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Jay County

Selling a Business in Jay County

Jay County has 411 employer businesses, and 87% 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

Jay County by the numbers

411

411

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

87%

87%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,431

1,431

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

6,301

6,301

EMPLOYMENT

$294 million

$294 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

187

187

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 Jay County compares

  • Jay County ranks 67th of 92 Indiana counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses fell 2.8% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Manufacturing makes up 8% of employer businesses in Jay County, compared with 5% in Indiana.

  • 187 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Jay County ranks 67th of 92 Indiana counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses fell 2.8% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Manufacturing makes up 8% of employer businesses in Jay County, compared with 5% in Indiana.

  • 187 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 60 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 57 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 51 employer businesses

  • Construction: 40 employer businesses

  • Manufacturing: 31 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 60 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 57 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 51 employer businesses

  • Construction: 40 employer businesses

  • Manufacturing: 31 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Jay County

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

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Barber Shops

Beauty & Personal Care

Day Spas

Beauty & Personal Care

Auto Parts

Automotive & Boat

Auto Repair

Automotive & Boat

Every kind of business we sell in Jay County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Jay 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

29 related employer businesses in Jay County.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • General Contracting: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Electrical: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Landscaping: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

24 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Medical Practices

22 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Automotive & Boat

21 related employer businesses in Jay County.

  • Auto Repair: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

  • Car Dealerships: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Restaurants & Food

20 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Manufacturing

18 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Logistics & Transportation

14 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

7 related employer businesses in Jay County.

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

Education & Childcare

5 related employer businesses in Jay County.

  • Daycare Centers: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Retail Stores

5 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Health & Fitness

4 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Hospitality & Travel

3 related employer businesses in Jay 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.

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Jay County.

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Jay 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

29 related employer businesses in Jay County.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • General Contracting: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Electrical: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Landscaping: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

24 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Medical Practices

22 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Automotive & Boat

21 related employer businesses in Jay County.

  • Auto Repair: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

  • Car Dealerships: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Restaurants & Food

20 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Manufacturing

18 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Logistics & Transportation

14 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

7 related employer businesses in Jay County.

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

Education & Childcare

5 related employer businesses in Jay County.

  • Daycare Centers: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Retail Stores

5 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Health & Fitness

4 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Hospitality & Travel

3 related employer businesses in Jay 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.

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Jay County.

Working with owners in Jay County

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

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Jay County ask

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