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DeKalb County

Selling a Business in DeKalb County

DeKalb County has 339 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.

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LOCAL SNAPSHOT

DeKalb County by the numbers

339

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

90%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,778

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

4,323

EMPLOYMENT

$194 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

120

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 DeKalb County compares

DeKalb County ranks 59th of 95 Tennessee counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses grew 13.0% between 2018 and 2023.
Manufacturing makes up 6% of employer businesses in DeKalb County, compared with 4% in Tennessee.
120 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

DeKalb County ranks 59th of 95 Tennessee counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses grew 13.0% between 2018 and 2023.
Manufacturing makes up 6% of employer businesses in DeKalb County, compared with 4% in Tennessee.
120 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 64 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 39 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 33 employer businesses
Construction: 32 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 29 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 64 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 39 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 33 employer businesses
Construction: 32 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 29 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in DeKalb County

Retail, health care and social assistance, repair, personal care and other services, construction

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Dental Practices

Medical Practices

Home Health & Hospice

Medical Practices

Gyms & Health Clubs

Health & Fitness

Personal Training Studios

Health & Fitness

Every kind of business we sell in DeKalb County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in DeKalb 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.

Construction & Engineering

27 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

General Contracting: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Landscaping: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x 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.
Foundation & Site Prep: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
Electrical: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

25 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Grocery Stores & Markets: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE + Inventory.

Financial & Professional Services

20 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Insurance Agencies: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Real Estate Brokerages: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.5x SDE.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Private Lending: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Retail Stores

18 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.
Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Medical Practices

17 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Primary & Family Care: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE.
Dental Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.

Gas Stations & Convenience

12 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Gas Stations: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.
Convenience Stores: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Automotive & Boat

11 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Marinas: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: Cap Rate or 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Auto Parts: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

Home Services

5 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Property Management: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

5 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

General Freight Trucking: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

5 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Compounding Pharmacies: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.

Education & Childcare

4 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Daycare Centers: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Manufacturing

4 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Metal Fabrication: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.

Construction & Engineering

27 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

General Contracting: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Landscaping: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x 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.
Foundation & Site Prep: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
Electrical: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

25 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Grocery Stores & Markets: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE + Inventory.

Financial & Professional Services

20 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Insurance Agencies: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Real Estate Brokerages: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.5x SDE.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Private Lending: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Retail Stores

18 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.
Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Medical Practices

17 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Primary & Family Care: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE.
Dental Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.

Gas Stations & Convenience

12 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Gas Stations: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.
Convenience Stores: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Automotive & Boat

11 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Marinas: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: Cap Rate or 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Auto Parts: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

Home Services

5 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Property Management: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

5 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

General Freight Trucking: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

5 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Compounding Pharmacies: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.

Education & Childcare

4 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Daycare Centers: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Manufacturing

4 related employer businesses in DeKalb County.

Metal Fabrication: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.

Working with owners in DeKalb County

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

Get a Free Valuation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in DeKalb County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in DeKalb 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 DeKalb 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 DeKalb 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

Selling a Business in DeKalb County

Areas in Tennessee

DeKalb County by the numbers

339

339

90%

90%

1,778

1,778

4,323

4,323

$194 million

$194 million

120

120

How DeKalb County compares

Industry mix

What sells in DeKalb County

Electronics & Repair

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Dental Practices

Home Health & Hospice

Gyms & Health Clubs

Personal Training Studios

Every kind of business we sell in DeKalb County

Working with owners in DeKalb County

Questions owners in DeKalb County ask

Guides for owners in DeKalb County