Firms by Gender and Ethnicity of Owner
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2007 Economic Census: Survey of Business Owners. Updated every 5 years. http://www.census.gov/econ/sbo/
Definitions:
The 2007 Survey of Business Owners provides basic economic data on businesses owned by women, men, Hispanics, Blacks, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, and Whites. The survey is based on the entire firm rather than on establishments of a firm. The published data cover number of firms, gross receipts, number of paid employees, and annual payroll.
A firm may operate one place of business or more, such as a chain of restaurants, or have no fixed business location, such as the firm represented by a self-employed carpenter or salesperson. A firm contrasts with an establishment, which is a single physical location at which business is conducted. Most other data from the Economic Census are reported on an establishment basis rather than a firm basis.
Women-owned firms are those owned by sole proprietors who identified themselves as female, or, in the case of firms with multiple owners, where 51 percent or more of stock interest, claims or rights were held by females. Not included as women-owned are publicly held firms, foreign-owned companies, and not-for-profit companies.
Hispanic-owned firms are those where the sole proprietor was Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race, or, in the case of firms with multiple owners, where 51 percent of the stock interest, claims or rights were held by members of those groups. Not included as Hispanic-owned are publicly held firms, foreign-owned companies, and not-for-profit companies.
Race categories represented on the survey questionnaires include American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African American; Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander; and White. Not included in the tabulations for any of these categories are publicly held firms, foreign-owned companies, and not-for-profit companies, although the denominators for each percentage do include these companies.
The race categories and Hispanic subgroups used in the 2007 SBO are consistent with those mandated by the Office of Management and Budget. These standards were developed by both the Executive Branch and Congress.
Detail may not add to total because a Hispanic or Latino firm may be of any race. Moreover, each owner had the option of selecting more than one race and is included in each race selected. Firms with more than one domestic establishment are counted in each industry and geographic area in which they operate.
Scope and Methodology:
Percent women-owned firms and percent owned by one of the specified groups is determined by dividing the number of firms owned by that group by the number of all firms in the same area. The raw numbers are shown in the link below, or may be accessed through the "Browse more data sets..." page.
These data were obtained from a stratified sample of firms. Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Standard errors are published in the detailed data sets linked below. Data are shown with an "S" where publication standards are not met, such as where the relative standard error of the sales and receipts is 50 percent or more.
