Developments in Women-Owned Businesses, 1997-2007

The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has released the study "Developments in Women-owned Businesses, 1997-2007" (pdf).  The study looks at developments in women-owned businesses during that ten-year period using data from the Census Bureau’s Surveys of Business Owners. During this time, women's share of total U.S. firms increased from 26 percent in 1997 to almost 29 percent by 2007.

“In a series of roundtables across the country, we heard from women business owners that they face many of the same challenges other small business owners face—particularly challenges related to access to capital and regulatory burdens,” said Chief Counsel for Advocacy Winslow Sargeant. “This research places women-owned businesses in the context of the wider business community and will provide valuable information for policymakers as we move forward.”

The study found the following: 

• Twelve percent of women-owned businesses were employers in 2007, while 88% were non-employers.
• Women-owned businesses accounted for 4% of total business receipts in 2007.
• Women-owned firms employed 6.4 % of the 118.6 million employees of employer firms in 2007. 
• The top four sectors for employer firms owned by women were retail trade, professional services, health care and social assistance, and accommodations. 
• In five states and the District of Columbia, the number of women-owned businesses per 1,000 persons was greater than 30 in 2007.

For more information and to access the full report, visit the SBA Office of Advocacy website.