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Southampton County

Selling a Business in Southampton County

Southampton County has 209 employer businesses, and 90% 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

Southampton County by the numbers

209

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

90%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,100

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

1,893

EMPLOYMENT

$101 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

80

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 Southampton County compares

Southampton County ranks 114th of 133 Virginia counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 2.3% between 2018 and 2023.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing makes up 7% of employer businesses in Southampton County, compared with 0% in Virginia.
80 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Southampton County ranks 114th of 133 Virginia counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 2.3% between 2018 and 2023.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing makes up 7% of employer businesses in Southampton County, compared with 0% in Virginia.
80 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 36 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 32 employer businesses
Construction: 22 employer businesses
Transportation and warehousing: 17 employer businesses
Professional and technical services: 14 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 36 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 32 employer businesses
Construction: 22 employer businesses
Transportation and warehousing: 17 employer businesses
Professional and technical services: 14 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Southampton County

Retail, repair, personal care and other services, construction, transportation and warehousing

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Barber Shops

Beauty & Personal Care

Day Spas

Beauty & Personal Care

Auto Parts

Automotive & Boat

Auto Repair

Automotive & Boat

Every kind of business we sell in Southampton County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Southampton 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

19 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

General Contracting: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Landscaping: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Electrical: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Logistics & Transportation

12 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

General Freight Trucking: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

11 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

Gas Stations: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Manufacturing

11 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

Wood & Furniture Manufacturing: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE.
Food & Beverage Manufacturing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.1x - 4.5x SDE.
Medical & Chemical Manufacturing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

6 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

Quick-Service & Fast Food: 3 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.

Automotive & Boat

5 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

Auto Repair: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

Medical Practices

3 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

Veterinary Medicine: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.

Construction & Engineering

19 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

General Contracting: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.
Landscaping: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.
Electrical: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Logistics & Transportation

12 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

General Freight Trucking: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.44x - 3.45x SDE.

Gas Stations & Convenience

11 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

Gas Stations: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Manufacturing

11 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

Wood & Furniture Manufacturing: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE.
Food & Beverage Manufacturing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.1x - 4.5x SDE.
Medical & Chemical Manufacturing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

6 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

Quick-Service & Fast Food: 3 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.

Automotive & Boat

5 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

Auto Repair: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

Medical Practices

3 related employer businesses in Southampton County.

Veterinary Medicine: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 6.0x - 9.0x EBITDA.

Working with owners in Southampton County

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

Get a Free Valuation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Southampton County ask

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

Selling a Business in Southampton County

Areas in Virginia

Southampton County by the numbers

209

209

90%

90%

1,100

1,100

1,893

1,893

$101 million

$101 million

80

80

How Southampton County compares

Industry mix

What sells in Southampton County

Electronics & Repair

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Barber Shops

Day Spas

Auto Parts

Auto Repair

Every kind of business we sell in Southampton County

Working with owners in Southampton County

Questions owners in Southampton County ask

Guides for owners in Southampton County