How This Report Was Built
This report draws on federal government data and peer-reviewed economic surveys. Every figure cited in the findings can be traced to the primary sources listed below. No primary survey data was independently collected for this report.
Primary Data Sources
U.S. Census Bureau - American Community Survey (ACS)
The confirmed count of 961 veteran-owned employer businesses in Gwinnett County is drawn from ACS 2022 one-year estimates using FIPS code 13135. The county veteran population figure of 37,754 residents comes from ACS 5-Year Estimates for 2019-2023 and Census QuickFacts for FIPS 13135.
U.S. Census Bureau - County Business Patterns (CBP 2023)
The total employer establishment count of 27,653 firms in Gwinnett County, used to calculate the veteran firm share of 3.48%, is sourced from the CBP 2023 dataset.
U.S. Small Business Administration - Veteran Ownership Statistics 2024
National benchmarks including total veteran-firm sales, per-firm averages, average employees per veteran employer firm, and the long-term decline in veteran business ownership share are sourced from this report.
U.S. Small Business Administration - Annual Business Survey (ABS) 2021
Age demographic breakdowns, including the finding that 53% of veteran business owners are 65 or older compared with 21% of non-veteran owners, are drawn from SBA analysis of the 2021 ABS conducted with the U.S. Census Bureau.
Federal Reserve Banks - Small Business Credit Survey 2024
Context on financial headwinds facing veteran-owned businesses, including credit availability challenges, is sourced from Firms in Focus: Chartbook - Veteran-Owned Firms.
Analytical Approach
Where local Gwinnett County firm-level data was unavailable, national per-firm averages from SBA sources were applied to the confirmed local employer count of 961 veteran-owned firms. This method produced the estimated figures for annual economic contribution, jobs supported, and annual wages paid. The estimated total veteran business community of 5,113 firms was derived by applying the national nonemployer-to-employer ratio from SBA data to the confirmed local employer count.
Limitations
Estimates extrapolated from national averages may not precisely reflect Gwinnett County's local industry mix or firm-size distribution. The ACS veteran business count reflects 2022 reference-year data, and conditions may have shifted since that reference period. Nonemployer firm estimates are approximations.
Reference Period
Data spans reference years 2019 through 2023 depending on the source, with the most current available figures used in each instance.