Tracker · Markets and economy
New business applications
How many Americans applied to start a business each month, by state and industry, an early signal of entrepreneurship and hiring.
Updated Nov 2, 2026, 3:47 a.m. ET from Census Bureau data through September 2026
Applications in September 2026
534,947
+0.5% vs. Aug
vs. a year earlier
+4.4%
512,569 in September 2025
Likely to become employers
147,331
High-propensity applications
Seasonally adjusted. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics.
By state
| State | September 2026 | vs. a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 58,694 | +1.9% |
| California | 52,974 | +10.3% |
| Texas | 49,761 | -4.9% |
| New York | 26,915 | +3.3% |
| Georgia | 23,741 | +5.6% |
| North Carolina | 17,324 | -5.8% |
| Illinois | 16,241 | -3.1% |
| New Jersey | 15,632 | +14.8% |
| Ohio | 15,311 | +0.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 14,659 | +6.5% |
| Michigan | 14,547 | -0.2% |
| Missouri | 14,385 | +40.2% |
| Colorado | 13,287 | +9.1% |
| Arizona | 13,212 | -4.3% |
| Virginia | 13,171 | +4.0% |
| Washington | 10,362 | +4.9% |
| Tennessee | 9,705 | -10.7% |
| Maryland | 9,314 | +12.8% |
| Utah | 8,698 | +31.2% |
| South Carolina | 8,617 | -1.8% |
| Indiana | 8,613 | +13.7% |
| Minnesota | 8,003 | +12.8% |
| Massachusetts | 7,470 | +12.2% |
| Wyoming | 7,378 | +9.2% |
| Louisiana | 7,355 | +1.3% |
| Alabama | 7,154 | +2.8% |
| Kentucky | 6,803 | +9.9% |
| Wisconsin | 6,457 | -10.4% |
| Oklahoma | 5,718 | +21.5% |
| Mississippi | 5,626 | +6.2% |
| Oregon | 5,510 | +10.3% |
| Nevada | 5,185 | -15.2% |
| Delaware | 4,988 | -1.2% |
| Connecticut | 4,969 | +18.5% |
| New Mexico | 4,030 | +2.5% |
| Arkansas | 3,986 | +17.8% |
| Kansas | 3,893 | -3.4% |
| Idaho | 3,428 | +15.5% |
| Iowa | 3,349 | +0.5% |
| Montana | 2,991 | +1.9% |
| Nebraska | 1,992 | -11.5% |
| New Hampshire | 1,783 | +21.0% |
| West Virginia | 1,765 | +32.4% |
| Maine | 1,568 | +37.2% |
| Alaska | 1,565 | +95.4% |
| Hawaii | 1,450 | -17.7% |
| District of Columbia | 1,306 | -9.6% |
| South Dakota | 1,219 | +13.4% |
| Rhode Island | 1,161 | +15.1% |
| North Dakota | 881 | +12.1% |
| Vermont | 801 | +20.6% |
By industry, nationwide
| Industry | September 2026 | vs. a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 110,048 | -13.6% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 78,937 | +20.3% |
| Construction | 48,078 | +9.1% |
| Other services | 42,149 | +5.2% |
| Administrative and support services | 38,030 | +16.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 34,792 | +13.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 32,198 | +2.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 26,600 | -2.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 20,548 | +9.7% |
| Information | 13,806 | +49.2% |
How this tracker works
The Census Bureau counts applications for an Employer Identification Number filed with the IRS. An application is not a business yet: many never hire or open. “High-propensity” applications are those Census judges likely to become businesses with payroll, based on features such as planned wages and industry.
All figures are seasonally adjusted. Census revises recent months, and we reload the full file every day. Industry figures cover a selection of sectors. Census Business Formation Statistics