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Shenandoah County

Selling a Business in Shenandoah County

Shenandoah County has 922 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 repair, personal care and other services and retail.

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LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Shenandoah County by the numbers

922

922

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

88%

88%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

3,416

3,416

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

12,260

12,260

EMPLOYMENT

$547 million

$547 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

358

358

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 Shenandoah County compares

  • Shenandoah County ranks 43rd of 133 Virginia counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 6.6% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Transportation and warehousing makes up 5% of employer businesses in Shenandoah County, compared with 3% in Virginia.

  • 358 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Shenandoah County ranks 43rd of 133 Virginia counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 6.6% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Transportation and warehousing makes up 5% of employer businesses in Shenandoah County, compared with 3% in Virginia.

  • 358 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 140 employer businesses

  • Retail: 138 employer businesses

  • Construction: 127 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 102 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 82 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 140 employer businesses

  • Retail: 138 employer businesses

  • Construction: 127 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 102 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 82 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Shenandoah County

Repair, personal care and other services, retail, construction, accommodation and food service

Every kind of business we sell in Shenandoah County

These are the industries in Shenandoah 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.

Construction & Engineering

128 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • General Contracting: 36 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Landscaping: 25 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Electrical: 17 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Interior Finishing: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Roofing & Siding: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Carpentry & Framing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Masonry: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Equipment.

Restaurants & Food

84 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Automotive & Boat

51 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • Auto Repair: 21 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

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

  • Collision Repair: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.

  • Car Washes: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 7.0x EBITDA.

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

  • Towing & Repo: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

Financial & Professional Services

42 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Logistics & Transportation

41 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Medical Practices

38 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

33 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • Gas Stations: 25 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

  • Convenience Stores: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Manufacturing

30 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Retail Stores

24 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Beauty & Personal Care

14 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • Hair Salons: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.25x - 2.34x SDE.

Home Services

11 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Hospitality & Travel

11 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • Hotels: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

9 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Education & Childcare

8 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • Daycare Centers: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Pet Services

5 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Health & Fitness

4 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

These are the industries in Shenandoah 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.

Construction & Engineering

128 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • General Contracting: 36 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Landscaping: 25 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Electrical: 17 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Interior Finishing: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Roofing & Siding: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Carpentry & Framing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Masonry: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Equipment.

Restaurants & Food

84 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Automotive & Boat

51 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • Auto Repair: 21 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

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

  • Collision Repair: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.

  • Car Washes: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 7.0x EBITDA.

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

  • Towing & Repo: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

Financial & Professional Services

42 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Logistics & Transportation

41 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Medical Practices

38 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

33 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • Gas Stations: 25 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

  • Convenience Stores: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Manufacturing

30 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Retail Stores

24 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Beauty & Personal Care

14 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • Hair Salons: 14 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.25x - 2.34x SDE.

Home Services

11 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Hospitality & Travel

11 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • Hotels: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

9 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Education & Childcare

8 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

  • Daycare Centers: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Pet Services

5 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Health & Fitness

4 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Shenandoah County.

Working with owners in Shenandoah County

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

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Shenandoah County ask

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

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

How is a business valued in Shenandoah 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 Shenandoah 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