Industries with the Most New Business Registrations in 2026
2026 Business Formation Trends
Business formation in the United States continues to run at near-record levels in 2026. According to Census Bureau data, over 4.2 million new business applications were filed in the past 12 months.
Top 10 Industries by New Registrations
Based on Census BFS data and state registration records:
- Construction - Leading all industries with 4,500+ new registrations per week nationally. Driven by continued housing demand and infrastructure spending.
- Real Estate - 3,800 per week. Real estate agencies and property management firms continue to multiply.
- Restaurants - 3,200 per week. Food service remains one of the most popular business types for new entrepreneurs.
- Technology - 2,900 per week. Software and IT consulting startups, heavily concentrated in California and New York.
- Retail - 2,600 per week. E-commerce continues to drive retail business formation.
Fastest Growing Categories
The fastest year-over-year growth is in AI (+42%), Solar Energy (+28%), and Cybersecurity (+23%). These emerging sectors represent significant opportunity for service providers.
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