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Custer County

Selling a Business in Custer County

Custer County has 454 employer businesses, and 91% 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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Areas in Montana

Beaverhead County

Big Horn County

Billings

Bozeman

Custer County

Dawson County

Deer Lodge County

Fergus County

Flathead County

Glacier County

Great Falls

Helena

Hill County

Lake County

Lincoln County

Madison County

Missoula

Park County

Pondera County

Powell County

Ravalli County

Richland County

Roosevelt County

Rosebud County

Sanders County

Silver Bow County

Sweet Grass County

Teton County

Toole County

Valley County

LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Custer County by the numbers

454

454

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

91%

91%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

933

933

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

4,264

4,264

EMPLOYMENT

$208 million

$208 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

201

201

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 Custer County compares

  • Custer County ranks 15th of 56 Montana counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 6.3% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Transportation and warehousing makes up 7% of employer businesses in Custer County, compared with 3% in Montana.

  • 201 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Custer County ranks 15th of 56 Montana counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 6.3% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Transportation and warehousing makes up 7% of employer businesses in Custer County, compared with 3% in Montana.

  • 201 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Health care and social assistance: 58 employer businesses

  • Retail: 52 employer businesses

  • Construction: 49 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 43 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 35 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Health care and social assistance: 58 employer businesses

  • Retail: 52 employer businesses

  • Construction: 49 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 43 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 35 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Custer County

Health care and social assistance, retail, construction, accommodation and food service

Dental Practices

Medical Practices

Home Health & Hospice

Medical Practices

Gyms & Health Clubs

Health & Fitness

Personal Training Studios

Health & Fitness

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Every kind of business we sell in Custer County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Custer 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

39 related employer businesses in Custer County.

  • General Contracting: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Plumbing: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Landscaping: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Electrical: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Interior Finishing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

32 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Logistics & Transportation

31 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Restaurants & Food

25 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Medical Practices

15 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Retail Stores

14 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Manufacturing

11 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Automotive & Boat

10 related employer businesses in Custer County.

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

  • Car Dealerships: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Education & Childcare

10 related employer businesses in Custer County.

  • Daycare Centers: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

8 related employer businesses in Custer County.

  • Hotels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Energy & Utilities

7 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

6 related employer businesses in Custer County.

  • Gas Stations: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Wholesale & Distribution

6 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Entertainment & Recreation

5 related employer businesses in Custer County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Home Services

5 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Senior Care & Living

4 related employer businesses in Custer County.

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Custer 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

39 related employer businesses in Custer County.

  • General Contracting: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Plumbing: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 7 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Landscaping: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Electrical: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Interior Finishing: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

Financial & Professional Services

32 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Logistics & Transportation

31 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Restaurants & Food

25 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Medical Practices

15 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Retail Stores

14 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Manufacturing

11 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Automotive & Boat

10 related employer businesses in Custer County.

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

  • Car Dealerships: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

Education & Childcare

10 related employer businesses in Custer County.

  • Daycare Centers: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

8 related employer businesses in Custer County.

  • Hotels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Energy & Utilities

7 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

6 related employer businesses in Custer County.

  • Gas Stations: 6 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

Wholesale & Distribution

6 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Entertainment & Recreation

5 related employer businesses in Custer County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 5 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

Home Services

5 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Senior Care & Living

4 related employer businesses in Custer County.

Working with owners in Custer County

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

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Custer County ask

How long does it take to sell a business in Custer 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.

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How is a business valued in Custer 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.

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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.

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FROM OUR BLOG

Guides for owners in Custer 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