California Small Business Transaction Index
What California businesses are being asked for, from 3,023 live listings. Q3 2026, updated quarterly.
$300,000
median asking price for a California business, across 2,922 listings with a price
Where cash flow is stated too, the median business is asking 2.6x its annual cash flow (1,272 listings).
| Listings | Median asking price | Median multiple | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Service, Dine In Restaurant | 197 | $275,000 | 2.5x of 76 |
| American Restaurant | 122 | $277,000 | 2.7x of 31 |
| Liquor Store | 106 | $585,000 | 4.5x of 45 |
| Fast Food, Quick Service Restaurant | 97 | $195,000 | 2.7x of 43 |
| Asian Restaurant | 89 | $220,000 | 1.5x of 32 |
| Gas Station | 63 | $4,200,000 | — |
| Japanese Restaurant | 62 | $250,000 | 2.2x of 24 |
| Bar, Pub, Sports Bar, Lounge, Tavern | 61 | $295,000 | 3.7x of 21 |
| Market, Supermarket, Mart, Food Store | 59 | $375,000 | 2.0x of 33 |
| Coin Laundry, Laundromat | 57 | $620,000 | 5.0x of 27 |
| Dry Cleaning, Dry Cleaners | 56 | $185,000 | 1.9x of 37 |
| Daycare Center & Preschool | 50 | $899,500 | — |
| Car Washes, Detailers | 48 | $4,249,500 | 10.8x of 15 |
| Convenience Store | 43 | $475,000 | 2.9x of 22 |
| Pizza Restaurant | 41 | $250,000 | 2.2x of 23 |
| Sushi Restaurant | 39 | $87,000 | 0.6x of 26 |
| Delivery Service | 38 | $1,075,000 | 3.0x of 38 |
| Boba Shop, Boba Cafe | 38 | $149,000 | 2.5x of 10 |
| Auto Repair | 37 | $299,000 | 2.4x of 19 |
| Shipping, Mailbox, Postal, Packaging Store | 34 | $197,500 | 2.7x of 24 |
| Chinese Restaurant | 32 | $270,000 | — |
| Korean Restaurant | 29 | $289,999 | — |
| Home Health Care Agency | 26 | $312,500 | — |
| Sandwich, Subs, Deli Shop | 25 | $200,000 | — |
| Health Care Service | 24 | $385,000 | — |
| Mexican Restaurant | 24 | $199,500 | 2.5x of 10 |
| Coffee Shop & Tea Shop | 23 | $210,000 | — |
| Clothing Store, Accessories, Boutique | 22 | $99,975 | 1.4x of 10 |
| Grocery Store | 22 | $450,000 | 3.3x of 12 |
| Fast Food Franchise | 22 | $176,500 | 2.6x of 17 |
| Salon, Beauty Salon, Hair Salon | 22 | $85,000 | 1.4x of 10 |
| Bakery | 20 | $347,500 | 2.1x of 12 |
| Salon, Beauty Salon | 20 | $105,000 | — |
| Auto Body Shop | 20 | $482,500 | — |
| Distributor & Wholesale Distribution | 20 | $424,000 | 2.7x of 14 |
| Construction & Home Builder | 19 | $1,450,000 | 2.4x of 15 |
| Cafe, Cafeteria | 19 | $189,000 | — |
| Beauty Service | 19 | $150,000 | 2.3x of 12 |
| Smoke Shop, Tobacco Store | 17 | $159,000 | — |
| Contractor | 17 | $875,000 | 2.4x of 11 |
| Insurance Service, Insurance Brokerage | 17 | $1,275,000 | 3.1x of 14 |
| Deli | 16 | $167,000 | — |
| Brunch Restaurant | 16 | $235,000 | — |
| Nail Shop | 14 | $195,000 | — |
| Ice Cream Shops, Parlors | 13 | $299,000 | 3.5x of 13 |
| Chicken Restaurants | 13 | $150,000 | — |
| Hospice Service | 13 | $450,000 | — |
| Flower Shop, Florist | 12 | $242,500 | — |
| Courier & Messenger Service | 12 | $1,850,000 | 3.1x of 12 |
| Spa, Day Spa, Medical Spa | 12 | $324,500 | — |
| Health Club, Gym, Fitness Center | 12 | $247,000 | — |
| Mediterranean Restaurant | 12 | $99,500 | — |
