---
title: "Small Business Rent Delinquencies Decline"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/a95a95f9-a826-4e93-b6fb-9ccc98e3863a
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/articles/small_business_rent_delinquencies_decline.html
author: "M. Scott Morris"
category: "General"
published: 2024-12-16T10:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T19:54:56.082Z
image: https://imgs.franchising.com/art/articles/9168_plate.jpg
---

# Small Business Rent Delinquencies Decline

**TL;DR:** Small business rent delinquencies have declined to 37%, the lowest since January, with 53% of small business owners feeling optimistic about the economy. However, retailers and restaurateurs face challenges with rising operating costs and limited cash flow.

*By M. Scott Morris, originally published in Franchising.com on 2024-12-16. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/articles/small_business_rent_delinquencies_decline.html).*

## Story

Alignable’s November Revenue & Rent Report reveals a mix of progress and challenges for small businesses as the year comes to an end. The report is based on responses from 7,780 randomly selected small business owners surveyed from Nov. 11-30 along with more than 80,000 historical responses.

Rent delinquency declines. Rent struggles eased for many with the delinquency rate falling to 37%, its lowest since January. This trend is especially notable in states like Massachusetts and North Carolina, which reported significant progress.

Optimism on the rise. More than half (53%) of small business owners report feeling optimistic about the economy, marking the highest level in over a year. Many attribute this optimism to the results of the November U.

S. elections, which they hope will foster economic stability. Revenue and cash flow improvements.

November saw 34% of SMBs reporting higher earnings compared to last year, up from 25% in September. Additionally, the percentage of business owners with just a month or less of cash reserves dropped to 29%, a dramatic improvement from 43% in September. However, some major challenges persist: Retailers and restaurateurs face headwinds.

Despite holiday shopping, retail rent delinquency climbed to 45% while restaurants hit a year-long high of 46%, citing rising operating costs and limited cash flow. Challenges increase in some states. Illinois and Michigan saw rent delinquency spikes with rates rising as high as 48%.

Meanwhile, hurricane-related challenges have caused setbacks for SMBs in Florida. This report underscores the urgency of supporting local businesses. While large online retailers dominate consumer spending, Main Street merchants are vital to communities, contributing to local tax bases and services.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- General (sector)
- Florida (location)
- north carolina (location)
- revenue growth (topic)
- M. Scott Morris (person)
- michigan (location)
- Illinois (location)
- massachusetts (location)
- Alignable (company)
- cash flow (topic)
- small business optimism (topic)

---
Originally reported by M. Scott Morris, Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/articles/small_business_rent_delinquencies_decline.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/a95a95f9-a826-4e93-b6fb-9ccc98e3863a).