Cliffport Business Capital, a small-business funding service in Galveston, TX, gathers the public figures behind local funding requests: Galveston County, TX employer and nonemployer counts, the sector mix in the city's central ZIP code, self-employment in the City of Galveston, and links to industry pages, permit and tax guides and nearby towns.
| County employer establishments (2023) | 6,597 |
|---|---|
| Under five employees | 53.9% |
| County businesses with no payroll (2024) | 35,535 |
| Self-employed residents, City of Galveston, TX | 12.3% (plus or minus 1.8) |
| Homes permitted in the county, 2025 | 2,525 |
| County employees at employer establishments (2023) | 95,225 |
Galveston, TX Small Business at a Glance
Galveston County, TX counted 6,597 employer establishments in 2023, employing 95,225 people with an annual payroll of $5.03 billion (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Of those establishments, 3,559, or 53.9%, had fewer than five employees.
Separately, 35,535 businesses in the county reported receipts but no paid employees in 2024 (Nonemployer Statistics 2024). The two programs measure different businesses in different years, so the figures sit side by side rather than being added.
Inside ZIP 77550
ZIP 77550 lies entirely inside the City of Galveston: the city covers 100% of the ZIP's land. In 2023 it held 697 employer establishments with 11,252 paid employees and $478.8 million in annual payroll; 47.1% had fewer than five employees (ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). The ZIP is one of several that serve the city, so these are not citywide totals.
| Sector | Establishments | Under five employees |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 148 | 23.0% |
| Retail trade | 125 | 50.4% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 77 | 71.4% |
| Other services | 71 | 57.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 50 | 30.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 45 | 75.6% |
| Construction | 33 | 57.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023.
Large Local Sectors in County Counts
Restaurants and other eating places (NAICS 7225) are the largest four-digit industry group by employer establishments in the county data, at 670; 293 are full-service and 278 limited-service restaurants in 2023, with 65 and 27 of them in ZIP 77550 (County Business Patterns and ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). See restaurant funding.
Physician offices numbered 189 county-wide, 71.4% of them with fewer than five employees: medical practice funding. Gas stations (130) and convenience stores (50) are covered on the fuel and convenience page.
Every sector page is listed under funding by industry.
Business Loans in Galveston, Texas: Options Owners Compare
Two examples of how the county's sectors map to options: wages and supplier bills in food service and retail point to working capital; kitchen lines, lifts and clinical equipment point to equipment financing. All six are compared on the options page.
Buying a business for sale by owner
A Galveston, TX business bought from its owner can involve a term loan plus seller financing. Partners may ask for the seller's tax returns, the lease and the purchase agreement.
Galveston, TX Permits, Taxes and Licenses
Three guides cover paperwork that can shape a project timeline here: hotel occupancy tax for lodging operators, the Texas mixed beverage permit for bars and restaurants, and permits and zoning inside and outside city limits.
The Secretary of State's business services page (sos.state.tx.us) and the Comptroller's permit page (comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/permit/) were checked as reachable on 2026-10-18; confirm entity-filing and permit requirements with each office. The city's official site is galvestontx.gov and the county's is galvestoncountytx.gov.
Self-Employment in the City of Galveston, TX
About 12.3% of employed residents in the City of Galveston (plus or minus 1.8 points) are self-employed, compared with 9.2% county-wide and 10.5% across Texas (American Community Survey 2020-2024). Of the city's 12.3%, about 4.0% run incorporated businesses and 8.2% unincorporated ones.
Reaching Cliffport Business Capital
Cliffport Business Capital is at 2208 Postoffice St, Galveston, TX 77550. Requests can start by phone at (409) 235-9441 or online; the map and directions are on the contact page, and about Cliffport explains how we work. Towns around the county are listed on the service area page.
Galveston, TX sectors our partners fund
Funding partners consider businesses across most industries in Galveston, TX, 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.
Paperwork partners commonly ask for
- Business checking statements covering roughly the last quarter or two
- Your most recent business tax return
- An up-to-date P&L and balance sheet, even if you prepare them yourself
- Photo ID for every owner of the business
- Your articles of organization or incorporation and the EIN letter
- The equipment quote, contract or purchase order the funding is for
Partners differ in what they request; this list covers the usual ground.
How a request moves forward
- Reach us at (409) 235-9441 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 walk through the funding types that suit that purpose and the paperwork partners tend to ask for. Nothing goes out until you say so.
- 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 Galveston, TX can start by phone or with the short online form; no office visit is needed.
By Cliffport Business Capital · Updated