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Hancock County

Selling a Business in Hancock County

Hancock County has 302 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

Hancock County by the numbers

302

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

90%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

847

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

3,643

EMPLOYMENT

$210 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

114

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 Hancock County compares

Hancock County ranks 67th of 99 Iowa counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 5.9% between 2018 and 2023.
Transportation and warehousing makes up 14% of employer businesses in Hancock County, compared with 5% in Iowa.
114 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Hancock County ranks 67th of 99 Iowa counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 5.9% between 2018 and 2023.
Transportation and warehousing makes up 14% of employer businesses in Hancock County, compared with 5% in Iowa.
114 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Repair, personal care and other services: 49 employer businesses
Transportation and warehousing: 42 employer businesses
Retail: 35 employer businesses
Wholesale: 25 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 24 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Repair, personal care and other services: 49 employer businesses
Transportation and warehousing: 42 employer businesses
Retail: 35 employer businesses
Wholesale: 25 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 24 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Hancock County

Repair, personal care and other services, transportation and warehousing, retail, wholesale

Barber Shops

Beauty & Personal Care

Day Spas

Beauty & Personal Care

Auto Parts

Automotive & Boat

Auto Repair

Automotive & Boat

Commercial Moving

Logistics & Transportation

Freight Brokerage & 3PL

Logistics & Transportation

Every kind of business we sell in Hancock County

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

Logistics & Transportation

41 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

General Freight Trucking: 36 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.
Heavy Haul Transport: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 4.5x SDE.

Automotive & Boat

17 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Collision Repair: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Auto Repair: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Car Dealerships: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Construction & Engineering

17 related employer businesses in Hancock 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.
Landscaping: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

17 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

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

Restaurants & Food

12 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Grocery Stores & Markets: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE + Inventory.

Retail Stores

9 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Gas Stations & Convenience

7 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Gas Stations: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Medical Practices

6 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Dental Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Veterinary Medicine: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.

Wholesale & Distribution

6 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Industrial & Construction Supply: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Entertainment & Recreation

4 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Golf Courses: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 8.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

4 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Food & Beverage Manufacturing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.1x - 4.5x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

3 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Hotels: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

41 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

General Freight Trucking: 36 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.
Heavy Haul Transport: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 4.5x SDE.

Automotive & Boat

17 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Collision Repair: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Auto Repair: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Car Dealerships: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Construction & Engineering

17 related employer businesses in Hancock 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.
Landscaping: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

17 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

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

Restaurants & Food

12 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Grocery Stores & Markets: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE + Inventory.

Retail Stores

9 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Gas Stations & Convenience

7 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Gas Stations: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Medical Practices

6 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Dental Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Veterinary Medicine: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.

Wholesale & Distribution

6 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Industrial & Construction Supply: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Entertainment & Recreation

4 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Golf Courses: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 8.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

4 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Food & Beverage Manufacturing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.1x - 4.5x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

3 related employer businesses in Hancock County.

Hotels: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Working with owners in Hancock County

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

Get a Free Valuation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Hancock County ask

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