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Wilkes County

Selling a Business in Wilkes County

Wilkes County has 190 employer businesses, and 87% 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

Wilkes County by the numbers

190

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

87%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

762

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

2,244

EMPLOYMENT

$109 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 Wilkes County compares

Wilkes County ranks 115th of 159 Georgia counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 3.1% between 2018 and 2023.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing makes up 6% of employer businesses in Wilkes County, compared with 0% in Georgia.
80 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Wilkes County ranks 115th of 159 Georgia counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.
The number of employer businesses fell 3.1% between 2018 and 2023.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing makes up 6% of employer businesses in Wilkes County, compared with 0% in Georgia.
80 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 45 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 24 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 16 employer businesses
Finance and insurance: 14 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 13 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

Retail: 45 employer businesses
Repair, personal care and other services: 24 employer businesses
Health care and social assistance: 16 employer businesses
Finance and insurance: 14 employer businesses
Accommodation and food service: 13 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Wilkes County

Retail, repair, personal care and other services, health care and social assistance, finance and insurance

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 Wilkes County

These are the industries in Wilkes 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.

Restaurants & Food

13 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Quick-Service & Fast Food: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Full-Service Restaurants: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Liquor, Wine & Beer Stores: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Gas Stations & Convenience

11 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

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

Construction & Engineering

10 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Foundation & Site Prep: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
Landscaping: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

10 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Insurance Agencies: 4 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.
Private Lending: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Manufacturing

8 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Wood & Furniture Manufacturing: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE.
Metal Fabrication: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.

Retail Stores

8 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.

Senior Care & Living

5 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Assisted Living Facilities: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Automotive & Boat

3 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

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

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Industrial & Construction Supply: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Restaurants & Food

13 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Quick-Service & Fast Food: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE.
Full-Service Restaurants: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.
Liquor, Wine & Beer Stores: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Gas Stations & Convenience

11 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

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

Construction & Engineering

10 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Foundation & Site Prep: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.
Landscaping: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

10 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Insurance Agencies: 4 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.
Private Lending: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

Manufacturing

8 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Wood & Furniture Manufacturing: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE.
Metal Fabrication: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.2x - 4.2x SDE.

Retail Stores

8 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Hardware, Garden & Building: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.8x SDE + Inventory.
Health, Beauty & Pharmacy: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.8x - 4.2x EBITDA.

Senior Care & Living

5 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Assisted Living Facilities: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Automotive & Boat

3 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

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

Wholesale & Distribution

3 related employer businesses in Wilkes County.

Industrial & Construction Supply: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Working with owners in Wilkes County

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

Get a Free Valuation

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Wilkes County ask

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

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

How is a business valued in Wilkes 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 Wilkes 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