Fastest annual growth
Washington recorded the fastest increase in business applications from 2024 to 2025, followed by Wyoming and Missouri. The table compares each state's annual Census BFS filing count with the prior year.
| Rank | State | Change vs 2024 | 2025 applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | +28.6% | 142,196 |
| 2 | Wyoming | +22.6% | 79,023 |
| 3 | Missouri | +19.2% | 101,393 |
| 4 | Kentucky | +18.3% | 64,042 |
| 5 | New Mexico | +17.5% | 40,758 |
| 6 | Kansas | +17.4% | 37,534 |
| 7 | Ohio | +15.5% | 168,207 |
| 8 | Alaska | +15.3% | 10,531 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | +15.1% | 71,475 |
| 10 | Tennessee | +14.3% | 103,220 |
All states
| Rank | State | Change vs 2024 | 2025 applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | +28.6% | 142,196 |
| 2 | Wyoming | +22.6% | 79,023 |
| 3 | Missouri | +19.2% | 101,393 |
| 4 | Kentucky | +18.3% | 64,042 |
| 5 | New Mexico | +17.5% | 40,758 |
| 6 | Kansas | +17.4% | 37,534 |
| 7 | Ohio | +15.5% | 168,207 |
| 8 | Alaska | +15.3% | 10,531 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | +15.1% | 71,475 |
| 10 | Tennessee | +14.3% | 103,220 |
| 11 | Michigan | +12.8% | 152,060 |
| 12 | Mississippi | +12.1% | 52,467 |
| 13 | Arizona | +11.9% | 135,679 |
| 14 | North Carolina | +11.7% | 182,653 |
| 15 | Montana | +10.9% | 29,887 |
| 16 | Texas | +10.8% | 544,146 |
| 17 | Illinois | +10.8% | 189,879 |
| 18 | Louisiana | +10.4% | 75,620 |
| 19 | Colorado | +10.0% | 143,807 |
| 20 | Virginia | +9.8% | 138,762 |
| 21 | Nebraska | +9.7% | 22,876 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | +9.4% | 161,275 |
| 23 | Iowa | +9.1% | 35,038 |
| 24 | Minnesota | +9.1% | 73,825 |
| 25 | South Carolina | +9.0% | 94,104 |
| 26 | Arkansas | +8.7% | 39,512 |
| 27 | Hawaii | +8.6% | 19,558 |
| 28 | West Virginia | +8.0% | 16,387 |
| 29 | Alabama | +7.9% | 70,466 |
| 30 | California | +7.1% | 553,931 |
| 31 | Idaho | +6.8% | 33,267 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | +6.7% | 17,046 |
| 33 | Connecticut | +6.6% | 49,834 |
| 34 | Utah | +6.3% | 72,787 |
| 35 | Maryland | +6.1% | 101,253 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | +6.0% | 56,855 |
| 37 | North Dakota | +5.4% | 8,912 |
| 38 | New Jersey | +5.3% | 161,138 |
| 39 | South Dakota | +5.2% | 12,092 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | +5.1% | 11,800 |
| 41 | Massachusetts | +4.9% | 79,139 |
| 42 | Georgia | +4.7% | 254,582 |
| 43 | Oregon | +4.7% | 62,652 |
| 44 | Vermont | +3.8% | 7,575 |
| 45 | Nevada | +3.4% | 64,781 |
| 46 | New York | +3.1% | 301,047 |
| 47 | Florida | +2.1% | 647,734 |
| 48 | Delaware | +1.1% | 60,132 |
| 49 | Maine | +0.5% | 14,186 |
| 50 | Indiana | -0.7% | 89,768 |
Source note
Source: Census Business Formation Statistics, annual 2025 and 2024 state business applications. Percent changes are year-over-year filing changes.