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Did you know? 2025 Family Business Statistics

Each year, Family Enterprise USA (FEUSA) releases its annual survey, providing some of the most detailed family business statistics available. The 2025 family business statistics offer a current, data-driven look at the contributions, challenges, and priorities of U.S. family-owned companies. These insights help legislators, educators, and business leaders understand the crucial role family enterprises play in the economy and how to support them.

The 2025 FEUSA Family Business Survey was conducted in January and February 2025, gathering responses from 730 family business leaders across 45 states. Here’s what the data tells us about the role and realities of family enterprises in today’s economy.

Key 2025 Family Business Statistics: About Participants

  • 82.7% are sole or majority owners of their business.

  • 80.3% operate as pass-through entities; 57.5% are S Corporations.

  • Industry breakdown: 25.9% Manufacturing/Operations, 12.4% Construction/Facilities, 5.8% Real Estate.

  • 70.9% have majority ownership held by first or second generations; 30.8% have passed controlling ownership to the next generation.

  • 81% have been in business for 20+ years.

  • 47% employ 51 or more workers.

  • 71% have generational employees — non-family employees whose own families have worked for the company for multiple generations.

  • 66.6% have next-generation family members working in the business.

Economic Overview

  • 33% reported $0–$5 million in gross revenue in 2024.

  • 28% earned over $50 million in revenue.

  • 59% grew in 2024; 36% of those saw growth over 10%.

  • 77% expect to grow in 2025.

  • In 2024, 91.4% added between 1 and 50 jobs.

  • 90% pay average or above-average wages and benefits.

  • 72% of charitable contributions go to local organizations or local chapters of national charities.

Policy & Workforce Priorities

Top Tax Concerns:

  • Income taxes (47%)
  • Estate taxes (“Death Tax”) (19%)
  • Capital gains taxes (12%)

Top Economic Policy Priorities:

  • Reduce federal budget/debt (32%)
  • Reduce income taxes (21%)

Top Workforce Challenges:

  • Recruiting & training (53%)
  • Benefits/pay (26%)
  • Culture building (16%)

Top Barriers to Growth:

  • Market conditions (29.3%)
  • Cost/availability of labor (25.4%)

Estate Tax Preferences:

  • 33.1% want to keep the current exemption level (down from 36% in 2024)
  • 29.9% want to repeal the estate tax entirely (up from 26% in 2024)

Why These 2025 Family Business Statistics Matter

  • Family businesses are more than an economic driver—they are long-term stewards of jobs, community involvement, and generational leadership. Understanding 2025 family business statistics helps policymakers create better legislation, and helps family business leaders benchmark their performance against national trends.
  • At EFBC, we equip family business leaders with the peer support, education, and strategies they need to tackle the challenges highlighted in this report and ensure their companies thrive for generations to come

Source: Family Enterprise USA 2025 Annual Family Business Survey, conducted Jan–Feb 2025, with 730 respondents from 45 states.