U.S. Business Formations Reach Record July High
American entrepreneurship maintained a record-setting pace into the second half of 2026, with 553,918 new businesses formed nationwide in July, according to a report released by Registered Agents Inc.
The total represents the strongest July on record for business creation, up 6% from July 2025 and 21% from July 2024. Through the first seven months of 2026, approximately 4.12 million new businesses have been launched across the United States—a 15% increase compared to the same period last year.
While national formations dipped 4.3% from June, researchers noted the drop aligns with typical summer seasonal trends, leaving underlying startup activity at historically elevated levels.
“The second half of 2026 is starting from a remarkably high baseline,” Molly Cavanah, VP of revenue growth and data at Registered Agents Inc., said. “Americans continue to pursue business ownership despite economic uncertainty, inflation, and changes in the labor market.”
State-level data highlighted surging annual growth in non-coastal markets, led by Mississippi (60%), Missouri (57%), Alabama (51%), and North Dakota (46%). Oregon also posted a 43% year-over-year increase, marking its seventh consecutive month of annual growth above 30%.
Florida remained the highest-volume state with 57,527 registrations, followed by Texas at 44,599 and California at 43,782. Delaware recorded 30,426, while Wyoming had 22,832.
Registered Agents compiles its figures from entity filings submitted to secretaries of state and equivalent agencies. Its methodology therefore differs from the Census Bureau’s EIN-based Business Formation Statistics.
The Census Bureau separately reported 578,926 seasonally adjusted business applications in July, up 8.1% from June. It projected that 29,959 businesses from July’s application cohort would begin operating with payroll obligations within four quarters.
The report also pointed to sustained optimism among existing entrepreneurs. In a survey of established business owners, 61% expressed high optimism regarding their company’s prospects over the next 12 months, while 46% reported that their operations were stronger than at the same time last year.
