Tallahassee ranks among the top cities in the country with the most Black-owned businesses, according to a LendingTree report.
The capital city landed at No. 9 out of 100 metro cities. In Tallahassee, 7.6% of businesses are Black-owned compared to the national average of 4.2%, the report said.
Larger cities like Atlanta seized the top spot, followed by Fayetteville, N.C., Washington D.C. and Memphis, Tenn. The list was made using 2023 data from the 2024 U.S. Census Bureau Annual Business Survey to rank the metros with the highest percentage of Black-owned businesses.
“Researchers first compiled the number of Black-owned businesses in the 100 metros with the most Black-owned businesses,” the report said. “Analysts then compared that number to the total number of businesses in each metro. The metros with the highest percentage of Black-owned businesses were ranked from highest to lowest.”
It went on to say it used population data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 American Community Survey with one-year estimates.
The Tallahassee Democrat contacted the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality for local numbers and data related to Black-owned businesses.
OEV uses Data Axle–Reference Solutions, a database containing information on more than 118 million businesses nationwide. Daniel Lucas, OEV’s business intelligence manager, said it’s not survey-based but rather “draws on detailed information from public sources and is verified by telephone.”
That said, the Data Axle reports show there are 337 Black-owned businesses in Leon County, said Lucas, in an email to the Democrat. He said 188 businesses are owned by Black women.
Roll call: Longtime Black-owned businesses bring rich history, legacy to Tallahassee
When asked to break down the range in business types, Lucas said there are “238 of these businesses with details on their business type.”
“Professional services, personal care services, and retailers account for about half of the companies with business-type details,” Lucas said. “Specific business types include beauty salons (11%), clothing and clothing accessories retailers (9%), and janitorial services (6%).”
Black Business Expo takes place this weekend
The LendingTree report comes just as Tallahassee prepares to host the Fifth Annual Black Business Expo.
The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Moon, 1105 E. Lafayette St. and is presented by the OEV and Mega Ace Media.
The networking event is designed for entrepreneurs and residents interested in launching their business ideas. During the event, attendees have a chance to sign up for approximately $15,000 in grants.
Registration is required; tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.
Contact Economic Development Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @TaMarynWaters on X.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee, Florida in Top 10 for most Black-owned businesses