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Stephens County

Selling a Business in Stephens County

Stephens County has 539 employer businesses, and 86% 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 repair, personal care and other services.

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LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Stephens County by the numbers

539

539

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

86%

86%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

1,966

1,966

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

7,799

7,799

EMPLOYMENT

$340 million

$340 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

231

231

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 Stephens County compares

  • Stephens County ranks 68th of 159 Georgia counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses was unchanged between 2018 and 2023.

  • Manufacturing makes up 8% of employer businesses in Stephens County, compared with 3% in Georgia.

  • 231 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Stephens County ranks 68th of 159 Georgia counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses was unchanged between 2018 and 2023.

  • Manufacturing makes up 8% of employer businesses in Stephens County, compared with 3% in Georgia.

  • 231 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 104 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 65 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 55 employer businesses

  • Construction: 47 employer businesses

  • Manufacturing: 44 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 104 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 65 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 55 employer businesses

  • Construction: 47 employer businesses

  • Manufacturing: 44 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Stephens County

Retail, repair, personal care and other services, health care and social assistance, construction

Every kind of business we sell in Stephens County

These are the industries in Stephens 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

43 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Landscaping: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • General Contracting: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

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

  • Civil Engineering: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 7.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

39 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Financial & Professional Services

35 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

30 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

  • Gas Stations: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

  • Convenience Stores: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Medical Practices

29 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Retail Stores

28 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Manufacturing

27 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Automotive & Boat

11 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

  • Auto Repair: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

11 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Home Services

9 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

  • Residential Cleaning: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.6x SDE.

  • Commercial Cleaning: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.47x - 4.11x EBITDA.

  • Pest Control: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.34x - 2.90x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

6 related employer businesses in Stephens 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.

  • Transportation Services: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.1x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

6 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Energy & Utilities

4 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Wholesale & Distribution

4 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Beauty & Personal Care

3 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

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

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

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

Technology & Media

3 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

These are the industries in Stephens 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

43 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Landscaping: 9 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Plumbing: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • General Contracting: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

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

  • Civil Engineering: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 7.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

39 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Financial & Professional Services

35 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

30 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

  • Gas Stations: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

  • Convenience Stores: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Medical Practices

29 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Retail Stores

28 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Manufacturing

27 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Automotive & Boat

11 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

  • Auto Repair: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

11 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Home Services

9 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

  • Residential Cleaning: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.6x SDE.

  • Commercial Cleaning: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.47x - 4.11x EBITDA.

  • Pest Control: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.34x - 2.90x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

6 related employer businesses in Stephens 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.

  • Transportation Services: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.1x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

6 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Energy & Utilities

4 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Wholesale & Distribution

4 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Beauty & Personal Care

3 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

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

Education & Childcare

3 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

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

Technology & Media

3 related employer businesses in Stephens County.

Working with owners in Stephens County

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

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Stephens County ask

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

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

How is a business valued in Stephens 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 Stephens 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