In March 2001 the U.S. Census Bureau issued data from its Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, from the 1997 Economic Census. This is the most accurate and up-to-date information on minority-owned businesses in the nation. The full report is available on-line at: www.census.gov/csd/mwb/
The survey found that in 1997 there were 780,770 Black-owned businesses in the United States, accounting for 4.2% of all firms nationally. Between 1992 and 1997, there was a 25.7% increase in Black-owned firms and a 32.5% increase in gross sales by those firms. States with the largest number of Black-owned businesses are New York (86,469), California (79,110), Texas (60,427), Florida (59,732), and Georgia (55,766). Texas had the largest gross sales from Black firms. Refer to Table 1 and Map 1.
| State | Firms | Percent of All Firms | Sales and Receipts ($1000s) | Black Population (1000s) | Percent of Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 86,469 | 5.7 | 5,067,000 | 3,199 | 18 |
| California | 79,110 | 3.1 | 6,395,000 | 2,440 | 8 |
| Texas | 60,427 | 4.0 | 6,857,000 | 2,379 | 12 |
| Florida | 59,732 | 4.6 | 4,092,000 | 2,215 | 15 |
| Georgia | 55,766 | 9.8 | 4,111,000 | 2,124 | 28 |
| U.S. TOTAL | 823,499 | 4.0 | 71,214,662 | 34,659 | 12.3 |
The counties with the largest number of Black-owned businesses are scattered throughout the United States. These include: Los Angeles County (CA), Cook County (IL), Kings County (NY), Harris County (TX), and Prince Georges County (MD). Los Angles County (CA) has the largest number of Black firms, as well as the largest total sales and receipts from Black firms. Refer to Table 2.
| County | State | Firms | Sales and Receipts ($1000s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | California | 38,277 | 3,322,000 |
| Cook | Illinois | 32,377 | 2,981,000 |
| Kings | New York | 24,629 | 1,090,000 |
| Harris | Texas | 20,440 | 1,605,000 |
| Prince Georges | Maryland | 20,040 | 1,703,000 |
States with the highest percentage of Black-owned businesses, as a percent of all firms, are located along the Eastern Coast of the United States and in Mississippi. These states include the District of Columbia (24%), Maryland (12%), Mississippi (10.5%), Georgia (9.8%) and South Carolina (8.9%). Although the District of Columbia has the largest percentage of Black firms, the actual number of firms and gross sales is substantially lower than in the other states. This is attributable to the District of Columbia's small overall firm base. For example, D.C only has 45,297 total firms in the state, compared to 400,203 total firms in Maryland. Refer to Table 3 and Map 2.
| State | Percent of All Firms | Firms | Sales and Receipts ($1000s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 24 | 10,909 | 1,334,651 |
| Maryland | 12 | 47,614 | 3,964,600 |
| Mississippi | 10.5 | 17,617 | 852,824 |
| Georgia | 9.8 | 55,766 | 4,110,716 |
| South Carolina | 8.9 | 23,216 | 1,408,925 |
In 1997, there were 13,678 Black-owned businesses in Missouri, accounting for 3.3% of all firms statewide. Between 1992 and 1997, there was a 37.2% increase in Black-owned firms and a 212.8% increase in gross sales by those firms. Within Missouri, the largest concentration of Black-owned businesses are located in the Kansas City and St. Louis metropolitan areas: St. Louis County (32.8%), Jackson County (25.1%), St. Louis City (25.0%), Boone County (3.0%), and Pemiscot County (1.1%).
In terms of total sales and receipts, the largest grossing areas are St. Louis County, Jackson County, and St. Louis City. It is important to note that although Clay County ranks eighth in percent of Black-owned firms, it ranks fourth in terms of gross sales. This indicates that the area's fewer firms generate a larger economic impact in the state than other counties.
In general, most of the Black-owned businesses in the state are located in metropolitan areas, primarily in Kansas City and St. Louis. This finding is consistent with the 2000 Census numbers on Black populations in Missouri. The counties with the largest numbers of Blacks in 2000 were St. Louis County (193,306), St. Louis City (178,266), Jackson County (152,391), Boone County (11,572), and St. Charles County (7,635). Refer to Table 4 and Maps 3 and 4.
| Missouri County - Metro Area | Percent of All Firms | Firms | Sales and Receipts ($1000s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County - part of St. Louis Metro | 32.5 | 4,482 | 438,075 |
| Jackson County - part of Kansas City Metro | 25.1 | 3,428 | 355,556 |
| St. Louis City - part of St. Louis Metro | 25 | 3,431 | 255,471 |
| Boone - part of Columbia Metro | 3 | 415 | N/A |
| St. Charles - part of St. Louis Metro | 1.5 | 201 | 26,215 |
| Pemiscot - part of Cape Girardeau Metro | 1.1 | 265 | 3,332 |
| Cape Girardeau County - part of Cape Girardeau Metro | 1 | 140 | 6,490 |
| Clay County - part of Kansas City Metro | .9 | 121 | 35,439 |
| Cass County - part of Kansas City Metro | .8 | 106 | N/A |
| Cole County - part of Jefferson City Metro | .8 | 103 | 1,649 |
| MISSOURI TOTAL 1997 | 3.3 | 13,678 | 1,261,398 |
| MISSOURI TOTAL 1992 | 2.9 | 9,973 | 403,289 |
Most Black-owned businesses in Missouri are concentrated in two main industry groups - services (54.6%) and industries not classified (14.5%). Other sectors include retail trade (10.3%) and Transportation, Communications, and Utilities (6.2%). However, in terms of total sales and receipts, the largest grossing industries are services, retail trade, wholesale trade and transportation, communications and utilities. This indicates that although the trade sector has fewer firms, in terms of gross sales they have a larger impact on Missouri's economy. Refer to Table 5.
| Industry | Percent of All Firms | Firms | Sales and Receipts ($1000s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Mining | 1 | 144 | D |
| Construction | 6.0 | 821 | 156,273 |
| Manufacturing | 0.8 | 108 | 40,182 |
| Transportation, Communications & Utilities | 6.2 | 851 | 164,858 |
| Wholesale Trade | .9 | 123 | 174,630 |
| Retail Trade | 10.3 | 1,412 | 255,960 |
| Finance, Insurance & Real Estate | 5.6 | 765 | 40,903 |
| Services | 54.6 | 7,473 | 386,254 |
| Industries Not Classified | 14.5 | 1,981 | D |
D - Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual companies; data included in higher-level totals.
