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Preble County

Selling a Business in Preble County

Preble County has 671 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

Preble County by the numbers

671

671

EMPLOYER BUSINESSES

87%

87%

SMALL EMPLOYER SHARE

2,710

2,710

BUSINESSES WITH NO EMPLOYEES

10,532

10,532

EMPLOYMENT

$541 million

$541 million

ANNUAL PAYROLL

282

282

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 Preble County compares

  • Preble County ranks 65th of 88 Ohio counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 1.8% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Construction makes up 14% of employer businesses in Preble County, compared with 8% in Ohio.

  • 282 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

  • Preble County ranks 65th of 88 Ohio counties and county equivalents for employer businesses.

  • The number of employer businesses grew 1.8% between 2018 and 2023.

  • Construction makes up 14% of employer businesses in Preble County, compared with 8% in Ohio.

  • 282 employer businesses here have 5 to 49 employees.

Industry mix

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 97 employer businesses

  • Construction: 96 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 85 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 78 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 59 employer businesses

The largest industries by number of employer businesses:

  • Retail: 97 employer businesses

  • Construction: 96 employer businesses

  • Repair, personal care and other services: 85 employer businesses

  • Health care and social assistance: 78 employer businesses

  • Accommodation and food service: 59 employer businesses

INDUSTRIES

What sells in Preble County

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

Electronics & Repair

Retail Stores

Fashion, Apparel & Jewelry

Retail Stores

Carpentry & Framing

Construction & Engineering

Civil Engineering

Construction & Engineering

Audio Visual (AV)

Home Services

Commercial Cleaning

Home Services

Every kind of business we sell in Preble County

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Preble 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

79 related employer businesses in Preble County.

  • General Contracting: 26 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 15 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Plumbing: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Interior Finishing: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

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

  • Electrical: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

49 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Logistics & Transportation

35 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Medical Practices

34 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Automotive & Boat

29 related employer businesses in Preble County.

  • Auto Repair: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

  • Collision Repair: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

26 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

23 related employer businesses in Preble County.

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

  • Convenience Stores: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Retail Stores

23 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Financial & Professional Services

21 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Education & Childcare

11 related employer businesses in Preble County.

  • Daycare Centers: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Home Services

8 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Entertainment & Recreation

6 related employer businesses in Preble County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

  • Outdoor Recreation: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

6 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Senior Care & Living

6 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Wholesale & Distribution

6 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Hospitality & Travel

4 related employer businesses in Preble County.

  • Hotels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Beauty & Personal Care

3 related employer businesses in Preble County.

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

Energy & Utilities

3 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Pet Services

3 related employer businesses in Preble County.

We sell businesses in every one of these industries in Preble 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

79 related employer businesses in Preble County.

  • General Contracting: 26 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 4.5x SDE.

  • Foundation & Site Prep: 15 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x EBITDA + Fleet.

  • Plumbing: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x SDE.

  • HVAC Services: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.6x - 7.0x EBITDA.

  • Interior Finishing: 10 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 4.0x SDE.

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

  • Electrical: 8 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 4.0x - 8.0x EBITDA.

Restaurants & Food

49 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Logistics & Transportation

35 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Medical Practices

34 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Automotive & Boat

29 related employer businesses in Preble County.

  • Auto Repair: 13 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE.

  • Auto Parts: 12 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.2x SDE + Inventory.

  • Collision Repair: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.5x - 5.0x EBITDA.

Manufacturing

26 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Gas Stations & Convenience

23 related employer businesses in Preble County.

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

  • Convenience Stores: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.5x - 3.5x SDE + Inventory.

Retail Stores

23 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Financial & Professional Services

21 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Education & Childcare

11 related employer businesses in Preble County.

  • Daycare Centers: 11 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.39x - 3.35x SDE.

Home Services

8 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Entertainment & Recreation

6 related employer businesses in Preble County.

  • Bars & Pubs: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

  • Clubs & Lounges: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 3.0x - 6.0x EBITDA.

  • Outdoor Recreation: 3 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.0x - 4.0x SDE.

Pharmacies & Medical Supply

6 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Senior Care & Living

6 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Wholesale & Distribution

6 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Hospitality & Travel

4 related employer businesses in Preble County.

  • Hotels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 2.6x - 5.1x EBITDA.

  • Motels: 4 employer businesses here. Typical sale multiple: 1.1x - 2.5x SDE.

Beauty & Personal Care

3 related employer businesses in Preble County.

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

Energy & Utilities

3 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Pet Services

3 related employer businesses in Preble County.

Working with owners in Preble County

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

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions owners in Preble County ask

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