Texas Minority Business Trends

The value of sales and receipts of minority-owned firms in Texas reached $1.81 trillion in 2002, up from $1.41 trillion in 1997. (2002 is the latest year these data are available from the Economic Census, which is produced every five years. 2002 Economic Census data are being released from 2004 through 2006.) There were 1,734,648 minority-owned firms in 2002, up from 1,525,972 in 1997. These firms employed 8,059,889 in 2002, up from 7,074,209 in 1997.

Major breakouts follow, and there are more Texas minority-owned business data available. In 2002, there were 319,339 Hispanic-owned firms in Texas, up 33 percent from 240,396 firms in 1997.

Sales and receipts rose 7 percent from $39.48 billion in 1997 to $42.19 in 2002. Texas ranked second nationally for the number of firms and sales and receipts of Hispanic-owned firms. One in five U.S. Hispanic-owned firms calls Texas home. Three of the top MSAs with the largest number of Hispanic-owned firms – Houston-Baytown-Huntsville (#3), Dallas-Fort Worth (#5), and Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville (#9) – and three of the top counties with the largest number of Hispanic-owned firms – Harris, Hidalgo, and Bexar – are in Texas.

In 2002, there were 88,769 Black-owned firms in Texas, up 47 percent from 60,427 firms in 1997. Sales and receipts declined 2 percent from $6.85 billion in 1997 to $6.69 billion in 2002. Texas ranked third nationally for sales and receipts and fifth nationally for the number of firms of Black-owned firms.

In 2002, there were 469,049 women-owned firms in Texas, up 23 percent from 381,453 firms in 1997. Sales and receipts rose 3 percent from $65.1 billion in 1997 to $66.7 billion in 2002. Texas ranked third nationally for the number of firms and sales and receipts of women-owned firms.

In 2002, there were 78,018 Asian-owned firms in Texas, up 32 percent from 59,318 firms in 1997. Sales and receipts rose 24 percent from $18.22 billion in 1997 to $22.62 billion in 2002. Texas ranked third nationally for the number of firms and sales and receipts of Asian-owned firms.

In 2002, there were 16,863 Native American-owned firms in Texas, up 8 percent from 15,668 firms in 1997. Sales and receipts rose very slightly from $3.32 billion in 1997 to $3.321 billion in 2002. Texas ranked third nationally for the number of firms and second nationally for sales and receipts of Native American-owned firms.

In 2002, there were 1,543 Pacific Islander-owned firms in Texas, up 70 percent from 908 firms in 1997. Sales and receipts greatly declined from $624 million in 1997 to $277 million in 2002. Texas ranked fifth nationally for the number of firms and third nationally for sales and receipts of Pacific Islander-owned firms.

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