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Clay County

Selling a Business in Clay County

Clay County has 298 employer businesses, and 85% of them have fewer than 20 employees. This page shows the local mix of industries and how a sale is handled here.

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Areas in South Dakota

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Grant County

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Hamlin County

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Tripp County

Walworth County

Yankton County

LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Clay County by the numbers

298

298

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

85%

85%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,030

1,030

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

3,742

3,742

EMPLOYMENT

$160 million

$160 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

126

126

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 Clay County compares

  • Clay County ranks 18th of 66 South Dakota counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses fell 3.9% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Accommodation and food service makes up 15% of employer businesses in Clay County, compared with 9% in South Dakota.

  • 126 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Clay County ranks 18th of 66 South Dakota counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses fell 3.9% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Accommodation and food service makes up 15% of employer businesses in Clay County, compared with 9% in South Dakota.

  • 126 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Accommodation and food service: 45 employer businesses

  • Retail: 44 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 37 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 34 employer businesses

  • Construction: 34 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Accommodation and food service: 45 employer businesses

  • Retail: 44 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 37 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 34 employer businesses

  • Construction: 34 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Clay County

Accommodation and food service, retail, repair, personal care and other services, health care and social assistance

Bakeries

Restaurants & Food

Coffee Shops

Restaurants & Food

Bed & Breakfasts / Inns

Hospitality & Travel

Campgrounds & RV Parks

Hospitality & Travel

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Every kind of business we sell in Clay County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Clay 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

25 related employer businesses in Clay County.

Construction & Engineering

24 related employer businesses in Clay County.

  • General Contracting: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

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

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

  • Electrical: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Financial & Professional Services

20 related employer businesses in Clay County.

Logistics & Transportation

15 related employer businesses in Clay County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

10 related employer businesses in Clay County.

  • Gas Stations: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Hospitality & Travel

9 related employer businesses in Clay County.

  • Hotels: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Medical Practices

7 related employer businesses in Clay County.

Entertainment & Recreation

5 related employer businesses in Clay County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Retail Stores

4 related employer businesses in Clay County.

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Clay County.

  • Daycare Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Clay 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

25 related employer businesses in Clay County.

Construction & Engineering

24 related employer businesses in Clay County.

  • General Contracting: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

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

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

  • Electrical: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Financial & Professional Services

20 related employer businesses in Clay County.

Logistics & Transportation

15 related employer businesses in Clay County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

10 related employer businesses in Clay County.

  • Gas Stations: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Hospitality & Travel

9 related employer businesses in Clay County.

  • Hotels: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Medical Practices

7 related employer businesses in Clay County.

Entertainment & Recreation

5 related employer businesses in Clay County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Retail Stores

4 related employer businesses in Clay County.

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Clay County.

  • Daycare Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Working with owners in Clay County

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

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Clay County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Clay 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.

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How is a business valued in Clay 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.

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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.

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FROM OUR BLOG

Guides for owners in Clay 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