Newly released U.S. Census figures show that minorities and women have increased their business ownership or sales at a faster rate than the state average. Since 1997, the number of black-owned businesses in the state increased by almost 78 percent and Asian-owned businesses grew by 32 percent. Despite a slight decrease in the total number of businesses owned by Hispanics, their sales and receipts increased by 63 percent. The number of woman-owned businesses grew by 18 percent. Kurt Metzger, director of the Michigan Metropolitan Information Center at WSU, attributes minority-owned business growth to increasing minority population. About 25 percent of Michigan residents identified themselves as minorities in the 2000 census.