The top 10 friendliest cities for small business

‹

The 10 friendliest cities for small business

Marc Romanelli | Getty Images

Owning your own business can be tough no matter where you live, but choosing an entrepreneur-friendly city can make a big difference in achieving success.
Every year, Thumbtack ranks the U.S. cities that are the friendliest for entrepreneurs. For the 2015 list, 95 U.S. cities were ranked on 11 metrics, including ease of starting a business, tax codes, and training and network programs. The survey used data from nearly 18,000 small business owners across the U.S.
Read on for the 10 U.S. cities that rank as the friendliest in which to own a small business and to see the unique strengths and weaknesses of the top small business locales across the country.
— By CNBC's Sarah Whitten
Updated 15 March 2016
10. San Antonio

Richard Cummins | Getty Images

There's more than one reason to remember the Alamo.
San Antonio fell out of the top 10 list in 2014, but it's back in this edition. It's ranked highly since Thumbtack began surveying in 2012, and rejoined the top 10 because of strong zoning and land-use regulations, as well as helpful training and networking programs for entrepreneurs.
The city still needs to work on hiring of new employees, however, as respondents rated this factor lower in 2015 than in the previous two years.
Top 3 strengths
Training and networking: No. 7
Environmental regulations: No. 9
Tax code rank: No. 9
Biggest weakness
Ease of hiring: No. 44
9. Boulder, Colorado

Chris Rogers | Getty Images

It's a first for Boulder, Colorado, and the city must be on a Rocky Mountain high after beating out state capital Denver and Colorado Springs for a spot in Thumbtack's top 10.
Boulder scored highly in ease of starting a business and on health and safety regulations.
Its weaknesses include ease of hiring, and zoning and land use laws.
Top 3 strengths
Ease of starting a business: No. 13
Health & safety: No. 32
Licensing regulation: No. 34
Biggest weakness
Zoning: No. 89
8. Fort Collins, Colorado

Source: Wikipedia

Colorado is clearly a state that needs to be on the radar of entrepreneurs, with Fort Collins ranking right above Boulder.
Fort Collins' overall friendliness ranked No. 1 among all cities when it comes to training and networking programs.
However, like Boulder, ease of hiring remains a major weakness, as well as health and safety laws and environmental regulations.
Top 3 strengths
Training & networking: No. 1
Ease of starting a business: No. 17
Licensing regulation: No. 31

Biggest weakness
Zoning: No. 87
7. Houston

MedioImages | Photodisc | Getty Images

Houston has been a part of the friendliest small business cities ranking since 2013, when it peaked at No. 3, but slipped a little in 2015. The city remains a top locale for starting a business and scores highly for its business friendly local government.
Houston has seen a dip in its rank for training and networking programs aimed at entrepreneurs.
Top 3 strengths
Ease of starting a business: No. 4
Overall regulations: No. 6
Tax code rank: No. 6
Biggest weakness
Training & networking: No. 26
6. Nashville, Tennessee

Malcolm MacGregor | Flickr | Getty Images

Like several of the cities in the top 10, Nashville has its work cut out for it building a strong networking and training program for small businesses, but the home of country music has seen a boost in job growth and business regulations since 2014.
The city is a tax-friendly location and has a highly involved local government, which earned it a No. 6 ranking in 2015.
Top 3 strengths
Ease of starting a business: No. 11
Tax code rank: No. 12
Licensing regulation: No. 12

Biggest weakness
Training & networking: No. 71
5. Knoxville, Tennessee

Richard Cummins | Getty Images

About 200 miles east of No. 6 city Nashville is Knoxville, which has the second-highest rating for zoning regulations and friendliness of local government when it comes to employment, labor and hiring.
The city has a weak training and networking program for small businesses, ranking No. 84 for this metric.
Top 3 strengths
Ease of starting a business: No. 1
Employment, labor & hiring: No. 2
Zoning regulations: No. 2

Biggest weakness
Training & networking: No. 84
4. Austin, Texas

Elizabeth W. Kearley | Getty Images

One of four Texas cities to grace the top friendliest cities list, Austin held the No. 1 slot for the last three editions.
The city has seen a decline in zoning, licensing and health and safety regulations, leading to its drop from the top spot.
Despite this downturn, Austin remains one of the strongest cities to start a business and for entrepreneurial programs.
Top 3 strengths
Training & Networking: No. 8
Ease of starting a business: No. 9
Tax Code Rank: No. 23
Biggest weakness
Employment, labor & hiring: No. 50
3. Richmond, Virginia

Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Richmond is a city on the rise. It has seen an exponential rise in confidence for job creation and training programs since 2013 and shows few signs of slowing down.
Top 3 strengths
Health & Safety: No. 1
Ease of hiring: No. 2
Training & networking: No. 4
Biggest weakness
Zoning: No. 19
2. Dallas

Kanonsky | Getty Images

Dallas has been a top contender on Thumbtack's list of friendliest cities since 2012. While respondents considered hiring to be difficult, Dallas remains one of the best places to start a business and for environmental regulations.
Top 3 strengths
Employment, labor & hiring: No. 1
Overall regulations: No. 2
Tax code rank: No. 3
Biggest weakness
Training & networking: No. 23
1. Manchester, New Hampshire

Denis Jr. Tangney | Getty Images

Surprised? Manchester, New Hampshire, ranks in the top percentile for job creation, business growth and licensing regulations.
While its training and networking programs for entrepreneurs could use some work, this New England city is the friendliest city for small businesses.
Top 3 strengths
Licensing regulations: No. 1
Ease of starting a business: No. 2
Tax code rank: No. 2
Biggest weakness
Training & networking: No. 28

›

The 10 most-liked companies in Germany to work for in 2019, according to Glassdoor	These are the 10 best firms to work for in France, according to Glassdoor	Google is no longer the best place to work in the UK, according to a survey	Shameik Moore was once told he'd never be an actor — now he's the lead in the upcoming 'Spider-Man' movie
Macy's is hiring 80,000 holiday workers this year—here's how to land a job there	Selfish people earn less money than their generous peers, study finds	The best way to deal with a toxic coworker	Apple, Best Buy and 13 other retailers hiring seasonal workers right now
Millie Bobby Brown named UNICEF's youngest-ever Goodwill ambassador	Meet the queen of UK gambling who has earned $620 million in the last two years	How getting fired from Office Depot became a key stepping stone for Janelle Monae's music career	Workers say they'd give up $21,000 a year for a meaningful job, new survey finds
Suzy Welch: How to re-enter the workforce after a personal crisis	0.2% of VC funding goes to black women founders. Backstage Capital's Arlan Hamilton wants to close that gap	Yvonne Orji landed her role on 'Insecure' with no agent or acting experience	10 work-from-home jobs that pay $100,000 or more
Glued to your smartphone? Try these 6 techniques to take back control of your life	Key tips on negotiating a pay rise — and what to do if it doesn't work out	How to land a job at Amazon	11 jobs at Amazon that pay over $150,000
People who make time for this at work are 21% more likely to be happy	Here's how many minutes of exercise you should be getting each day	Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Amazon moving to Queens is 'extremely concerning'	6 things to do before you ask for a raise
The jobs most unique to each US state	Here's how long you should stay in a job	Amazon is set to hire 50,000 for additional HQ. Here's how to ace the interview	Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez can't afford an apartment in D.C.
The 10 highest-paying jobs at Google all pay over $240,000	Meet the 30-year-old who quit her 'dream job' to boost sustainability in Asia	Humor can help your resume stand out—here's the right way use it	Meet Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, the first Muslim women elected to Congress
Jahana Hayes is Connecticut's first black woman elected to Congress	Ayanna Pressley is Massachusetts' first black woman elected to Congress	15 people who made history in the 2018 midterm election	How to make correct decisions when you're under pressure, according to a former F1 racing champion
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 29, is now the youngest woman elected to Congress	What to say when an interviewer asks, 'What are your salary requirements?'	Stacey Abrams could become the first black female governor in the US	Thousands of students are expected to walk out of classes today to vote
2 ways to grow your start-up while keeping your workers happy	Having dealt with sexual harassment, this entrepreneur reveals how she's fighting back	3 steps to negotiating your next pay raise	These are the soft skills tech employers are most looking for in new hires
Lena Waithe was once paid with a $10,000 pair of Nikes	October jobs report: The best time to land a new job is right now	35% of workers making over $100,000 say they would quit a job without a new one	A growing number of women are starting their own companies. