million
ANNUAL PAYROLL
460
460
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 Beaufort County compares
Beaufort County ranks 50th of 100 North Carolina counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses grew 3.2% between 2018 and 2023.
Manufacturing makes up 5% of employer businesses in Beaufort County, compared with 3% in North Carolina.
460 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.
Beaufort County ranks 50th of 100 North Carolina counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses grew 3.2% between 2018 and 2023.
Manufacturing makes up 5% of employer businesses in Beaufort County, compared with 3% in North Carolina.
460 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.
Industry mix
The largest industries by number of employer businesses:
Retail: 198 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 136 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 136 employer businesses
Construction: 106 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 95 employer businesses
The largest industries by number of employer businesses:
Retail: 198 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 136 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 136 employer businesses
Construction: 106 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 95 employer businesses
INDUSTRIES
What sells in Beaufort County
Retail, repair, personal care and other services, health care and social assistance, construction
Every kind of business we sell in Beaufort County
These are the industries in Beaufort County and the number of employer businesses in each. 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.
Construction & Engineering
106 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
General Contracting: 33 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Landscaping: 21 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Interior Finishing: 17 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.
Electrical: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Civil Engineering: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 7.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.
Plumbing: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
Foundation & Site Prep: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
HVAC Services: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Restaurants & Food
88 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 36 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Full-Service Restaurants: 34 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Liquor, Wine & Beer Stores: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Grocery Stores & Markets: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE + Inventory.
Coffee Shops: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE.
Financial & Professional Services
82 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Insurance Agencies: 33 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Real Estate Brokerages: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.5x SDE.
Wealth Management: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.7x - 4.0x Recurring Revenue.
Private Lending: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Medical Practices
69 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Primary & Family Care: 34 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE.
Dental Practices: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Physical Therapy & Rehab: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Mental & Behavioral Health: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.
Home Health & Hospice: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Vision & Eye Care: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Veterinary Medicine: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.
Retail Stores
61 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 15 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.
Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Home Decor & Furniture: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Hardware, Garden & Building: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Sporting Goods & Firearms: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.3x - 3.4x SDE.
Electronics & Repair: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE.
Automotive & Boat
58 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Auto Repair: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Car Dealerships: 16 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.
Collision Repair: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Auto Parts: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Marinas: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: Cap Rate or 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Boat Dealerships: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA.
Logistics & Transportation
33 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
General Freight Trucking: 30 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.
Heavy Haul Transport: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 4.5x SDE.
Gas Stations & Convenience
31 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Gas Stations: 23 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.
Convenience Stores: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Manufacturing
26 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Metal Fabrication: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.
Food & Beverage Manufacturing: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.1x - 4.5x SDE.
Medical & Chemical Manufacturing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Construction Materials Manufacturing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Home Services
15 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Property Management: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Residential Cleaning: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.6x SDE.
Commercial Cleaning: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.47x - 4.11x EBITDA.
Pharmacies & Medical Supply
15 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Compounding Pharmacies: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.
Home Infusion: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.
Wholesale & Distribution
13 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Industrial & Construction Supply: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Education & Childcare
11 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Daycare Centers: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.
Hospitality & Travel
10 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Hotels: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.
Energy & Utilities
9 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Propane & Fuel Distribution: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA + Assets.
Waste Management & Recycling: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA + Assets.
Health & Fitness
8 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Gyms & Health Clubs: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 2.93x SDE.
Yoga Studios: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.07x - 2.50x SDE.
Pilates Studios: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.10x - 3.00x SDE.
Personal Training Studios: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.00x - 2.80x SDE.
Wellness & Recovery Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 5.5x - 9.7x EBITDA.
Technology & Media
8 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Digital Marketing Agencies: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Real Estate Media: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.8x SDE.
Beauty & Personal Care
7 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Hair Salons: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.25x - 2.34x SDE.
Nail Salons: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.4x - 1.88x SDE.
Senior Care & Living
7 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Non-Medical Home Care: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Entertainment & Recreation
5 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Outdoor Recreation: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Pet Services
3 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Pet Grooming & Spas: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE.
Boarding, Daycare & Training: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA.
These are the industries in Beaufort County and the number of employer businesses in each. 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.
Construction & Engineering
106 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
General Contracting: 33 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Landscaping: 21 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Interior Finishing: 17 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.
Electrical: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Civil Engineering: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 7.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.
Plumbing: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
Foundation & Site Prep: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
HVAC Services: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Restaurants & Food
88 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 36 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Full-Service Restaurants: 34 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Liquor, Wine & Beer Stores: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Grocery Stores & Markets: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE + Inventory.
Coffee Shops: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE.
Financial & Professional Services
82 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Insurance Agencies: 33 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Real Estate Brokerages: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.5x SDE.
Wealth Management: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.7x - 4.0x Recurring Revenue.
Private Lending: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Medical Practices
69 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Primary & Family Care: 34 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE.
Dental Practices: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Physical Therapy & Rehab: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Mental & Behavioral Health: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.
Home Health & Hospice: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Vision & Eye Care: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Veterinary Medicine: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.
Retail Stores
61 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 15 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.
Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Home Decor & Furniture: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Hardware, Garden & Building: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Sporting Goods & Firearms: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.3x - 3.4x SDE.
Electronics & Repair: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE.
Automotive & Boat
58 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Auto Repair: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Car Dealerships: 16 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.
Collision Repair: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Auto Parts: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Marinas: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: Cap Rate or 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Boat Dealerships: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA.
Logistics & Transportation
33 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
General Freight Trucking: 30 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.
Heavy Haul Transport: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 4.5x SDE.
Gas Stations & Convenience
31 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Gas Stations: 23 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.
Convenience Stores: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Manufacturing
26 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Metal Fabrication: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.
Food & Beverage Manufacturing: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.1x - 4.5x SDE.
Medical & Chemical Manufacturing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Construction Materials Manufacturing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Home Services
15 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Property Management: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Residential Cleaning: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.6x SDE.
Commercial Cleaning: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.47x - 4.11x EBITDA.
Pharmacies & Medical Supply
15 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Compounding Pharmacies: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.
Home Infusion: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.
Wholesale & Distribution
13 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Industrial & Construction Supply: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Education & Childcare
11 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Daycare Centers: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.
Hospitality & Travel
10 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Hotels: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.
Energy & Utilities
9 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Propane & Fuel Distribution: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA + Assets.
Waste Management & Recycling: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA + Assets.
Health & Fitness
8 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Gyms & Health Clubs: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 2.93x SDE.
Yoga Studios: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.07x - 2.50x SDE.
Pilates Studios: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.10x - 3.00x SDE.
Personal Training Studios: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.00x - 2.80x SDE.
Wellness & Recovery Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 5.5x - 9.7x EBITDA.
Technology & Media
8 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Digital Marketing Agencies: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Real Estate Media: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.8x SDE.
Beauty & Personal Care
7 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Hair Salons: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.25x - 2.34x SDE.
Nail Salons: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.4x - 1.88x SDE.
Senior Care & Living
7 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Non-Medical Home Care: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Entertainment & Recreation
5 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Outdoor Recreation: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Pet Services
3 related employer businesses in Beaufort County.
Pet Grooming & Spas: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE.
Boarding, Daycare & Training: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA.
Working with owners in Beaufort County
Business Advisors of America works with owners who are selling a business in Beaufort County. Contact us to talk about a sale.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions owners in Beaufort County ask
How long does it take to sell a business in Beaufort County?
The time depends on the price, the quality of the records and the number of qualified buyers.
How is a business valued in Beaufort 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 Beaufort 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