The numbers behind the day-to-day decisions
Small business owners make decisions about pricing, payroll, expenses, and growth with limited time to spare. These figures put today’s financial pressures in context. Each statistic links to its original public source so it can be checked and cited.
36.2M
small businesses operate in the United States
The SBA’s 2025 national profile reports 36.2 million small businesses nationwide.
U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, 2025Nearly 46%
of private-sector employment comes from small businesses
Small businesses account for almost 46% of U.S. private-sector employment.
U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, 202577%
reported rising costs or tariff-related costs as a financial challenge
In the Federal Reserve’s 2025 survey of employer firms, 77% reported one or both of these cost pressures in the prior 12 months.
Federal Reserve Banks Small Business Credit Survey, 2026 report60%
applied for financing in the prior 12 months
The most common reasons were meeting operating expenses, reported by 56%, and pursuing expansion or a new opportunity, reported by 46%.
Federal Reserve Banks Small Business Credit Survey, 2026 report42%
received the full financing amount they sought
Among firms that applied for financing, 36% received some or most of what they sought and 22% received none.
Federal Reserve Banks Small Business Credit Survey, 2026 report86%
use financing on a regular basis
Credit cards and loans were the most common financing products reported by employer firms.
Federal Reserve Banks Small Business Credit Survey, 2026 reportPractical context
Clear records make a clearer conversation possible.
National figures do not replace the details of one business. They do underline why current books, consistent reconciliations, and useful reporting matter when costs shift, cash flow gets uneven, or a financing decision is on the table.
Sources and methodology
Where these figures come from
This page uses publicly available data from the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy and the Federal Reserve Banks’ Small Business Credit Survey. The Federal Reserve figures summarize responses from 6,525 small employer firms surveyed from September through November 2025. Its report notes that the survey is a nationwide convenience sample, so results should be read as a timely indicator, not a forecast for every business.
- U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, 2025 Small Business Profiles
- Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey
Cite this page
J & C Financial Services. “Small Business Financial Statistics 2026.” Updated September 25, 2026. https://jandcfinancialservices.com/small-business-financial-statistics
Need a steadier view of your own numbers?
J & C helps small businesses keep the financial details organized and ready for the decisions ahead.