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Knox County

Selling a Business in Knox County

Knox County has 249 employer businesses, and 94% 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

Knox County by the numbers

249

249

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

94%

94%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

711

711

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

1,459

1,459

EMPLOYMENT

$56 million

$56 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

85

85

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 Knox County compares

  • Knox County ranks 35th of 93 Nebraska counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses fell 0.4% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Transportation and warehousing makes up 7% of employer businesses in Knox County, compared with 5% in Nebraska.

  • 85 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Knox County ranks 35th of 93 Nebraska counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses fell 0.4% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Transportation and warehousing makes up 7% of employer businesses in Knox County, compared with 5% in Nebraska.

  • 85 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 40 employer businesses

  • Construction: 38 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 26 employer businesses

  • Finance and insurance: 21 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 20 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 40 employer businesses

  • Construction: 38 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 26 employer businesses

  • Finance and insurance: 21 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 20 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Knox County

Retail, construction, repair, personal care and other services, finance and insurance

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 Knox County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Knox 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

28 related employer businesses in Knox County.

  • General Contracting: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

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

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

Logistics & Transportation

19 related employer businesses in Knox County.

Medical Practices

15 related employer businesses in Knox County.

Restaurants & Food

14 related employer businesses in Knox County.

Financial & Professional Services

13 related employer businesses in Knox County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

9 related employer businesses in Knox County.

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

Entertainment & Recreation

8 related employer businesses in Knox County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

  • Golf Courses: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 8.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.

Retail Stores

6 related employer businesses in Knox County.

Automotive & Boat

4 related employer businesses in Knox County.

  • Auto Repair: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Knox 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

28 related employer businesses in Knox County.

  • General Contracting: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

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

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

Logistics & Transportation

19 related employer businesses in Knox County.

Medical Practices

15 related employer businesses in Knox County.

Restaurants & Food

14 related employer businesses in Knox County.

Financial & Professional Services

13 related employer businesses in Knox County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

9 related employer businesses in Knox County.

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

Entertainment & Recreation

8 related employer businesses in Knox County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

  • Golf Courses: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 8.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.

Retail Stores

6 related employer businesses in Knox County.

Automotive & Boat

4 related employer businesses in Knox County.

  • Auto Repair: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

Working with owners in Knox County

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

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Knox County ask

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