Selling a Business in Sac County

Sac County has 321 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.

LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Sac County by the numbers

321

321

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

94%

94%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

874

874

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

2,245

2,245

EMPLOYMENT

$110 million

$110 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

113

113

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 Sac County compares

  • Sac County ranks 63rd of 99 Iowa counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses fell 3.9% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Transportation and warehousing makes up 11% of employer businesses in Sac County, compared with 5% in Iowa.

  • 113 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Sac County ranks 63rd of 99 Iowa counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses fell 3.9% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Transportation and warehousing makes up 11% of employer businesses in Sac County, compared with 5% in Iowa.

  • 113 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 52 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 40 employer businesses

  • Transportation and warehousing: 36 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 29 employer businesses

  • Wholesale: 29 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 52 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 40 employer businesses

  • Transportation and warehousing: 36 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 29 employer businesses

  • Wholesale: 29 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Sac County

Retail, repair, personal care and other services, transportation and warehousing, health care and social assistance

Every kind of business we sell in Sac County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Sac 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.

Logistics & Transportation

36 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Construction & Engineering

18 related employer businesses in Sac County.

  • General Contracting: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

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

Restaurants & Food

15 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Automotive & Boat

12 related employer businesses in Sac County.

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

  • Auto Parts: 3 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.

Gas Stations & Convenience

10 related employer businesses in Sac County.

  • Gas Stations: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Retail Stores

10 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Manufacturing

9 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Financial & Professional Services

8 related employer businesses in Sac County.

  • Insurance Agencies: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Wholesale & Distribution

8 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Medical Practices

6 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Beauty & Personal Care

3 related employer businesses in Sac County.

  • Hair Salons: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.25x - 2.34x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

3 related employer businesses in Sac 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.

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Sac 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.

Logistics & Transportation

36 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Construction & Engineering

18 related employer businesses in Sac County.

  • General Contracting: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

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

Restaurants & Food

15 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Automotive & Boat

12 related employer businesses in Sac County.

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

  • Auto Parts: 3 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.

Gas Stations & Convenience

10 related employer businesses in Sac County.

  • Gas Stations: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Retail Stores

10 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Manufacturing

9 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Financial & Professional Services

8 related employer businesses in Sac County.

  • Insurance Agencies: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Wholesale & Distribution

8 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Medical Practices

6 related employer businesses in Sac County.

Beauty & Personal Care

3 related employer businesses in Sac County.

  • Hair Salons: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.25x - 2.34x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

3 related employer businesses in Sac 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.

Working with owners in Sac County

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

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Sac County ask

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