The Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, which was released today, shows that the level of entrepreneurial activity in the country has stayed relatively stable over the past decade with about 465,000 people creating new businesses on average each month.

Interestingly, the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area ranked in the middle of the pack of the top 15 metropolitan markets in terms of entrepreneurial activity. The study found that there were 220 entrepreneurs for every 100,000 people in the Seattle area, which compares to 500 entrepreneurs per 100,000 people in the Miami area (the top metro area) and 130 entrepreneurs per 100,000 people in Detroit (the bottom metro area). The San Francisco Bay Area boasts 440 entrepreneurs per 100,000 people. Washington state posted a rate of 270 entrepreneurs per 100,000.

The study also found that Asians, Latinos and immigrants created business with more frequency than native-born Americans. The rate of entrepreneurial activity for immigrants jumped to 0.37 percent, well above the 0.27 percent for people born in the U.S. The rate of business creation by Asians increased from 0.27 percent in 2005 to 0.32 percent in 2006. African Americans saw a slight decline to 0.22 percent.

And the state with the biggest risk-taking business men and women? That would be Montana, where there are 600 entrepreneurs for every 100,000 people.

I guess the frontier spirit is alive and well in big sky country.