Job creation from startups has hit a historic low, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
According to the data, startups were hit hard in the recession that lasted from December 2007 through June 2009. The Census found that 3 percent of jobs in 2006 were created from startups as a share of private employment. By 2013, which is the latest data available, that percentage dropped to a historic low of 2 percent.
In addition to data on startups and the jobs created by them, the Census collects information on firms, establishments, and job losses to better understand entrepreneurship and innovation in the United States.
Since the recession, the number of firms and establishments has declined. In 2007, the year before the recession, there were 5,283,644 established firms. By 2013, that number dropped to 5,055,282, a loss of 228,362 firms.
According to the Census, a firm is either a family-owned and operated restaurant, with one location or a large retail chain with many stores and multiple locations.
The Census found that establishments, which are places of operation within a firm, also saw a decline since the beginning of the recession. In 2007, there were 6,886,451 establishments, dropping to 6,703,533 by 2013
While there were fewer firms and establishments that went out of business since 2007, the number went up from 2012 to 2013. In 2007, 439,494 firms closed all of their establishments. That number dropped to 375,192 in 2012. The number of firms closing increased in 2013 to 400,687.