845,000
Franchise establishments projected for 2026
That is a projected 1.5% increase from 832,521 establishments in 2025.
Source: IFA, 2026 outlookFranchise industry reference
U.S. Franchise Industry Statistics: 2026 Outlook
A concise, citable reference for leaders, writers, and researchers following the scale and direction of U.S. franchising.
Updated August 3, 2026
The numbers behind a business model built to travel.
Franchising asks a brand to hold together across independent owners, local teams, markets, and thousands of customer moments. The statistics below bring together the latest U.S. outlook and historical Census context in one place.
The 2026 figures are projections from the International Franchise Association's annual outlook. Historical Census figures are labelled separately and should not be treated as a direct comparison.
2026 outlook
8.9M
Franchise jobs projected for 2026
Employment is projected to rise by more than 150,000 jobs, an increase of 1.8%.
Source: IFA, 2026 outlook$921.4B
Projected franchise output in 2026
Output is projected to increase 1.6% from $907.3 billion in 2025.
Source: IFA, 2026 outlook$558.4B
Projected franchise contribution to GDP in 2026
That represents projected growth of 1.8% from $549.9 billion in 2025.
Source: IFA, 2026 outlookWhere growth is expected
Regions and sectors to watch
The outlook identifies a few places where scale, local demand, and operating conditions are expected to matter most in 2026.
2.5% projected growth in the Southwest
The Southwest is projected to be the fastest-growing U.S. region for franchised business expansion in 2026. The Southeast follows at 1.7% projected growth.
3.2% projected growth in child and commercial services
Child services, plus commercial and residential services, are projected to be the fastest-growing franchise industries in 2026.
10 states named as the fastest-growing markets
Texas, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina, Colorado, Michigan, Utah, Ohio, and Maryland are the IFA's top projected growth states for 2026.
Historical Census context
Franchising is broader than the restaurant category.
franchise establishments recorded by the 2017 Economic Census.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 dataworkers employed by franchise establishments in the industries covered by that Census report.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 dataEconomic Census NAICS sectors included franchise businesses in the Census report.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 dataMethodology and sources
Use the source that fits the claim.
This page uses published data only. The 2026 outlook figures come from the International Franchise Association's annual outlook, conducted by FRANdata. They are forecasts, not final reported results.
The historical figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2017 Economic Census Franchise Statistics Report. The Census and outlook sources use different dates and methods, so their numbers are presented as context rather than as a single trend line.
- International Franchise Association, 2026 Franchising Economic Outlook
- International Franchise Association, 2026 outlook release, February 19, 2026
- U.S. Census Bureau, Franchise Statistics from the 2017 Economic Census
Cite this page
BrandArc Consulting. “U.S. Franchise Industry Statistics: 2026 Outlook.” Updated August 3, 2026. https://yourbrandarc.com/franchise-statistics