Small businesses are, in many ways, the backbone of our nation’s economy. During Small Business Week, this sector of business owners and workers is recognized. As President Bush stated this year in his Small Business Week proclamation, “The entrepreneurial spirit of America is robust and strong, and small businesses are thriving throughout our great nation. The opportunity to own a business is an important part of the American dream. During Small Business Week, we celebrate small business owners and employees who are willing to take risks and work hard in pursuit of a better life for themselves and their families.”

Below is a collection of U.S. Census Bureau statistics pertaining to small businesses:

Nonemployer Businesses
$830 billion
Receipts for nonemployer businesses (those without paid employees) in 2003, up from $586 billion in 1997. These nonemployers, often “mom and pop” corner stores or home-based businesses, comprised more than 70 percent of all businesses.

18.6 million
The number of nonemployer businesses in 2003.

5.7%
Growth rate for nonemployer businesses between 2002 and 2003, the biggest rate of increase since the Census Bureau began releasing such statistics in 1997.

1 million
Number of nonemployer businesses added to the nation’s total between 2002 and 2003.

11.4%
Percentage increase between 2002 and 2003 in the number of nonemployer businesses in Nevada, which led all states. Arizona, Georgia, Texas and Florida followed.

Source for statements in this section:
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/005784.html>

Nonemployer Industry Growth
Some examples of industries with impressive nonemployer business growth between 2002 and 2003 are real estate appraisers, 19.1 percent; nail salons, 15.9 percent; landscape architectural services, 14.6 percent; software publishers, 14.4 percent; clothing accessories stores, 12.9 percent; bed and breakfast inns, 8.5 percent; carpet and upholstery cleaning services, 7.5 percent; and confectionery and nut stores, 6.5 percent.

Four economic sectors accounted for almost 60 percent of nonemployer receipts in 2003 — real estate and rental and leasing ($176.0 billion, or 21.2 percent); construction ($126.4 billion, or 15.2 percent); professional, scientific and technical services ($102.9 billion, or 12.4 percent) and retail trade ($80.5 billion, or 9.7 percent).

Source for statements in this section:
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/005784.html>

Businesses With Employees
5.3 million
Number of business establishments with fewer than 10 employees in 2003. Among these businesses, 3.9 million employed fewer than 5 people.

15.9 million
Number of people employed by businesses with fewer than 10 employees in 2003.

796,000
Number of businesses in the retail trade industry in 2003 which employed fewer than 10 people. Another 652,000 were in professional, scientific and technical services, with 595,000 in construction and 500,000 in health care and social services.

Source for the statements in this section: <http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/03cbp/cbp03-1.pdf>

“Special Editions” of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Facts for Features are issued to provide background information for less-known observances, anniversaries of historic events and other timely topics in the news.