Home

Sell a Business

Michigan

Iron County

Selling a Business in Iron County

Iron County has 358 employer businesses, and 93% of them have fewer than 20 employees. This page shows the local mix of industries and how a sale is handled here.

Get a Free Valuation

Areas in Michigan

Alcona County

Alger County

Allegan County

Alpena County

Ann Arbor

Antrim County

Arenac County

Baraga County

Battle Creek

Bay City

Branch County

Charlevoix County

Cheboygan County

Chippewa County

Clare County

Crawford County

Delta County

Detroit

Dickinson County

Emmet County

Flint

Gladwin County

Gogebic County

Grand Rapids

Gratiot County

Hillsdale County

Houghton County

Huron County

Iosco County

Iron County

Isabella County

Jackson

Kalamazoo

Kent County

Lake County

Lansing

Lenawee County

Mackinac County

Macomb County

Manistee County

Marquette County

Mason County

Mecosta County

Menominee County

Midland

Missaukee County

Monroe

Montmorency County

Muskegon

Newaygo County

Niles

Oakland County

Oceana County

Ogemaw County

Ontonagon County

Osceola County

Oscoda County

Otsego County

Presque Isle County

Roscommon County

Saginaw

Sanilac County

Schoolcraft County

Shiawassee County

St. Joseph County

Traverse City

Tuscola County

Van Buren County

Wayne County

Wexford County

LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Iron County by the numbers

358

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

93%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

748

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

2,475

EMPLOYMENT

$107 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

116

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 Iron County compares

Iron County ranks 68th of 83 Michigan counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses grew 7.5% between 2018 and 2023.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing makes up 4% of employer businesses in Iron County, compared with 0% in Michigan.
116 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Iron County ranks 68th of 83 Michigan counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses grew 7.5% between 2018 and 2023.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing makes up 4% of employer businesses in Iron County, compared with 0% in Michigan.
116 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 54 employer businesses
Construction: 51 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 34 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 33 employer businesses
Professional and technical services: 32 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 54 employer businesses
Construction: 51 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 34 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 33 employer businesses
Professional and technical services: 32 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Iron County

Retail, construction, repair, personal care and other services, accommodation and food service

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Carpentry & Framing

Construction & Engineering

Civil Engineering

Construction & Engineering

Audio Visual (AV)

Home Services

Commercial Cleaning

Home Services

Every kind of business we sell in Iron County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Iron 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

32 related employer businesses in Iron County.

General Contracting: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Electrical: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Foundation & Site Prep: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
Plumbing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
HVAC Services: 4 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

26 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Insurance Agencies: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Real Estate Brokerages: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.5x SDE.

Restaurants & Food

23 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 7 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.
Coffee Shops: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE.

Automotive & Boat

13 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Auto Repair: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Auto Parts: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Collision Repair: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.

Retail Stores

13 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

12 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Wood & Furniture Manufacturing: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE.
Metal Fabrication: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

11 related employer businesses in Iron County.

General Freight Trucking: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

9 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Gas Stations: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Entertainment & Recreation

6 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Bars & Pubs: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Clubs & Lounges: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Medical Practices

5 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Primary & Family Care: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

4 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Hotels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

3 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Compounding Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Food & Beverage Distribution: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.

Construction & Engineering

32 related employer businesses in Iron County.

General Contracting: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Electrical: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Foundation & Site Prep: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
Plumbing: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
HVAC Services: 4 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

26 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Insurance Agencies: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Real Estate Brokerages: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.5x SDE.

Restaurants & Food

23 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 7 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.
Coffee Shops: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE.

Automotive & Boat

13 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Auto Repair: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Auto Parts: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Collision Repair: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.

Retail Stores

13 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

12 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Wood & Furniture Manufacturing: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE.
Metal Fabrication: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

11 related employer businesses in Iron County.

General Freight Trucking: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

9 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Gas Stations: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Entertainment & Recreation

6 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Bars & Pubs: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Clubs & Lounges: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Medical Practices

5 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Primary & Family Care: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

4 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Hotels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

3 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Compounding Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Iron County.

Food & Beverage Distribution: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.

Working with owners in Iron County

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

Get a Free Valuation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Iron County ask

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