The three largest of those industries in Texas are insurance agencies and brokerages (12,209 establishments), dental practices (11,755), and accounting, tax prep and bookkeeping firms (10,985). WETYR buys qualifying Texas businesses directly and confidentially, and, with an owner's OK, introduces Texas owners to registry buyers whose buy box fits. Owners and buyers then deal directly with their own advisors.
The largest owner-operated industries in Texas
Texas ranks 2nd in the country for insurance agencies and brokerages, with 12,209 establishments, or $45,500 per $500K of the U.S. total, against 8.9% of the U.S. population. Below are the fifteen largest categories in Texas.
| Industry | Establishments | Per 100k residents | Index vs U.S. | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 12,209 | 41.7 | 1.03 | 2nd |
| Dental practices | 11,755 | 40.2 | 0.99 | 2nd |
| Accounting, tax prep and bookkeeping firms | 10,985 | 37.6 | 0.92 | 3rd |
| Gas stations with convenience stores | 9,647 | 33.0 | 1.14 | 1st |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 8,649 | 29.6 | 0.90 | 3rd |
| IT services and computer systems design | 6,518 | 22.3 | 1.32 | 2nd |
| General auto repair shops | 6,072 | 20.8 | 0.82 | 2nd |
| Childcare centers | 5,862 | 20.0 | 0.84 | 3rd |
| Electrical contractors | 5,841 | 20.0 | 0.82 | 3rd |
| Landscaping and tree services | 5,436 | 18.6 | 0.53 | 4th |
| Home health care agencies | 4,298 | 14.7 | 1.28 | 2nd |
| Commercial cleaning and janitorial services | 3,795 | 13.0 | 0.65 | 3rd |
| Fitness centers and gyms | 3,174 | 10.9 | 0.91 | 2nd |
| Physical therapy clinics | 3,145 | 10.8 | 0.72 | 4th |
| Staffing agencies | 3,105 | 10.6 | 1.04 | 2nd |
Where Texas is over and under the national average
Per resident, Texas runs heaviest in self-storage facilities (2,203 establishments, index 1.44, 2nd nationally by count); IT services and computer systems design (6,518 establishments, index 1.32, 2nd nationally by count); home health care agencies (4,298 establishments, index 1.28, 2nd nationally by count). That top index of 1.44 means 44% more self-storage facilities per Texas resident than the U.S. average. Concentration like that usually points to an established local operator base.
At the other end, Texas is thinnest in flooring contractors (index 0.48) and landscaping and tree services (index 0.53). For an acquirer, an underweight category is worth a second look: scarcity can support pricing, but it also narrows the local buyer pool at exit.
Texas counties with the most owner-operated businesses
| County or area | Establishments | Median household income | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | 22,284 | $70,789 | $235,300 |
| Dallas County | 13,975 | $70,732 | $252,200 |
| Tarrant County | 10,074 | $78,872 | $269,400 |
| Bexar County | 8,160 | $67,275 | $222,300 |
| Travis County | 7,251 | $92,731 | $444,800 |
| Collin County | 6,766 | $113,255 | $411,100 |
| Denton County | 4,460 | $104,180 | $377,000 |
| Fort Bend County | 4,222 | $109,987 | $329,600 |
| Williamson County | 3,479 | $102,851 | $370,100 |
| El Paso County | 3,236 | $55,417 | $153,600 |
Harris County, Dallas County, Tarrant County hold 35% of the 133,013 tracked establishments across 225 Texas counties or areas. Median household income runs from $35,979 in Starr County to $121,303 in Rockwall County (3.4x), so the county you serve moves the valuation inputs.
Texas metro markets
Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Lubbock, Irving, Amarillo, Waco and Beaumont are the 13 Texas metros with dedicated WETYR city pages, linked below for insurance agencies and brokerages and dental practices.
- Houston, about 2,195,914 residents (Harris County); nearest markets Spring (20 mi), Beaumont (78 mi)
- San Antonio, about 1,409,019 residents (Comal County); nearest markets Austin (74 mi)
- Dallas, about 1,257,676 residents (Dallas County); nearest markets Irving (9 mi), Arlington (18 mi)
- Austin, about 885,400 residents (Williamson County); nearest markets San Antonio (74 mi), Waco (95 mi)
- Fort Worth, about 792,727 residents (Tarrant County); nearest markets Arlington (13 mi), Irving (23 mi)
- El Paso, about 674,433 residents (El paso County); nearest markets Las Cruces (42 mi), Deming (83 mi)
- Arlington, about 379,577 residents (Tarrant County); nearest markets Irving (11 mi), Fort Worth (13 mi)
- Corpus Christi, about 316,381 residents (Nueces County)
- Lubbock, about 239,538 residents (Lubbock County); nearest markets Hobbs (95 mi), Clovis (96 mi)
- Irving, about 228,653 residents (Dallas County); nearest markets Dallas (9 mi), Arlington (11 mi)
- Amarillo, about 196,429 residents (Randall County); nearest markets Clovis (96 mi), Lubbock (114 mi)
- Waco, about 129,030 residents (Mclennan County); nearest markets Arlington (82 mi), Fort Worth (84 mi)
- Beaumont, about 117,796 residents (Jefferson County); nearest markets Lake Charles (55 mi), Spring (75 mi)
Working with WETYR in Texas
WETYR buys Texas businesses directly, with no listing and no broker commission, and, with your OK, introduces Texas owners to registry buyers who fit.
Get a confidential valuation
Tell us a little about your business in Texas. We reply with an indicative value range and whether we are a direct fit, within one business day. No obligation, no listing, nothing public.
Texas business sale FAQ
How many small businesses are in the industries WETYR buys in Texas?
U.S. Census County Business Patterns counts about 133,013 establishments in Texas across the 37 owner-operated industries WETYR tracks, 2nd among the 50 states. With roughly 29,243,342 residents, that works out to 45.5 establishments per 10,000 people versus 50.1 nationally. Texas holds 8.03% of the U.S. total in these industries and 8.85% of the population.
Which industries are most common in Texas?
By establishment count the largest are insurance agencies and brokerages (12,209), dental practices (11,755), and accounting, tax prep and bookkeeping firms (10,985). Insurance agencies and brokerages alone makes up $46,000 per $500K of the state's tracked total. Relative to population, Texas is most concentrated in self-storage facilities, IT services and computer systems design and home health care agencies.
Does Texas tax the gain when I sell my business?
Texas 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 Texas CPA before you sign a letter of intent.
Where in Texas are most of these businesses located?
Harris County leads with about 22,284 tracked establishments, followed by Dallas County (13,975) and Tarrant County (10,074). Together the top three hold 35% of the state total. Median household income in Harris County is $70,789 and the median home value is $235,300. The smallest tracked area is Sherman County with 3.
Sell by industry in Texas
Other South Central states
Sources
Census County Business Patterns (employer establishments, NAICS 2017); American Community Survey 5-year. Ranks and indexes: WETYR calculations, 50 states.