The three largest of those industries in Florida are accounting, tax prep and bookkeeping firms (12,734 establishments), landscaping and tree services (10,541), and insurance agencies and brokerages (10,508). WETYR buys qualifying Florida businesses directly and confidentially, and, with an owner's OK, introduces Florida owners to registry buyers whose buy box fits. Owners and buyers then deal directly with their own advisors.
The largest owner-operated industries in Florida
Florida ranks 2nd in the country for accounting, tax prep and bookkeeping firms, with 12,734 establishments, or 9.5% of the U.S. total, against 6.5% of the U.S. population. The fifteen largest Florida categories follow.
| Industry | Establishments | Per 100k residents | Index vs U.S. | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting, tax prep and bookkeeping firms | 12,734 | 58.9 | 1.45 | 2nd |
| Landscaping and tree services | 10,541 | 48.7 | 1.38 | 1st |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 10,508 | 48.6 | 1.20 | 3rd |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 9,068 | 41.9 | 1.27 | 2nd |
| Dental practices | 8,990 | 41.6 | 1.02 | 3rd |
| Commercial cleaning and janitorial services | 6,532 | 30.2 | 1.51 | 2nd |
| Electrical contractors | 6,279 | 29.0 | 1.18 | 2nd |
| Gas stations with convenience stores | 5,628 | 26.0 | 0.90 | 3rd |
| General auto repair shops | 5,086 | 23.5 | 0.93 | 4th |
| Childcare centers | 4,611 | 21.3 | 0.89 | 4th |
| Physical therapy clinics | 4,120 | 19.0 | 1.27 | 2nd |
| IT services and computer systems design | 3,929 | 18.2 | 1.08 | 3rd |
| Home health care agencies | 3,327 | 15.4 | 1.34 | 3rd |
| Pool, building and dwelling services | 3,188 | 14.7 | 2.94 | 1st |
| Local general freight trucking | 2,930 | 13.5 | 1.01 | 3rd |
Where Florida is over and under the national average
Per resident, Florida runs heaviest in pool, building and dwelling services (3,188 establishments, index 2.94, 1st nationally by count); pest control companies (2,238 establishments, index 2.32, 1st nationally by count); durable goods wholesalers and distributors (1,190 establishments, index 2.09, 2nd nationally by count). That top index of 2.94 means 194% more pool, building and dwelling services per Florida resident than the U.S. average. More local operators usually means more comparable sales to price against.
At the other end, Florida is thinnest in machine shops (index 0.41) and plate work and fabricated metal shops (index 0.61). Thin categories cut both ways: fewer local competitors for an operator, but fewer comparable transactions when a buyer prices a deal.
Florida counties with the most owner-operated businesses
| County or area | Establishments | Median household income | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Dade County | 17,203 | $64,215 | $387,000 |
| Broward County | 13,565 | $70,331 | $348,600 |
| Palm Beach County | 11,312 | $76,066 | $368,300 |
| Hillsborough | 8,869 | $70,612 | $294,900 |
| Orange County | 8,328 | $72,629 | $329,000 |
| Pinellas County | 6,372 | $66,406 | $284,300 |
| Duval County | 5,702 | $65,579 | $251,300 |
| Lee County | 4,968 | $69,368 | $290,900 |
| Brevard County | 3,456 | $71,308 | $278,000 |
| Sarasota County | 3,356 | $77,213 | $338,500 |
Miami Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County hold 32% of the 129,485 tracked establishments across 67 Florida counties or areas. Median household income runs from $41,526 in Calhoun County to $100,020 in St Johns County (2.4x), which changes what a buyer underwrites.
Florida metro markets
Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Tallahassee, Fort Lauderdale and Gainesville are the 7 Florida metros with dedicated WETYR city pages, linked below for accounting, tax prep and bookkeeping firms and landscaping and tree services.
- Jacksonville, about 842,583 residents (Saint johns County); nearest markets Gainesville (62 mi), Daytona Beach (86 mi)
- Miami, about 417,650 residents (Miami Dade County); nearest markets Fort Lauderdale (25 mi), Pompano Beach (33 mi)
- Tampa, about 352,957 residents (Hillsborough County); nearest markets Saint Petersburg (17 mi), Sarasota (43 mi)
- Orlando, about 255,483 residents (Orange County); nearest markets Daytona Beach (51 mi), Tampa (77 mi)
- Tallahassee, about 186,411 residents (Leon County); nearest markets Valdosta (66 mi), Albany (79 mi)
- Fort Lauderdale, about 172,389 residents (Broward County); nearest markets Pompano Beach (8 mi), Boca Raton (17 mi)
- Gainesville, about 127,488 residents (Alachua County); nearest markets Jacksonville (62 mi), Daytona Beach (84 mi)
Working with WETYR in Florida
WETYR buys Florida businesses directly, with no listing and no broker commission, and, with your OK, introduces Florida owners to registry buyers who fit.
Get a confidential valuation
Tell us a little about your business in Florida. We reply with an indicative value range and whether we are a direct fit, within one business day. No obligation, no listing, nothing public.
Florida business sale FAQ
How many small businesses are in the industries WETYR buys in Florida?
U.S. Census County Business Patterns counts about 129,485 establishments in Florida across the 37 owner-operated industries WETYR tracks, 3rd among the 50 states. With roughly 21,634,529 residents, that works out to 59.9 establishments per 10,000 people versus 50.1 nationally. Florida holds 7.82% of the U.S. total in these industries and 6.55% of the population.
Which industries are most common in Florida?
By establishment count the largest are accounting, tax prep and bookkeeping firms (12,734), landscaping and tree services (10,541), and insurance agencies and brokerages (10,508). Accounting, tax prep and bookkeeping firms alone makes up 9.8% of the state's tracked total. Relative to population, Florida is most concentrated in pool, building and dwelling services, pest control companies and durable goods wholesalers and distributors.
Does Florida tax the gain when I sell my business?
Florida has no state personal income tax, so an individual owner generally owes no state personal income tax on the gain from a sale. Entity-level state taxes, such as franchise or excise taxes, can still apply depending on how the business is organized, and federal capital gains and depreciation recapture apply as usual. Confirm the after-tax number with a Florida CPA before you sign a letter of intent.
Where in Florida are most of these businesses located?
Miami Dade County leads with about 17,203 tracked establishments, followed by Broward County (13,565) and Palm Beach County (11,312). Together the top three hold 32% of the state total. Median household income in Miami Dade County is $64,215 and the median home value is $387,000. The smallest tracked area is Liberty County with 9.
Sell by industry in Florida
Other Southeast states
Sources
Census County Business Patterns (employer establishments, NAICS 2017); American Community Survey 5-year. Ranks and indexes: WETYR calculations, 50 states.