• Survey
  • Book Becky to speak
  • The book: Small Town Rules
  • Shop Local video
  • SaveYour.Town

Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

A row of small town shops
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS

What businesses work in towns under 500

By Becky McCray

wooden storefronts in Freedom, Oklahoma

In a small town under 500 people, you don’t have much local market to draw on, so what kind of business could work there? Photo of Freedom, Oklahoma, population 307, (C) by Becky McCray

Melissa W. asked:

What types of businesses would work in very small communities – less than 100, less than 250, less than 500? 

No matter what kind of business you want to start in a really small town, start small. Use the Innovative Rural Business Models (Tiny, Temporary, Together, Trucks and Trailers) to build up with small steps to a successful business. With each step, you’ll be gaining information about what works, building your assets, building your following. The Tionesta Market Village is a terrific example of using the Innovative Rural Business Models to nurture many small businesses together in one space, all in a town of 500 people.

Businesses based in trucks and trailers are especially good for small towns under 500. You can use your mobility to reach other nearby markets as well as serving your local people.

Get beyond your town limits. Remember that you don’t have to rely on the market you can reach physically. There are plenty of location-independent ideas. If you have skills you can use via computer, you can be anywhere. Writers, graphic designers, programmers, consultants, web designers, marketers, virtual assistants, and many more people can build a business anywhere they can get internet, even if the town itself is very small.

Stand at the city limits and look out. What is made, grown or developed locally that you could share with the world?

For more business examples, Wisconsin Extension put together short profiles of small-town innovative downtown businesses that you might find helpful. They are all examples from real small businesses in real small towns. Although there are several examples from larger towns, the target was towns under 1,000. You’ll find it on their Innovative Downtown Businesses page.

20 Small Business Ideas for Small Towns is a short ebook detailing 20 different ways you can make a successful business in a small town. It also covers seven ways to generate your own ideas, so you can dream up the small biz idea that best fits you. To save it on your computer, right click on this link: 20 Small Business Ideas for Small Towns  and choose Save Target As. For Firefox or Chrome users, choose Save Link As.

You can also read through our entire category of business ideas for small towns. 

New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Get our updates.

 

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
  • Zoom Towns: attracting and supporting remote workers in rural small towns - December 10, 2020
  • In an economic crisis, spend your brainpower before your dollars - November 25, 2020
  • Video: How to fill empty car dealership buildings for the holidays - November 6, 2020
  • How has 2020 changed the challenges rural small towns face? Tell us here - October 20, 2020
  • The Idea Friendly Method to surviving a business crisis - October 6, 2020
  • Join me for the Rural Renewal Symposium online Oct 13 - September 26, 2020
  • Cheap placemaking idea: instant murals - September 11, 2020
  • Refilling the rural business pipeline - July 7, 2020
  • Huge vacant buildings: grants to renovate? - June 9, 2020
  • Economic self defense for small towns  - June 7, 2020

March 6, 2017 Filed Under: economic development, entrepreneurship, ideas, rural

Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments?
Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name?
Check our commenting policy.
Use your real name, not a business name.


Don't see the comment form?
Comments are automatically closed on older posts, but you can send me your comment via this contact form and I'll add it manually for you. Thanks!

Howdy!

Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

Meet our authors on the About page.

Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

If you would like permission to re-use an article you've read here, please make a Reprint Request.

Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

Shop Local

Buy local buttonReady to set up a shop local campaign in your small town? You'll need a guide who understands how we're different and what really works: Shop Local Campaigns for Small Towns.

Best of Small Biz Survival

What is holding us back? Why does every project take so long in small towns?

How any business can be part of downtown events by going mobile

Concert-goers talking and enjoying the evening in downtown Webster City, Iowa.

Why do people say there’s nothing to do here then not come to our concerts?

Retailers: Fill all empty space, floor to ceiling

More of the best of Small Biz Survival

Copyright © 2021 Becky McCray
Front Page · Log in