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Palo Alto County

Selling a Business in Palo Alto County

Palo Alto County has 272 employer businesses, and 88% 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.

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LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Palo Alto County by the numbers

272

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

88%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

711

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

2,881

EMPLOYMENT

$137 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

105

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 Palo Alto County compares

Palo Alto County ranks 76th of 99 Iowa counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 4.2% between 2018 and 2023.
Transportation and warehousing makes up 10% of employer businesses in Palo Alto County, compared with 5% in Iowa.
105 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Palo Alto County ranks 76th of 99 Iowa counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 4.2% between 2018 and 2023.
Transportation and warehousing makes up 10% of employer businesses in Palo Alto County, compared with 5% in Iowa.
105 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 37 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 31 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 29 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 27 employer businesses
Transportation and warehousing: 26 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 37 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 31 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 29 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 27 employer businesses
Transportation and warehousing: 26 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Palo Alto County

Retail, health care and social assistance, repair, personal care and other services, accommodation and food service

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Dental Practices

Medical Practices

Home Health & Hospice

Medical Practices

Gyms & Health Clubs

Health & Fitness

Personal Training Studios

Health & Fitness

Every kind of business we sell in Palo Alto County

These are the industries in Palo Alto 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.

Logistics & Transportation

24 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

General Freight Trucking: 24 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Restaurants & Food

19 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 9 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.

Financial & Professional Services

16 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Insurance Agencies: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.

Construction & Engineering

9 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

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

Gas Stations & Convenience

7 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

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

Hospitality & Travel

4 related employer businesses in Palo Alto 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.

Manufacturing

4 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

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

Retail Stores

4 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.

Automotive & Boat

3 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Auto Repair: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Daycare Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Entertainment & Recreation

3 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Bars & Pubs: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Clubs & Lounges: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Logistics & Transportation

24 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

General Freight Trucking: 24 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Restaurants & Food

19 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Full-Service Restaurants: 9 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.

Financial & Professional Services

16 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Insurance Agencies: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.
Accounting & Tax Practices: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.

Construction & Engineering

9 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

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

Gas Stations & Convenience

7 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

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

Hospitality & Travel

4 related employer businesses in Palo Alto 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.

Manufacturing

4 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

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

Retail Stores

4 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.

Automotive & Boat

3 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Auto Repair: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Daycare Centers: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Entertainment & Recreation

3 related employer businesses in Palo Alto County.

Bars & Pubs: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.
Clubs & Lounges: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Working with owners in Palo Alto County

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

Get a Free Valuation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Palo Alto County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Palo Alto County?

The time depends on the price, the quality of the records and the number of qualified buyers.

How is a business valued in Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto 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