Tampa Bay Business Data: Florida’s Second Hub
Tampa Bay is Florida's biggest business hub outside South Florida. Across its core counties (Hillsborough (Tampa), Pinellas (St. Petersburg and Clearwater), and Pasco) the region holds about 970,886 active business entities, or roughly 12.5% of the state's total. It's a different kind of business economy than Miami's, and the data shows it.
Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco together hold about 970,886 active entities, 12.5% of Florida's businesses.
Tampa Bay by county
Hillsborough leads with 446,084 entities, but the surprise is Pinellas. Despite being the most densely populated county in Florida and far smaller in land area, it packs 397,222 entities, and on a per-resident basis it actually outranks several larger counties, as the density ranking shows. Pasco, the fast-growing suburban county to the north, adds 127,580 more.
A small-business, LLC-heavy economy
Tampa Bay skews toward small, owner-run companies. Pinellas runs about 80% LLCs, Hillsborough about 77%, and Pasco about 78%, all higher than Miami-Dade's LLC share, which is dragged down by its heavier mix of corporations and partnerships. The Bay area's profile is closer to Main Street than Wall Street.
| County | Entities | LLC share |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough | 446,084 | 77% |
| Pinellas | 397,222 | 80% |
| Pasco | 127,580 | 78% |
Businesses move within the Bay
Like every Florida metro, Tampa Bay has its own internal relocation orbit. Companies hop between Hillsborough and Pinellas across the bay, and spill north into Pasco as the suburbs grow. These are short, within-metro moves, the same pattern we map statewide in where Florida businesses relocate.
| From | To | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough | Pinellas | 290 |
| Hillsborough | Pasco | 279 |
| Pasco | Hillsborough | 260 |
Frequently asked questions
How many businesses are in Tampa Bay?
About 970,886 active entities across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco, roughly 12.5% of Florida's total.
Which Tampa Bay county has the most businesses?
Hillsborough (Tampa), with 446,084 entities, followed by Pinellas with 397,222.
Is Tampa Bay a big business hub?
Yes. It's the largest business cluster in Florida outside the South Florida tri-county area.
Why does Pinellas have so many businesses for its size?
It's the most densely populated county in the state, so it packs a high number of entities into a small, urban footprint and ranks well per capita.
Related reading
- The Florida counties with the most businesses
- Florida business density per capita
- South Florida tri-county business data
- Orlando metro business data
Sources
- Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (sunbiz)
- sneyk index of Florida Division of Corporations data, verified June 8, 2026.
Image credits
- Header image: Photo: jared422_80 via Flickr. CC BY 2.0.
- The St. Petersburg waterfront: Photo: Jrozwado via Wikimedia. CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Clearwater Beach: Photo: TampaThings.com via Wikimedia. CC BY SA 4.0.
- The Tampa Riverwalk: Photo: DanTD via Wikimedia. CC BY-SA 4.0.