Veteran-owned businesses are not a small side note in the American economy. They include solo operators, employer firms, ecommerce shops, contractors, makers, service companies, and apparel brands built around lived military experience.
Use the numbers below when you need a clear source for the size of the veteran-owned business community, the veteran workforce, or the need for brands and support efforts that speak honestly to veterans.
Veteran-owned U.S. businesses
The Census Bureau reported that veterans owned 1.6 million U.S. employer and nonemployer businesses in 2023.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Business Survey and 2023 Nonemployer Statistics by DemographicsReceipts from veteran-owned businesses
Those veteran-owned businesses generated about $1.0 trillion in receipts in 2023, according to the Census Bureau.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Business Survey and 2023 Nonemployer Statistics by DemographicsVeteran-owned employer firms
Veterans owned about 261,000 employer firms in 2023, equal to 4.4% of U.S. employer businesses.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Business Survey and 2023 Nonemployer Statistics by DemographicsVeteran-owned nonemployer businesses
Veteran-owned firms made up about 1.4 million nonemployer businesses in 2023, with $65.7 billion in receipts.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Business Survey and 2023 Nonemployer Statistics by DemographicsWorkers employed by veteran-owned firms
The SBA reported that veteran majority-owned firms employed nearly 3.2 million workers, using the latest official data in its 2025 release.
U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, Veteran Ownership Statistics 2025U.S. military veterans
The Census Bureau counted 15.8 million military veterans in the United States in 2023, representing 6.1% of the civilian adult population.
U.S. Census Bureau, Veterans Day 2024 factsFemale veterans
The Census Bureau reported 1.7 million female veterans in 2023, equal to 10.9% of the total veteran population.
U.S. Census Bureau, Veterans Day 2024 factsVeterans in the labor force
The Department of Labor reported 8.34 million veterans in the civilian labor force in 2025, with 8.04 million employed.
U.S. Department of Labor, Veteran unemployment ratesVeteran unemployment rate
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that veteran unemployment was 3.5% in 2025, below the 4.2% rate for nonveterans.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation of Veterans 2025Veterans with a service-connected disability
In August 2025, 5.8 million veterans, or 34% of all veterans, had a service-connected disability, according to BLS.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation of Veterans 2025Veteran suicide rate per 100,000
The VA reported a veteran suicide rate of 35.2 per 100,000 in 2023, compared with 16.9 per 100,000 for non-veteran U.S. adults.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual ReportSuicide rate for veterans ages 18 to 34
The VA reported the highest 2023 veteran suicide rate among ages 18 to 34, at 47.9 per 100,000.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual ReportWhat the numbers say
The veteran-owned business market is broad, but it is also personal. More than a million veteran-owned firms are nonemployer businesses, which means many are small, owner-led operations where the founder's story is part of the trust signal.
The employment data also matters. Veterans are active in the workforce, many carry service-connected disabilities, and younger veterans continue to face serious mental-health risks. For mission apparel and veteran-founded brands, the clearest message is not "buy something patriotic." It is "support businesses that understand the people behind the service."
Methodology and sources
This page uses the most recent public data available from U.S. government sources as of June 30, 2026. Business ownership figures come from Census and SBA releases. Employment figures come from BLS and Department of Labor reporting. Veteran suicide figures come from the VA's national annual report using 2023 mortality data.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Annual Business Survey and 2023 Nonemployer Statistics by Demographics Released November 20, 2025
- U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, Veteran Ownership Statistics 2025 Released November 11, 2025
- U.S. Census Bureau, Veterans Day 2024 facts Released October 16, 2024
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation of Veterans 2025 Released April 28, 2026
- U.S. Department of Labor, Veteran unemployment rates Updated with 2025 annual data
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report 2025 report using 2023 data
Cite this page
Suggested citation: WarBeard Project, "Veteran-Owned Business Statistics," last updated June 30, 2026, https://warbeardproject.com/veteran-owned-business-statistics.
When citing one number, link directly to its anchor so readers land on the exact stat.
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