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Orange County

Selling a Business in Orange County

Orange County has 106,961 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.

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LOCAL SNAPSHOT

Orange County by the numbers

106,961

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

87%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

334,683

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

1,580,778

EMPLOYMENT

$118.7 billion

ANNUAL PAYROLL

37,854

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 Orange County compares

  • Orange County ranks 2nd of 58 California counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 8.7% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Finance and insurance makes up 6% of employer businesses in Orange County, compared with 5% in California.

  • 37,854 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Professional and technical services: 18,591 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 14,623 employer businesses

  • Retail: 9,840 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 8,950 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 7,825 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Orange County

Professional and technical services, health care and social assistance, retail, accommodation and food service

Accounting & Tax Practices

Financial & Professional Services

Insurance Agencies

Financial & Professional Services

Dental Practices

Medical Practices

Home Health & Hospice

Medical Practices

Gyms & Health Clubs

Health & Fitness

Personal Training Studios

Health & Fitness

Every kind of business we sell in Orange County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Orange 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.

Medical Practices

10,325 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Financial & Professional Services

9,113 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Construction & Engineering

8,927 related employer businesses in Orange County.

  • General Contracting: 2,650 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Interior Finishing: 1,421 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Civil Engineering: 1,249 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 7.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.

  • Plumbing: 1,028 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 1,028 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Electrical: 943 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

  • Landscaping: 738 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 369 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Roofing & Siding: 278 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x SDE.

  • Masonry: 112 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Equipment.

  • Carpentry & Framing: 79 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Remediation & Restoration: 60 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

8,659 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Retail Stores

4,293 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Manufacturing

3,493 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Wholesale & Distribution

3,477 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Automotive & Boat

2,671 related employer businesses in Orange County.

  • Auto Repair: 1,071 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 495 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

  • Car Dealerships: 372 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2x - 8x Blue Sky + Assets.

  • Collision Repair: 364 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.

  • Car Washes: 230 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.5x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Towing & Repo: 82 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Boat Dealerships: 38 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA.

  • Marinas: 19 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: Cap Rate or 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.

Home Services

2,378 related employer businesses in Orange County.

  • Property Management: 1,467 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Residential Cleaning: 640 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.6x SDE.

  • Commercial Cleaning: 640 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.47x - 4.11x EBITDA.

  • Pest Control: 169 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.34x - 2.90x SDE.

  • Security Systems: 102 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.9x EBITDA.

Technology & Media

2,347 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Beauty & Personal Care

2,283 related employer businesses in Orange County.

  • Hair Salons: 1,033 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.25x - 2.34x SDE.

  • Nail Salons: 765 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.4x - 1.88x SDE.

  • Day Spas: 425 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.8x - 2.8x SDE.

  • Tattoo Shops: 425 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.

  • Massage Parlors: 425 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.5x SDE.

  • Barber Shops: 60 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.5x - 2.25x SDE.

Logistics & Transportation

1,762 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

1,336 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Health & Fitness

909 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Education & Childcare

903 related employer businesses in Orange County.

  • Daycare Centers: 632 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

  • Tutoring Centers: 271 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 3.5x SDE.

Hospitality & Travel

822 related employer businesses in Orange County.

  • Hotels: 512 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 512 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

  • Transportation Services: 168 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.1x SDE.

  • Travel Agencies: 127 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.3x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Campgrounds & RV Parks: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Bed & Breakfasts / Inns: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Senior Care & Living

788 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

781 related employer businesses in Orange County.

  • Gas Stations: 536 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x EBITDA + Real Estate.

  • Convenience Stores: 245 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Entertainment & Recreation

518 related employer businesses in Orange County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 243 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 243 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

  • Outdoor Recreation: 180 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Golf Courses: 48 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 8.0x - 11.0x EBITDA.

  • Arcades & FECs: 32 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.1x - 3.6x SDE.

  • Bowling Alleys: 15 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 5.0x EBITDA.

Pet Services

363 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Energy & Utilities

253 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Land & Agriculture

3 related employer businesses in Orange County.

Where this county sits

California

Los Angeles Area

Working with owners in Orange County

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

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Orange County ask

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

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