Selling a Business in Laurel County
Laurel County has 1,272 employer businesses, and 84% of them have fewer than 20 employees. This page shows the local mix of industries and how a sale is handled here. The largest industries here are retail and health care and social assistance.
Areas in Kentucky
LOCAL SNAPSHOT
Laurel County by the numbers
1,272
1,272
EMPLOYER BUSINESSES
84%
84%
SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE
4,736
4,736
BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES
23,992
23,992
EMPLOYMENT
$1.1 billion
$1.1 billion
ANNUAL PAYROLL
600
600
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 Laurel County compares
Laurel County ranks 17th of 120 Kentucky counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses grew 5.0% between 2018 and 2023.
Transportation and warehousing makes up 6% of employer businesses in Laurel County, compared with 3% in Kentucky.
600 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.
Laurel County ranks 17th of 120 Kentucky counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses grew 5.0% between 2018 and 2023.
Transportation and warehousing makes up 6% of employer businesses in Laurel County, compared with 3% in Kentucky.
600 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.
Industry mix
The largest industries by number of employer businesses:
Retail: 278 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 182 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 102 employer businesses
Construction: 97 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 91 employer businesses
The largest industries by number of employer businesses:
Retail: 278 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 182 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 102 employer businesses
Construction: 97 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 91 employer businesses
INDUSTRIES
What sells in Laurel County
Retail, health care and social assistance, accommodation and food service, construction
Every kind of business we sell in Laurel County
These are the industries in Laurel County and the number of employer businesses in each. 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
115 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Primary & Family Care: 40 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE.
Dental Practices: 28 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Mental & Behavioral Health: 17 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.
Physical Therapy & Rehab: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Vision & Eye Care: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Veterinary Medicine: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.
Medical Labs & Imaging: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 6.5x EBITDA.
Urgent Care Clinics: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.
Home Health & Hospice: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Restaurants & Food
89 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 41 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Full-Service Restaurants: 30 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Coffee Shops: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE.
Grocery Stores & Markets: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE + Inventory.
Liquor, Wine & Beer Stores: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Construction & Engineering
83 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
General Contracting: 27 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Foundation & Site Prep: 15 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
Electrical: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Plumbing: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
HVAC Services: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Interior Finishing: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.
Landscaping: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Roofing & Siding: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Logistics & Transportation
76 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
General Freight Trucking: 55 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.
Last-Mile & Courier: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.76x - 3.32x SDE.
Heavy Haul Transport: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 4.5x SDE.
Freight Brokerage & 3PL: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Warehousing & Fulfillment: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Retail Stores
75 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Hardware, Garden & Building: 27 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 20 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.
Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Home Decor & Furniture: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Gas Stations & Convenience
55 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Gas Stations: 41 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.
Convenience Stores: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Automotive & Boat
54 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Car Dealerships: 16 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.
Auto Repair: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Auto Parts: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Collision Repair: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Towing & Repo: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
Car Washes: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Financial & Professional Services
53 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 18 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Insurance Agencies: 18 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Private Lending: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Wealth Management: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.7x - 4.0x Recurring Revenue.
Manufacturing
37 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Wood & Furniture Manufacturing: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE.
Food & Beverage Manufacturing: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.1x - 4.5x SDE.
Metal Fabrication: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.
Printing & Plastics: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.9x - 4.9x SDE.
Wholesale & Distribution
31 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Industrial & Construction Supply: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Food & Beverage Distribution: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Electronics, IT & Office Equipment Distribution: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Medical, Dental & Pharmaceutical Distribution: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 4.5x EBITDA.
Health & Fitness
24 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Wellness & Recovery Centers: 21 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 5.5x - 9.7x EBITDA.
Gyms & Health Clubs: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 2.93x SDE.
Yoga Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.07x - 2.50x SDE.
Pilates Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.10x - 3.00x SDE.
Personal Training Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.00x - 2.80x SDE.
Pharmacies & Medical Supply
22 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Compounding Pharmacies: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.
Medical Supply Retail: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE + Inventory.
Durable Medical Equipment (DME): 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Home Infusion: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.
Hospitality & Travel
18 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Hotels: 18 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 18 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.
Home Services
17 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Residential Cleaning: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.6x SDE.
Commercial Cleaning: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.47x - 4.11x EBITDA.
Property Management: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Energy & Utilities
14 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Propane & Fuel Distribution: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA + Assets.
