TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Analysis of small business growth in the U.S. by BackgroundChecks.org showed 21% of all Tampa business owners are women, higher than the national average. The analysis of business data was pulled using information provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
According to the data analyzed, the U.S. average for women-owned businesses is 20.9%. The Tampa area, at 21%, is just 0.1% higher. In terms of actual numbers, 13,535 businesses in the Tampa metro area are owned by women and generated $5 billion in revenue. Altogether, the businesses reportedly employ more than 85,000 workers.
Nationally, women-owned businesses generated $1.8 trillion, according to the data. The analysis by BackgroundChecks.org reported it was more likely for a woman-owned business to be related to health care, social assistance, accommodation, and food service, as compared to businesses owned by men.
Additionally, the analysis reported that women-owned businesses paid up to 30.1% less than the national average. The study said men were more likely to start their own business to make more money, while women chose to do so for the ability to balance work and family needs.
“It is most common for both female and male business owners to still be with their first business, but more female business owners (55%) are involved with their first business than their male counterparts (47.5%),” according to the study. “In contrast, men are more likely to have moved on from a previous business in some form.”
While the Tampa area had a higher percentage than the U.S. average for women-owned businesses, the place in the states where women-owned the most was Hawaii, where 24.5% of businesses are owned by women, according to BackgroundChecks.org.
Additionally, the study found that in the Jacksonville and Miami metro areas, 23% of businesses are owned by women, while in Port St. Lucie it was 19%, and 19.9% in the Sarasota area. Pensacola had 20.8% of businesses owned by women, while Orlando registered 21.2%, according to the data analysis. In Deltona, the rate was 18.3%, and just 15.8% around Lakeland.