A Look at Native Businesses

Native News Network Staff in Native Briefs. Discussion »

Aaron & Azalea Thomas

Native Brief: WASHINGTON - Separate from tribal enterprises, which include casinos, hotels, restaurants and gift shop, American Indian and Alaska Native businesses are on the increase, according to the US Census Bureau.

As National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month draws to a close, attention is being focused on the increasing role American Indians and Alaska Natives play in the country's economy.

Businesses owned by this group grew in a recent five-year period and number more than 237,000, generating $34.5 billion in annual revenue. The largest number of firms owned by American Indians and Alaska natives - nearly 46,000 - is in California, while the top cities are New York, Los Angeles, and Gallup, New Mexico.

Dr. Jessica Rickert DDS

Nearly a third of these businesses are involved in construction, repair, maintenance and personal services.

Here are other facts supplied by the US Census Bureau pertaining to Native-owned businesses:

$34.4 billion

Receipts for American Indian- and Alaska Native-owned businesses in 2007, a 28 percent increase from 2002. These businesses numbered 236,967, up 17.7 percent from 2002.

45,629

Number of American Indian- and Alaska Native-owned firms in California in 2007, which led the states. Oklahoma and Texas followed. Among the firms in California, 17,634 were in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metro area, which led all metro areas nationwide.

23,704

Hugh Short

Number of American Indian- and Alaska Native-owned firms that had paid employees in 2007. These businesses employed 184,416 people.

30.5 percent

Percent of American Indian- and Alaska Native-owned firms that operated in construction; and repair, maintenance, personal and laundry services in 2007.

52.9 percent

Percent of American Indian- and Alaska Native-owned business receipts accounted for by construction, retail trade and wholesale trade in 2007.

4,599

Number of American Indian- and Alaska Native-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more in 2007.

162

Number of American Indian- and Alaska Native-owned firms with 100 or more employees in 2007.

Source for data in this section: Survey of Business Owners-American Indian and Alaska Native Owned Firms: 2007.

posted November 29, 2011 7:57 am est