CTM Research · Updated August 2026
San Antonio small business data
A maintained reference of published data on San Antonio business growth, employment, and the gap between businesses that are findable online and businesses that are not. Every figure links to its source. Free to cite.
Growth and employment
San Antonio is, by the most recent national measure, the most entrepreneurial city in the country. That is a genuine advantage and a genuine problem: the same growth that creates opportunity also means more businesses competing for the same local searches.
#1
Most entrepreneurial city in America
San Antonio topped GoDaddy's 2026 Venture Forward ranking of America's most entrepreneurial cities, ahead of every other major metro.
Source: GoDaddy Venture Forward, 20269,232
New businesses created
New businesses started in the San Antonio area during the ranking period, the volume that put the city at the top of the national list.
Source: GoDaddy Venture Forward, 202611%
Small business growth rate
Year over year growth in small businesses across the San Antonio area, outpacing the national trend.
Source: GoDaddy Venture Forward, 20261.35M
Civilian labor force
Size of the civilian labor force in the San Antonio and New Braunfels metro area as of May 2026, against roughly 1.2 million total nonfarm jobs.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsThe digital presence gap
The numbers below are national, because reliable city level data on website ownership does not exist. They still describe what we see every week in San Antonio: a real, operating business with reviews and customers, and no website for any of it to point at.
27%
of US small businesses have no website
Down from 36% in 2020. Reported figures range from 17% to 29% depending on how each survey defines a small business, so treat this as a band rather than a single number.
Source: Compiled small business website surveys, 202681%
of consumers research online first
Share of consumers who look a business up online before using its services. The search happens whether or not the business has anywhere for it to land.
Source: Small business website statistics, 202634%
say a website is not relevant to them
The most common reason owners give for having no website. Cost is second at 26%, and 21% say they use social media instead.
Source: Small business website statistics, 202639%
plan to invest in web development
Share of businesses planning to put money into their website during 2026, as customer experience and search visibility move up the priority list.
Source: Small business website statistics, 2026How this page is maintained
Every figure here comes from a published source, linked inline, and nothing is estimated or modeled by us. Where published estimates disagree, we say so and give the range rather than picking the most flattering number.
We review this page quarterly. The next scheduled review is November 2026. The stamp at the top changes only when the page actually changes, so a date here always means someone looked.
We maintain it because we work on this problem daily: Capture That Media builds the websites, search presence, and AI visibility that decide whether a San Antonio business gets found. We also built the San Antonio Intelligence Platform, a business data dashboard for the city.
Citing this page
Journalists, researchers, and other agencies are welcome to use this data with attribution. Copy the citation below, or link to any individual figure's original source directly.
Capture That Media. "San Antonio Small Business Data, August 2026." https://www.capturethatmedia.com/san-antonio-business-data
Need a specific cut of San Antonio business data for a story or a study? Ask us and we will pull it.
Common questions
How many small businesses are in San Antonio?
San Antonio added 9,232 new businesses and grew its small business base by 11% in the period measured for GoDaddy's 2026 Venture Forward study, which ranked San Antonio the most entrepreneurial city in America. The wider San Antonio and New Braunfels metro area supports a civilian labor force of about 1.35 million people and roughly 1.2 million nonfarm jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Is San Antonio a good city to start a business?
By the most recent national ranking, yes. GoDaddy named San Antonio the most entrepreneurial city in America for 2026, based on new business creation and small business growth. The practical caveat is competition for attention: a fast growing base of new businesses means more companies competing for the same local searches.
What percentage of small businesses do not have a website?
Roughly 27% of US small businesses had no website in 2026, down from 36% in 2020. Published estimates range from 17% to 29% because surveys define small business differently. Among owners without a site, 34% say a website is not relevant to their industry, 26% cite cost, and 21% say they use social media instead.
Why does a website still matter if a business has social media?
Because the search still happens somewhere. About 81% of consumers research a business online before using it, and a social profile is rented ground: the platform controls reach, ranking, and whether the page appears in search results at all. It also gives AI answer engines very little to cite when someone asks for a recommendation.
Can I cite this data?
Yes. Every figure on this page links to its original source, and the page is free to quote or cite with attribution to Capture That Media. If you are a journalist or researcher who needs a specific cut of San Antonio business data, contact us and we will pull it.
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