How many stocks are there in the USA?

Okay, so, you want to know how many stocks are actually out there in the good ol' U.S. of A., huh? Well, that's a bit of a tricky question, honestly. It's not like there's a single, definitive number just floating around, you know?

Think about it. Who's keeping track of everything, every single minute? It's more like... estimations, really.

But, from what I understand – and I've done a little digging myself, because, curiosity, right? – just the NYSE and Nasdaq alone... get this... they list over 5,700 stocks! That's a lot, right? I mean, I can barely keep track of the few I've got in my own portfolio (which, by the way, could definitely use some help!).

And here's the kicker: that 5,700+ figure? That doesn't even include all the stocks trading on smaller exchanges, or those "over-the-counter" markets. So, the real number? It's gotta be way higher. I bet it's a number that would make your head spin. I wonder exactly how much higher it is, you know? One of those things that just kind of makes you think...