NAICS 722511

Full-Service Restaurants in Nevada City, CA

The 1 ZIP codes assigned to Nevada City contained 16 Restaurants establishments in 2023, of which 8 employed 10 or more people.

Establishments (2023)
16
1 ZIP codes
10 or more employees
8
Practical financing floor
Share of county
17%
Nevada County
City population
3,174
2025 estimate

Figures cover the ZIP codes the U.S. Postal Service assigns to Nevada City (95959). ZIP areas are not municipal boundaries: they can extend beyond city limits and are shared between neighbouring places. This is a count of establishments in Nevada City's ZIP codes, not a count of businesses inside its city limits.

Establishments by size

Employee-count distribution. For most buyers the businesses worth pursuing sit in the 5 to 49 range: large enough to have a manager and real systems, small enough to be owner-operated.

EmployeesEstablishmentsShareDistribution
1-4425.0%
20-49850.0%

How this market compares

Nevada City against every other city in California on the same measure. City figures cover the ZIP codes assigned to the place rather than its municipal boundary, so they are compared as a share of the businesses in those same ZIP codes rather than per resident. Cities with fewer than 500 businesses in total are left unranked.

Typical3.07% of local businesses, against 3.01% statewide

About the same slice of the local business base as the industry holds statewide.

Vs state share
+2%
Share of local businesses
Rank by count
#310
of 419 cities
Rank by share
#146
of 301 ranked
Since 2020
-11%
Change in establishments

This compares how much of Nevada City’s business base is full-service restaurants, against the California figure. Base: 522 establishments across all industries in the same ZIP codes, 2023. It does not measure revenue, profitability or whether a market is worth entering.

Business size mix

Nevada City tracks the California size distribution closely.

Share of establishmentsNevada CityCaliforniaDifference
Under 5 employeesOwner-operated, often no management layer25.0%23.5%+1.5%
5 to 49 employeesThe range most individual buyers target50.0%62.8%-12.8%
10 or more employeesPractical floor for acquisition financing50.0%52.8%-2.8%

Nearest comparable markets

The closest places to Nevada City that also have Restaurants establishments on record. Useful for spotting a gap next door, or realising the market you are looking at is already served from the town over.

MarketEstablishmentsVs state share
Grass Valley32-23%
Colfax9n/a
Wheatland5n/a
Auburn51+3%
Lincoln25-5%

The wider Nevada County market

Employment and payroll are reported at county level only, so the figures below describe the county Nevada City sits in.

County establishments (2023)
92
Nevada County
County employees
1,532
Mid-March employment
County annual payroll
$46M
All establishments
Full Restaurants data for Nevada County

What acquirers look at

The highest-turnover category in the index and the weakest lending profile. Lease terms and liquor license transfer usually matter more than the P&L.

Other industries in Nevada City

Nearby cities

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ZIP Code Business Patterns. Establishment counts and size distribution by ZIP code and NAICS, aggregated over the ZIP codes assigned to each city. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 County Business Patterns. Establishment counts, employment and annual payroll by NAICS. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (2026Q1). Quarterly establishment counts and employment for employers covered by unemployment insurance. Retrieved 2026-09-08.