Small Business Saturday: November 29, 2025
Small Business Saturday: November 29, 2025
What makes a business a small business?
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides size standards based on businesses’ average annual receipts or average number of employees, though the definition of “small” varies by industry.
As holiday shopping ramps up, the U.S. Census Bureau joins the SBA and other organizations in recognizing the importance of small businesses to the U.S. economy and encouraging consumers to “shop small.”
A Census Bureau webpage provides a one-stop compilation of resources and data tools designed to support small businesses.
From the SBA:
“Now more than ever, small businesses need our support. Please join SBA and organizations across the country as they celebrate small business contributions to their communities by shopping at a small business on November 29, Small Business Saturday.
Small Business Saturday was founded by American Express in 2010 and officially cosponsored by SBA since 2011. It is an important part of small businesses’ busiest shopping season.”
Key Stats
Source: County Business Patterns (CBP)
County Business Patterns (CBP) is an annual series that provides subnational economic data about establishments with paid employees by industry and employment size. This series includes the number of establishments, employment during the week of March 12, and first-quarter and annual payroll.
Small Business Statistics
From Business and Economy:
From Census.gov Data landing page:
Source: Business Dynamics Statistics
The Census Bureau’s Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS) provide annual measures of business dynamics (such as job creation and destruction, establishment births and deaths, and firm startups and shutdowns) for the economy and aggregated by establishment and firm characteristics.
Source: Nonemployer Statistics
The Nonemployer Statistics (NES) is an annual data product that provides subnational economic data about U.S businesses with no paid employees by industry. This series includes the number of establishments and total receipts.
Source: Statistics of U.S. Businesses
The annual Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB) series provides subnational economic data about U.S. establishments with paid employees by establishment industry and enterprise size. It includes the number of firms and establishments, employment during the week of March 12, and annual payroll.
Source: Economic Census
The Census Bureau’s economic census is the official five-year measure of businesses in the United States, providing comprehensive statistics at the national, state and local levels. It serves as the benchmark for current economic activity, such as the Gross Domestic Product and Producer Price Index.