 
                Small Business Problems and Priorities
                
    Holly Wade
Executive Director, Research Center, NFIB
Madeleine Oldstone Policy Analyst | NFIB
            
            
        Madeleine Oldstone Policy Analyst | NFIB

This is the 11th edition of Small Business Problems and Priorities. The first edition was published in 1982 followed by editions in 1986, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024. The volumes are among the NFIB Research Center’s most popular publications and therefore have become a staple.
Tables
Table 1: Measure of Small Business Importance (overall ranking)



Table 2: Largest Changes in Problem Ranking, 2016 to 2024

Table 3: Problem Rank by Consensus on Problem Importance

Table 4: Importance of Small Business Problem by Problem Cluster





Table 5: Rank Order of Small Business Problem in 2024, 2020, 2016, 2012, 2008, 2004, 2000, 1996, 1991, 1986, and 1982









 
 



Table 6: Measures of Small Business Problem Importance by Employment Size of Business







Table 7: Measures of Small Business Problem Importance by Industry








Table 8: Measures of Small Business Problem Importance by Primary Customer



Table 9: Measures of Small Business Problem Importance by Average Annual Sales Change Over the Last Three Years




Table 10: Measures of Small Business Problem Importance by Population Density



Table 11: Measures of Small Business Problem Importance by Years of Ownership




Table 12: Measures of Small Business Problem Importance by Owners’ Gender Table



Table 13: Measures of Small Business Problem Importance by Owners’ Gender Table




Table 14: California Ranking




Table 15: Largest Differences in Problem Ranking Between CA and US


Table 16: Texas Ranking




Table 17: Largest Differences in Problem Ranking Between TX and US


Table 18: Ohio Ranking



Table 19: Largest Differences in Problem Ranking Between OH and US

Table 20: New York Ranking



Table 21: Largest Differences in Problem Ranking Between NY and US

Appendix Table 1: Small Business Population and Survey Sample

Appendix Table 2: Response to Small Business Problem Severity (percent)*



Charts
Chart 1: Health Insurance Offer Rates and Average Yearly Premiums for Businesses with Under 50 Employees, 2000 – 2022

Chart 2: Tax Issues – Percent Critical (in rank order)

Chart 3: Financing Problem Rankings, 1982 – 2024

Chart 4: Labor Problem Rankings, 1982 – 2024

Chart 5: Largest Ranking Differences by Gender


 
        