51.4%About 1 in 2of US private-sector establishments that opened in the year to March 2020 were still open five years later
About half of new US businesses last five years: 51.4% of establishments that opened in the year to March 2020 were still open in March 2025 (BLS). In the first year, 77.9% of the newest group survived.
Official dataChecked at source, 23 Oct 2026All sizesUSASmall business · Survival
How many new US establishments survive (opened in year to March 2020)
Group
Still open
Year 1 (2021)
80.9%
Year 2 (2022)
72.3%
Year 3 (2023)
63.6%
Year 4 (2024)
57.2%
Year 5 (2025)
51.4%
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook HandbookOne cohort followed over time (BLS Business Employment Dynamics, Table 7). Establishments, not firms.digitaltreed.com/statistics
In plain words
What this number really says
51.4% of US private-sector establishments that opened in the year to March 2020 were still open five years later (Mar 2020 cohort, to Mar 2025).
51.4%
the latest figure (Mar 2020 cohort, to Mar 2025)
Official data
type of source
Why you can trust it. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: official data, government statistics office or regulator. All new private-sector establishments in the BLS Business Employment Dynamics data (767,573 opened in the year to March 2020). Establishments, not firms.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook
Source type
Official data: Government statistics office or regulator
What it measures
51.4% of US private-sector establishments that opened in the year to March 2020 were still open five years later
Data period
Mar 2020 cohort, to Mar 2025 (ends 31 Mar 2025)
Who is counted
All new private-sector establishments in the BLS Business Employment Dynamics data (767,573 opened in the year to March 2020). Establishments, not firms.
In the source's words
Table 7, Total Private, year ended March 2020: March 2025 | 394,689 surviving establishments | survival rate since birth 51.4
Checked at source
23 Oct 2026: Read on the BLS BED Table 7 text file (two separate reads agreed; 394,689 / 767,573 = 51.4%). Publish date not shown on the file.
Reuse
Public domain (US government work). Free to quote; cite BLS and the data year.
Next expected update
31 Aug 2027 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, annual (wages each spring, projections each autumn))
No changes recorded yet. First checked at the source on 23 Oct 2026.
Cite this number
APA
US Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). 51.4% of US private-sector establishments that opened in the year to March 2020 were still open five years later. Via digitaltreed, https://digitaltreed.com/statistics/small-business/new-business-five-year-survival
MLA
"51.4% of US private-sector establishments that opened in the year to March 2020 were still open five years later." US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Mar 2020 cohort, to Mar 2025. digitaltreed, https://digitaltreed.com/statistics/small-business/new-business-five-year-survival.
HTML link
<a href="https://digitaltreed.com/statistics/small-business/new-business-five-year-survival">51.4% of US private-sector establishments that opened in the year to March 2020 were still open five years later</a> (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Mar 2020 cohort, to Mar 2025)
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<p>Source: <a href="https://digitaltreed.com/statistics/small-business/new-business-five-year-survival">51.4% of US private-sector establishments that opened in the year to March 2020 were still open five years later, digitaltreed</a></p>
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FAQ
Questions about this number
What is the latest figure for survival (USA)?
51.4% of US private-sector establishments that opened in the year to March 2020 were still open five years later, for Mar 2020 cohort, to Mar 2025, according to US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook. We checked it at the source on 23 Oct 2026.
Related
More Small business statistics
Official dataAll sizesUSA
77.9%
of US private-sector establishments that opened in the year to March 2024 survived their first year
Sample: 988,310 new private-sector establishments opened in the year to March 2024.
