Succession Index

California Small Business Index

A public reference on where California’s owner-operated businesses are, which industries concentrate where, and how the population base under them is changing. Every figure is drawn from federal public records and cited on the page it appears.

Counties
58
Full statewide coverage
Incorporated cities
483
Census-designated places
Industries tracked
48
Owner-operated categories
Population (2025)
39.4M
Sum of county estimates

Which California markets are crowded, and which are not

Every industry ranked across cities and counties by businesses per 10,000 residents, against the state median. The saturation read, in one place.

Counties

58 total
Los Angeles County9.7MSan Diego County3.3MOrange County3.1MRiverside County2.5MSan Bernardino County2.2MSanta Clara County1.9MAlameda County1.6MSacramento County1.6MContra Costa County1.2MFresno County1MKern County927.1KVentura County830.9KSan Francisco County826.1KSan Joaquin County823.8KSan Mateo County743.6KStanislaus County557.7KSonoma County486.4KTulare County485.1KSolano County455.4KPlacer County442.1KSanta Barbara County442.1KMonterey County433.7KMerced County297.3KSan Luis Obispo County282.4KSanta Cruz County258.9KMarin County253.7KYolo County224.4KButte County209.2KEl Dorado County192.3KShasta County181.6KImperial County181.4KMadera County167.9KKings County154.3KNapa County132.9KHumboldt County131.6KNevada County101.9KSutter County98.8KYuba County88.7KMendocino County88.1KSan Benito County70.1KLake County67.8KTehama County64.7KTuolumne County53.2KCalaveras County46.6KSiskiyou County42KAmador County41.9KGlenn County28.1KLassen County28.1KDel Norte County26.4KColusa County21.8KPlumas County18.6KInyo County18.2KMariposa County16.9KTrinity County15.7KMono County12.5KModoc County8.4KSierra County3.1KAlpine County1K

Industries

Categories selected because they are genuinely acquirable by individual buyers: owner-operated, service-heavy, and concentrated in operators approaching retirement age.

HVAC & Plumbing238220Electrical238210Roofing238160Landscaping561730Pest Control561710Pool Service561790Commercial Cleaning561720Flooring238330Glass & Glazing238150Septic & Well238910Auto Repair811111Auto Body811121Car Wash811192Towing488410Trucking484110, 484121Equipment Rental532412Dental621210Veterinary541940Home Health621610Pharmacy446110Medical Practice621111Optometry621320Accounting541211, 541213Insurance Agency524210IT & MSP541513, 541512Staffing561320, 561311Engineering541330Architecture541310Law Firm541110Security Services561612Printing323111Sign Shops339950Machine Shops332710Metal Fabrication332322, 332312Plastics326199Food Manufacturing311999, 311812Millwork337110, 321918Restaurants722511Bakeries311811Liquor Stores445310Gyms & Fitness713940Salons & Spas812112, 812113, 812199Laundromats812310Dry Cleaning812320Funeral Homes812210Self Storage531130Childcare624410Pet Services812910

Largest cities

483 covered statewide
CityCountyPopulationSince 2020
Los AngelesLos Angeles County3,869,089-0.7%
San DiegoSan Diego County1,406,106+1.7%
San JoseSanta Clara County989,814-2.0%
San FranciscoSan Francisco County826,079-5.6%
FresnoFresno County555,549+2.4%
SacramentoSacramento County536,449+2.1%
Long BeachLos Angeles County450,469-3.2%
OaklandAlameda County440,838-0.1%
BakersfieldKern County422,165+4.2%
AnaheimOrange County341,008-1.6%
StocktonSan Joaquin County324,597+1.2%
RiversideRiverside County323,057+2.4%
IrvineOrange County318,764+3.4%
Santa AnaOrange County315,586+1.4%
Chula VistaSan Diego County275,533-0.1%
Santa ClaritaLos Angeles County228,430-1.7%
FremontAlameda County226,442-1.7%
San BernardinoSan Bernardino County222,044-0.0%
FontanaSan Bernardino County221,223+5.8%
ModestoStanislaus County219,652+0.4%
Moreno ValleyRiverside County214,263+2.6%
OxnardVentura County199,651-1.1%
Huntington BeachOrange County191,451-3.5%
GlendaleLos Angeles County187,160-4.5%
OntarioSan Bernardino County187,013+6.4%
Elk GroveSacramento County185,007+4.8%
Santa RosaSonoma County179,437+0.8%
Rancho CucamongaSan Bernardino County177,856+1.8%
OceansideSan Diego County170,483-2.1%
Garden GroveOrange County170,455-0.8%
LancasterLos Angeles County170,084-1.8%
RosevillePlacer County167,302+12.6%
PalmdaleLos Angeles County161,845-4.2%
CoronaRiverside County161,734+2.7%
SalinasMonterey County159,134-2.6%
HaywardAlameda County157,113-3.4%
SunnyvaleSanta Clara County156,577+0.9%
PomonaLos Angeles County147,807-2.1%
VisaliaTulare County146,541+3.3%
EscondidoSan Diego County146,030-3.3%
VictorvilleSan Bernardino County141,395+5.0%
FullertonOrange County138,675-3.3%
TorranceLos Angeles County138,391-5.5%
OrangeOrange County138,365-0.8%
PasadenaLos Angeles County135,804-2.6%
Santa ClaraSanta Clara County133,446+3.8%
ClovisFresno County129,347+7.1%
Simi ValleyVentura County124,861-1.2%
VallejoSolano County123,287-2.1%
ConcordContra Costa County123,261-1.6%
FairfieldSolano County122,489+2.2%
Thousand OaksVentura County122,230-3.6%
BerkeleyAlameda County121,911-1.8%
AntiochContra Costa County118,958+3.1%
MenifeeRiverside County118,592+14.9%
TemeculaRiverside County114,865+4.4%
RichmondContra Costa County114,861-1.1%
MurrietaRiverside County114,124+2.7%
CarlsbadSan Diego County112,260-2.3%
Santa MariaSanta Barbara County111,390+1.5%

Showing the 60 largest by 2024 estimate. Every incorporated place in California has a page. Browse via the county listings above.

Something missing or wrong?

The index is free, has no account, and reports aggregate statistics only. If a figure looks wrong, or there is a cut of this data you want and cannot find, say so and it will get fixed or added.

corrections@bizsleuth.com

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Subcounty resident population estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-10.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Gazetteer Files. Land area and internal point coordinates. Retrieved 2026-09-10.