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What a Secretary of State's business office does

In 34 of the 51 jurisdictions we cover, business records sit with the Secretary of State. The other 17 use a different office, such as a corporations division, a department of state or a commerce department. Whatever it's called, the office does the same core jobs.

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Census Bureau data · October 2026

Where new businesses are being started

The Census Bureau counts applications for a new employer ID number, which most new businesses file. It's a sign of intent, not a count of companies actually formed. Figures are seasonally adjusted and compared with the same month a year earlier.

Change in business applications, year over year

Map of U.S. states shaded by the change in business applications from a year earlier. The same figures are in the table below the map.Alabama: 5,784 applications, −15.8%Alaska: 1,074 applications, +28.2%Arizona: 12,935 applications, +10.5%Colorado: 13,327 applications, +9.7%Florida: 58,917 applications, +1.8%Georgia: 21,619 applications, −3.4%Indiana: 7,815 applications, +0.3%Kansas: 3,401 applications, −10.1%Maine: 1,261 applications, +8.0%Massachusetts: 7,343 applications, +9.5%Minnesota: 6,215 applications, −0.5%New Jersey: 15,819 applications, +16.4%North Carolina: 16,220 applications, +3.8%North Dakota: 916 applications, +25.0%Oklahoma: 4,897 applications, −4.8%Pennsylvania: 13,973 applications, −2.0%South Dakota: 1,249 applications, +26.3%Texas: 39,085 applications, −22.9%Wyoming: 7,630 applications, +9.3%Connecticut: 4,709 applications, +4.8%Missouri: 11,854 applications, +14.1%West Virginia: 1,631 applications, +14.6%Illinois: 15,742 applications, −14.9%New Mexico: 3,913 applications, +18.2%Arkansas: 3,777 applications, +7.2%California: 51,285 applications, +3.8%Delaware: 4,979 applications, −4.2%District of Columbia: 1,149 applications, −2.0%Hawaii: 1,434 applications, −6.1%Iowa: 3,163 applications, +6.1%Kentucky: 6,604 applications, +4.4%Maryland: 8,909 applications, +4.0%Michigan: 13,094 applications, −8.6%Mississippi: 4,635 applications, −9.5%Montana: 3,174 applications, +24.8%New Hampshire: 1,835 applications, +27.2%New York: 27,656 applications, +9.5%Ohio: 14,519 applications, −17.8%Oregon: 5,686 applications, +18.2%Tennessee: 8,171 applications, −13.7%Utah: 7,703 applications, +16.3%Virginia: 12,652 applications, +1.4%Washington: 10,103 applications, +7.3%Wisconsin: 6,141 applications, −9.4%Nebraska: 1,950 applications, −3.5%South Carolina: 8,350 applications, +0.8%Idaho: 3,415 applications, +18.3%Nevada: 5,489 applications, +0.4%Vermont: 750 applications, +3.2%Louisiana: 6,536 applications, −17.9%Rhode Island: 1,121 applications, +7.6%
  • Down 10% or more
  • Down less than 10%
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  • Up 10% to 20%
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See the figures for every state
StateApplications, October 2026Change on a year earlier
Alaska1,074+28.2%
New Hampshire1,835+27.2%
South Dakota1,249+26.3%
North Dakota916+25.0%
Montana3,174+24.8%
Idaho3,415+18.3%
Oregon5,686+18.2%
New Mexico3,913+18.2%
New Jersey15,819+16.4%
Utah7,703+16.3%
West Virginia1,631+14.6%
Missouri11,854+14.1%
Arizona12,935+10.5%
Colorado13,327+9.7%
Massachusetts7,343+9.5%
New York27,656+9.5%
Wyoming7,630+9.3%
Maine1,261+8.0%
Rhode Island1,121+7.6%
Washington10,103+7.3%
Arkansas3,777+7.2%
Iowa3,163+6.1%
Connecticut4,709+4.8%
Kentucky6,604+4.4%
Maryland8,909+4.0%
North Carolina16,220+3.8%
California51,285+3.8%
Vermont750+3.2%
Florida58,917+1.8%
Virginia12,652+1.4%
South Carolina8,350+0.8%
Nevada5,489+0.4%
Indiana7,815+0.3%
Minnesota6,215−0.5%
Pennsylvania13,973−2.0%
District of Columbia1,149−2.0%
Georgia21,619−3.4%
Nebraska1,950−3.5%
Delaware4,979−4.2%
Oklahoma4,897−4.8%
Hawaii1,434−6.1%
Michigan13,094−8.6%
Wisconsin6,141−9.4%
Mississippi4,635−9.5%
Kansas3,401−10.1%
Tennessee8,171−13.7%
Illinois15,742−14.9%
Alabama5,784−15.8%
Ohio14,519−17.8%
Louisiana6,536−17.9%
Texas39,085−22.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics, business applications, seasonally adjusted, October 2026. We read the Census file directly on Nov 13, 2026.

Business applications by year

Applications ran at about 3.5 million a year before 2020. 2025 brought 5,696,742, +62.8% on 2019. From January to October 2026 there were 5,360,944, +10.9% on the same months of 2025.

20193,498,990
20204,356,498
20215,390,816
20225,064,093
20235,471,404
20245,228,063
20255,696,742
2026 Jan–Oct5,360,944

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics, business applications, not seasonally adjusted. Yearly totals are our sums of the monthly figures in the Census file, read on Nov 14, 2026.

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