Jackson metro has one of the most Black business owners in US

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – As Black History Month soon comes to a close, Black business ownership in the capital city is poised to remain among the highest in the U.S.  According to LendingTree, 2.7% of U.S. businesses are Black-owned. In the Jackson metro, that number is 6.1%. Among metro areas in the top 10, eight are in the South. The Jackson metro has the highest share of Black residents (roughly 50%) compared to other cities in the top rankings, such as Atlanta, Birmingham and Memphis. Despite recent drops in African American’s share of the overall population in recent years, Black business ownership overall has increased by 12.5%. Roughly three in 10 Black-owned businesses are in the health care and social assistance industry. African Americans account for more than 11% of those business owners.  Among gender demographics, African American women own roughly 40% of all Black-owned businesses. That is more than 80% higher than the business ownership rates of women overall.  Community business leaders talk about the power of the Black dollar Still, Black business ownership rates are disproportionally lower than their share of the overall population. The Jackson metro is roughly 50% Black, but only 6.1% of businesses are Black-owned....