Waste Management & Recycling: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA + Assets.
Water & Wastewater Services: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Senior Care & Living
7 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Non-Medical Home Care: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Beauty & Personal Care
5 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Hair Salons: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.25x - 2.34x SDE.
Education & Childcare
5 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Daycare Centers: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.
Entertainment & Recreation
4 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Outdoor Recreation: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Pet Services
3 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Pet Retail & Specialty Supplies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE + Inventory.
These are the industries in Laurel County and the number of employer businesses in each. 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
115 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Primary & Family Care: 40 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE.
Dental Practices: 28 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Mental & Behavioral Health: 17 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.
Physical Therapy & Rehab: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Vision & Eye Care: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Veterinary Medicine: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.
Medical Labs & Imaging: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 6.5x EBITDA.
Urgent Care Clinics: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.
Home Health & Hospice: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Restaurants & Food
89 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Quick-Service & Fast Food: 41 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Full-Service Restaurants: 30 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Coffee Shops: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE.
Grocery Stores & Markets: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.0x SDE + Inventory.
Liquor, Wine & Beer Stores: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Construction & Engineering
83 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
General Contracting: 27 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Foundation & Site Prep: 15 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
Electrical: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Plumbing: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.
HVAC Services: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Interior Finishing: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.
Landscaping: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Roofing & Siding: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Logistics & Transportation
76 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
General Freight Trucking: 55 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.
Last-Mile & Courier: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.76x - 3.32x SDE.
Heavy Haul Transport: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 4.5x SDE.
Freight Brokerage & 3PL: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Warehousing & Fulfillment: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Retail Stores
75 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Hardware, Garden & Building: 27 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 20 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.
Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Home Decor & Furniture: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.2x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Gas Stations & Convenience
55 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Gas Stations: 41 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.
Convenience Stores: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.
Automotive & Boat
54 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Car Dealerships: 16 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.
Auto Repair: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.
Auto Parts: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.
Collision Repair: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Towing & Repo: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
Car Washes: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Financial & Professional Services
53 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 18 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.
Insurance Agencies: 18 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Private Lending: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Wealth Management: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.7x - 4.0x Recurring Revenue.
Manufacturing
37 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Wood & Furniture Manufacturing: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE.
Food & Beverage Manufacturing: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.1x - 4.5x SDE.
Metal Fabrication: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.
Printing & Plastics: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.9x - 4.9x SDE.
Wholesale & Distribution
31 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Industrial & Construction Supply: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Food & Beverage Distribution: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Electronics, IT & Office Equipment Distribution: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Medical, Dental & Pharmaceutical Distribution: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 4.5x EBITDA.
Health & Fitness
24 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Wellness & Recovery Centers: 21 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 5.5x - 9.7x EBITDA.
Gyms & Health Clubs: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 2.93x SDE.
Yoga Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.07x - 2.50x SDE.
Pilates Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.10x - 3.00x SDE.
Personal Training Studios: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.00x - 2.80x SDE.
Pharmacies & Medical Supply
22 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Compounding Pharmacies: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.5x EBITDA.
Specialty Pharmacies: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.
Medical Supply Retail: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE + Inventory.
Durable Medical Equipment (DME): 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x EBITDA.
Home Infusion: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 6.5x EBITDA.
Hospitality & Travel
18 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Hotels: 18 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.
Motels: 18 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.
Home Services
17 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Residential Cleaning: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.6x SDE.
Commercial Cleaning: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.47x - 4.11x EBITDA.
Property Management: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Energy & Utilities
14 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Propane & Fuel Distribution: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA + Assets.
Waste Management & Recycling: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA + Assets.
Water & Wastewater Services: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.
Senior Care & Living
7 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Non-Medical Home Care: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Beauty & Personal Care
5 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Hair Salons: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.25x - 2.34x SDE.
Education & Childcare
5 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Daycare Centers: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.
Entertainment & Recreation
4 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Outdoor Recreation: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Pet Services
3 related employer businesses in Laurel County.
Pet Retail & Specialty Supplies: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE + Inventory.
Working with owners in Laurel County
Business Advisors of America works with owners who are selling a business in Laurel County. Contact us to talk about a sale.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions owners in Laurel County ask
How long does it take to sell a business in Laurel County?
The time depends on the price, the quality of the records and the number of qualified buyers.
How is a business valued in Laurel 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 Laurel 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