See where aspiring entrepreneurs are showing the most interest in starting a business, ranked
US business applications rose by 8% in 2025, reaching 5.6 million filings. The growth is attributed to a combination of labor market shifts and the expanding influence of artificial intelligence in lowering barriers to entry for new startups.
Why it matters
This data provides a pulse on the health of the American entrepreneurial ecosystem and the impact of current economic policies on small business formation.
A shopper walks through Santee Alley in downtown Los Angeles on July 28, 2026. Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images US Census Bureau data shows the number of business applications filed in 2025 by county. Overall, the US saw an 8% increase in 2025, possibly fueled by layoffs and the AI boom. Most were in places with big cities, though a small county in Wyoming made the top 20. Los Angeles County and Sheridan County, Wyoming, don't share many similarities, except for one main area: a high volume of business applications. That's one of several findings from the US Census Bureau's most recent business application data release in June. The data track applications for Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.
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