Scrub Can owner Corey Jackson (center, holding scissors) cuts the ribbon honoring his award as small business of the year alongside Assemblyman Jim Patterson and his staff and representatives of the Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce in 2018. File photo.

A new study looks at the impact of small business in Fresno, ranking the metro of over 500,000 No. 12 for large cities most dependent on small-sized employers.

The study found that small businesses employ 52.7% of the workforce in Fresno, making up 51.7% of the total payroll, according to data and consulting website Smartest Dollar. Of the 55 metros on the list, Fresno ranks higher than every other city in terms of percentage of payroll paid by small businesses.

Annually, small businesses pay nearly $6.49 billion to 146,318 employees. The website counts 13,615 small businesses in the Fresno.

Landing first on the list is Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach in Florida. Small businesses employ 53.1% of people, paying out 47.6% of wages, translating to $56.11 billion annually.

Agriculture and construction businesses make up 80% of employees in small business nationwide and 75% of payrolls, according to the study.

Small business employment has been on the decline, even though the share of small businesses in the United States has remained relatively constant, according to the study. Small businesses are defined as having fewer than 500 employees.

In the late 1980s, such companies employed 54.5% of the workforce and paid 48.6% of payroll. Today, small businesses make up 46.4% of companies and pay 39.4% of wages.

The report states that the overall percentage of firms defined as a small business has remained steady.

Actions in response to Covid-19 closed 43% of small businesses at least temporarily, the study reported, resulting in 9.1 million job losses in the first two quarters of 2020. Now, small businesses fear the effects of rising interest rates and inflation, according to the study.