Bed-and-Breakfast Inns Revenue Benchmarks
The average bed-and-breakfast inns business in the United States generates $384K in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 2,516 bed-and-breakfast inns businesses in the U.S., employing 10,208 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $31K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Bed-and-Breakfast Inns Business Actually Do?
Small lodging establishments (typically 4–15 rooms) where the host lives on-site and serves breakfast. Often occupy historic homes and compete on charm/experience rather than amenities.
Who buys: Weekend/leisure travelers, romantic getaways, wedding parties, destination event attendees.
Average Revenue
$384K
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$95K
per year
Total Businesses
2,516
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$19K
small business avg
Labor Cost
32.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$31K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.8
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Bed-and-Breakfast Inns Charge?
B&Bs charge per room per night, with breakfast included. ADR typically higher than motels but lower than luxury.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Room rate (standard) | $120–250/night |
Room rate (premium/historic) | $200–450/night |
Occupancy target (annual avg) | 45–65% |
Weekend/peak premium | +20–40% |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete bed-and-breakfast inns business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a bed-and-breakfast inns business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the bed-and-breakfast inns industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Food & beverage costs | $35 | $133K | Ingredients, food, beverages, disposables — the raw cost of what's served. |
Wages & benefits | $32 | $123K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $13 | $48K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $12K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $13 | $48K | Utilities, cleaning, licenses, credit-card processing, kitchen equipment depreciation, insurance. |
Net profit | $5 | $19K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
9.45%
openings/year
Closure Rate
10.1%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+8.74%
annual
Businesses Closed
4,264
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Bed-and-Breakfast Inns Business?
Startup Cost
$100K – $500K
Break-Even
188 months
5-Year Survival Rate
40.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a bed-and-breakfast inns business do?
- Small lodging establishments (typically 4–15 rooms) where the host lives on-site and serves breakfast. Often occupy historic homes and compete on charm/experience rather than amenities. Weekend/leisure travelers, romantic getaways, wedding parties, destination event attendees.
- How much do bed-and-breakfast inns charge?
- B&Bs charge per room per night, with breakfast included. ADR typically higher than motels but lower than luxury. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average bed-and-breakfast inns make per year?
- The average bed-and-breakfast inns business generates $384K in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $19K per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many bed-and-breakfast inns businesses are there in the US?
- There are 2,516 bed-and-breakfast inns businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 10,208 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a bed-and-breakfast inns business?
- Startup costs for a bed-and-breakfast inns business typically range from $100K to $500K, with a 5-year survival rate of 40.0%.
- What is the average salary in the bed-and-breakfast inns industry?
- The average employee in the bed-and-breakfast inns industry earns $31K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The bed-and-breakfast inns industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 8.7% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (9.5% entry vs 10.1% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 59% of bed-and-breakfast inns businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 4,264 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the bed-and-breakfast inns industry earns $30,728/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 2,454 establishments employing 14,132 people, the typical business has about 6 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The bed-and-breakfast inns industry has grown 28% since 2000 (from 34,485 to 44,237 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Bed-and-Breakfast Inns revenue with other industries: