Black-Owned Businesses Surge Past 200,000, Outpacing U.S. Growth
Data Shows Significant Growth in Black Employers in the United States In 2023, the number of Black-owned employer businesses in the United States surpassed 200,000 for the first time, marking a major milestone in Black entrepreneurship. According to ...
Black News 
Data Shows Significant Growth in Black Employers in the United States
In 2023, the number of Black-owned employer businesses in the United States surpassed 200,000 for the first time, marking a major milestone in Black entrepreneurship.
According to a Brookings analysis based on U.S. Census Bureau data, these businesses generated $249 billion in revenue, supported more than 1.8 million jobs, and paid $69.8 billion in wages.
Rapid Growth Outpacing National Trends
Between 2017 and 2023, Black-owned employer businesses grew by 62 percent, adding approximately 77,000 firms. During the same period, overall employer business growth in the United States was just 3.3 percent.
Despite this progress, Black-owned businesses still represent only 3.4 percent of all employer businesses nationwide.
Black Women Leading the Surge
Black women have played a major role in this growth. The number of Black woman-owned employer businesses increased from fewer than 45,000 in 2017 to 79,000 in 2023.
This represents a 78 percent increase, outpacing the growth of both Black-owned businesses overall and those owned by Black men.
Currently, Black women own approximately 1.3 percent of all employer businesses in the United States.
Industry Concentration
Half of all Black-owned businesses are concentrated in five key sectors:
- Health care and social assistance
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
- Administrative and support services
- Waste management and remediation services
- Social assistance
The highest concentration of Black ownership is in transit and ground passenger transportation, where Black-owned businesses make up 13.7 percent of the sector.
Lower representation is seen in industries such as manufacturing, mining support, and textile production.
Regional Growth Trends
Growth in Black-owned employer businesses has varied significantly by metro area. The largest increases between 2017 and 2023 occurred in Atlanta, Miami, New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
However, not all areas experienced consistent growth. Cities such as Atlanta, San Francisco, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Virginia Beach saw declines between 2022 and 2023.
Meanwhile, Houston, New York, Miami, Minneapolis, and Indianapolis recorded notable gains during the same period.
Smaller metro areas also showed strong relative growth. In Flint, Michigan, 205 Black-owned employer firms were launched between 2017 and 2023, with the majority starting in the most recent year.
Progress and Ongoing Challenges
The expansion of Black-owned employer businesses reflects meaningful progress in entrepreneurship and economic participation.
At the same time, the relatively small share of overall business ownership highlights ongoing disparities and the need for continued investment, access to capital, and structural support.
This growth signals both momentum and opportunity, underscoring the evolving landscape of Black entrepreneurship in the United States.