| Medical Lab | 12 | $575,000 | — |
| Diner, Family Restaurant | 11 | $329,000 | — |
| Ecommerce Website & Online Store | 11 | $115,000 | — |
| Pet Grooming, Pet Care Boutique | 11 | $250,000 | — |
| Pharmacy | 11 | $395,000 | — |
| Vietnamese Restaurant | 11 | $145,000 | — |
| Italian Restaurant | 11 | $375,000 | — |
| Juice Shop, Smoothies | 10 | $324,500 | — |
| Event, Party & Wedding Service | 10 | $440,000 | — |
| Assisted Living Facility | 10 | $975,000 | — |
| Donut Shop | 10 | $150,000 | — |
| Barbeque, BBQ Restaurant | 10 | $640,000 | — |
| Indian Restaurant | 10 | $192,500 | — |
| Listings | Median asking price | Median multiple | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 833 | $345,000 | 2.6x of 452 |
| Orange | 347 | $280,000 | 2.4x of 166 |
| San Diego | 213 | $275,000 | 2.8x of 97 |
| Alameda | 202 | $299,000 | 2.7x of 51 |
| Santa Clara | 152 | $290,000 | 2.9x of 52 |
| San Francisco | 134 | $179,000 | 2.8x of 26 |
| Sacramento | 114 | $310,000 | 3.1x of 36 |
| San Bernardino | 88 | $428,338 | 2.9x of 39 |
| Riverside | 78 | $282,500 | 2.2x of 42 |
| San Mateo | 66 | $288,000 | 2.4x of 21 |
| Ventura | 55 | $265,000 | 2.3x of 30 |
| Contra Costa | 49 | $335,000 | 2.0x of 18 |
| Sonoma | 44 | $412,500 | 3.0x of 10 |
| Monterey | 32 | $400,000 | 2.6x of 13 |
| Solano | 29 | $325,000 | 3.3x of 10 |
| Fresno | 28 | $489,500 | — |
| San Joaquin | 28 | $524,000 | 2.6x of 10 |
| Kern | 27 | $495,000 | 2.5x of 10 |
| Placer | 26 | $260,000 | 2.5x of 11 |
| Stanislaus | 25 | $875,000 | — |
| Santa Cruz | 20 | $310,000 | — |
| El Dorado | 20 | $462,500 | 3.8x of 12 |
| Shasta | 18 | $925,000 | — |
| Yolo | 16 | $385,000 | — |
| San Luis Obispo | 16 | $422,500 | — |
| Marin | 15 | $279,000 | — |
| Santa Barbara | 14 | $249,500 | — |
| Napa | 12 | $187,500 | — |
How to read it
These are asking prices, not sold prices. The index measures what sellers are asking for California businesses right now. BizBen does not hold closing prices, so nothing here should be described as what a business sold for.
A row appears only where at least 10 listings sit behind it, and a multiple only where at least 10 of those also state a cash flow. That is why some types show a price and a dash: gas stations and daycare centres are listed often but rarely with a cash flow.
The multiple is asking price divided by stated annual cash flow, excluding ratios below 0.2x or above 20x, which are data-entry errors rather than cheap or expensive businesses. Types whose asking price usually includes the real property — gas stations, car washes — read high against types where it does not, because the price includes the land and the cash flow does not.
1,768 of 3,023 listings were updated in the last 90 days.
Citing the index
The index is free to cite and quote. Please attribute it to the BizBen California Small Business Transaction Index, Q3 2026, and link to this page.
BizBen California Small Business Transaction Index, Q3 2026. https://www.bizben.com/california-business-index
Journalists who want the full table, including the types and counties below the 10-listing floor, can request it through our contact page.