Ferncroft Business Loans, a small-business funding service in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, gathers the public figures owners ask about: 2,671 employer establishments in Sheboygan County in 2023, 1,082 with a ZIP 53081 address, and 6,623 businesses without payroll in 2024. This page explains what those numbers suggest for funding, covers buying a business locally, and links the county's industry and town pages.
| Listed address | Sheboygan, WI; see the address section below |
|---|---|
| County employer establishments | 2,671 (CBP 2023) |
| ZIP 53081 employer establishments | 1,082 (ZBP 2023) |
| Self-employed residents, Sheboygan, WI (city) | 6.1% ± 1.1 (ACS 2020-2024) |
Sheboygan County, WI at a Glance
Sheboygan County had 2,671 employer establishments in 2023, with 53,030 paid employees and an annual payroll of about $3.0 billion (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Nearly half, 1,254 establishments or 46.9%, had fewer than five employees. Separately, 6,623 businesses operated with no paid employees in 2024 (Nonemployer Statistics 2024); that count comes from a different program and year and is not added to the employer total.
About 7.9% of employed county residents, plus or minus 0.7 points, were self-employed, against 8.5% for Wisconsin as a whole (American Community Survey 2020-2024). Within the City of Sheboygan the share was 6.1%, plus or minus 1.1 points. More of the county's self-employed run unincorporated businesses (4.9%) than incorporated ones (3.0%).
New homes give one more signal of local activity: the county authorized 560 new housing units in 2023, 292 in 2024 and 364 in 2025 (Building Permits Survey). Of the 2025 units, 163 were single-family and 189 were in buildings with five or more units.
What ZIP 53081 Holds
The 53081 ZIP Code, had 1,082 employer establishments in 2023 with 22,366 employees (ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). That is 40.5% of the county's establishments in one ZIP, by our arithmetic. ZIP figures describe the USPS ZIP area, not the city limits; the City of Sheboygan covers 53.4% of the ZIP's land.
| Sector (NAICS) | Employer establishments | Share with fewer than 5 employees |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance (62) | 204 | 41.2% |
| Retail trade (44-45) | 152 | 36.8% |
| Accommodation and food services (72) | 142 | 28.2% |
| Other services (81) | 125 | 56.0% |
| Finance and insurance (52) | 84 | 61.9% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services (54) | 81 | 53.1% |
| Construction (23) | 62 | 54.8% |
| Manufacturing (31-33) | 55 | 14.5% |
Manufacturing has the fewest small establishments on the list: only 14.5% of the ZIP's 55 manufacturers had fewer than five employees. A plant of that size may finance machines and materials; a smaller shop in other services or construction may look at payroll and working capital.
The Sheboygan County, WI Business Mix and What It Means for Funding
Countywide, retail trade had the most employer establishments in 2023 (357), followed by health care and social assistance (347), other services (304), accommodation and food services (295) and construction (264). Manufacturing had fewer establishments (203) but the largest payroll, about $1.26 billion, or 42% of all county wages by our arithmetic (CBP 2023).
Three sectors with deep local roots and distinct funding patterns:
- Restaurants: 96 full-service and 79 limited-service employers countywide, financing kitchens, remodels and second locations
- Physician offices: 67 county employers, managing insurance timing and equipment purchases
- Chiropractic, therapy and optometry offices: 62 county employers, mostly small practices buying tables, imaging and therapy equipment
All fourteen sectors with their own pages, and many more business types, are on the industries hub.
Buying a Business for Sale in Sheboygan, WI
Owners searching for a business for sale in Sheboygan, including sales by owner, eventually ask how to pay for one. Acquisitions can be financed with a business term loan, sometimes paired with equipment financing for the machines and inventory financing for opening stock.
A partner reviews the business being bought as closely as the buyer. In a by-owner sale, the seller's tax returns and bank statements may be informal or incomplete, and that alone can stall an acquisition request. Ask for the records before you agree on a price. Our post on buying a convenience store or gas station walks through one local example.
Starting or Registering a Business in Wisconsin
Owners also search for how to get a business license in Wisconsin, what one costs, and how to search state business registrations. Licensing depends on the activity and the municipality, and we do not summarize those rules or their fees here.
For zoning and building permits before a lease or build-out, see the Sheboygan, WI zoning and permits checklist. For local help, see Sheboygan County small business resources.
Nearby Towns
Requests come from across the county and beyond it. Five nearby towns have their own pages with ZIP data: Sheboygan Falls, Oostburg, Plymouth, Kiel and Manitowoc. Smaller villages are covered on the areas served page.
Ferncroft's Listed Address in Sheboygan, WI
Ferncroft Business Loans is listed at 808 Pennsylvania Ave, Sheboygan, WI 53081, phone (920) 260-6277. Requests move by phone and online. See the contact page for every way to reach us.
Sheboygan, WI businesses we help
Funding partners consider businesses across most industries in Sheboygan, WI, from contractors and construction trades and restaurants and food service to medical and dental practices and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock. Each partner still decides case by case.
What to gather before you call
- Your most recent business tax return
- A year-to-date profit and loss statement and balance sheet
- Photo ID for every owner of the business
- Proof of ownership and business registration
- Details of any loans, leases or advances the business already carries
- A written quote or invoice if the money is for equipment
Each lending partner sets its own list, so treat this as a starting point.
From first call to a partner's decision
- Reach us at (920) 260-6277 or through the contact form. When we call back, the first questions are simple: what the funding is for, how long the business has operated and its rough revenue.
- We explain which funding types fit that use and what partners usually need to see. Nothing is submitted without your go-ahead.
- Once you agree, the request goes to partners that provide that type of funding. The credit decision belongs to each partner.
- If a partner makes an offer, you compare the total cost, payment schedule and terms. You are never obligated to accept.
Owners in Sheboygan, WI can start by phone or with the short online form; no office visit is needed.
By Ferncroft Business Loans · Updated