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Emporia city

Selling a Business in Emporia city

Emporia city has 218 employer businesses, and 79% 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

Emporia city by the numbers

218

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

79%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

333

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

3,805

EMPLOYMENT

$161 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

101

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 Emporia city compares

Emporia city ranks 113th of 133 Virginia counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 6.0% between 2018 and 2023.
Retail makes up 23% of employer businesses in Emporia city, compared with 12% in Virginia.
101 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Emporia city ranks 113th of 133 Virginia counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 6.0% between 2018 and 2023.
Retail makes up 23% of employer businesses in Emporia city, compared with 12% in Virginia.
101 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 50 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 43 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 32 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 29 employer businesses
Professional and technical services: 11 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 50 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 43 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 32 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 29 employer businesses
Professional and technical services: 11 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Emporia city

Retail, health care and social assistance, repair, personal care and other services, accommodation and food service

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 Emporia city

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Emporia city. 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.

Medical Practices

22 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Primary & Family Care: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE.
Home Health & Hospice: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Dental Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Mental & Behavioral Health: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

Restaurants & Food

22 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Quick-Service & Fast Food: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Full-Service Restaurants: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

15 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Gas Stations: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.
Convenience Stores: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Automotive & Boat

11 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Car Dealerships: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.
Auto Repair: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Auto Parts: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

Financial & Professional Services

8 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Insurance Agencies: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

6 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Hotels: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

6 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Home Infusion: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

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

Medical Practices

22 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Primary & Family Care: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE.
Home Health & Hospice: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Dental Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Mental & Behavioral Health: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

Restaurants & Food

22 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Quick-Service & Fast Food: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Full-Service Restaurants: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

15 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Gas Stations: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.
Convenience Stores: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Automotive & Boat

11 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Car Dealerships: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.
Auto Repair: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Auto Parts: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

Financial & Professional Services

8 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Insurance Agencies: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

6 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Hotels: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

6 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

Home Infusion: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Emporia city.

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

Working with owners in Emporia city

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

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Emporia city ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Emporia city?

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 Emporia city?

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 Emporia city

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 Emporia city

Areas in Virginia

Emporia city by the numbers

218

218

79%

79%

333

333

3,805

3,805

$161 million

$161 million

101

101

How Emporia city compares

Industry mix

What sells in Emporia city

Electronics & Repair

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Dental Practices

Home Health & Hospice

Gyms & Health Clubs

Personal Training Studios

Every kind of business we sell in Emporia city

Working with owners in Emporia city

Questions owners in Emporia city ask

Guides for owners in Emporia city