Cities with the most Black-owned businesses

Black-owned businesses in the South exceed national averages. For example, Hinesville, Georgia, has five times as many Black-owned businesses as would be expected based on population alone. The metro areas with the highest concentration of Black-owned employer firms include:

1. Hinesville, GA

• Black-owned businesses: 18.2%
• Black Population: 37.5%
• Black-owned Businesses: 157
• Black-owned Businesses per 10k: 51

2. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA

• Black-owned businesses: 11.3%
• Black Population: 34.3%
• Black-owned Businesses: 13,766
• Black-owned Businesses per 10k: 66

3. Fayetteville, NC

• Black-owned businesses: 10%
• Black Population: 32.6%
• Black-owned Businesses: 480
• Black-owned Businesses per 10k: 28

4. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC

• Black-owned businesses: 9.4%
• Black Population: 30%
• Black-owned Businesses: 2,632
• Black-owned Businesses per 10k: 49

5. Memphis, TN-MS-AR

• Black-owned businesses: 9.3%
• Black Population: 47.5%
• Black-owned Businesses: 1,606
• Black-owned Businesses per 10k: 25

6. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

• Black-owned businesses: 9.2%
• Black Population: 25%
• Black-owned Businesses: 10,486
• Black-owned Businesses per 10k: 66

7. Jackson, MS

• Black-owned businesses: 8.2%
• Black Population: 49.8%
• Black-owned Businesses: 865
• Black-owned Businesses per 10k: 29

8. Sumter, SC

• Black-owned businesses: 7.9%
• Black Population: 45.8%
• Black-owned Businesses: 112
• Black-owned Businesses per 10k: 18

9. Richmond, VA

• Black-owned businesses: 7.6%
• Black Population: 28.9%
• Black-owned Businesses: 1,805
• Black-owned Businesses per 10k: 47

10. Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC

• Black-owned businesses: 7.6%
• Black Population: 35%
• Black-owned Businesses: 638
• Black-owned Businesses per 10k: 30

At the State Level, Washington D.C., Maryland, and Georgia Have the Highest Concentration of Black-Owned Employer Businesses by a Wide Margin

The District of Columbia, Maryland, and Georgia each have about 50% more Black-owned businesses compared to other states. While 9% of employer businesses in Georgia are Black-owned, only 6% of employer businesses are Black-owned in Mississippi even though the state has the fourth-highest concentration of Black-owned businesses.

While only 3.3% of employer firms are Black-owned, 7.8% of transportation and warehousing firms are Black-owned—more than twice the national average. Other popular industries include health care and social services, administrative support, and entertainment.

All data was sourced from the Census Bureau for 2022, the most recent data available. Only businesses that employed at least one individual were included in the analysis.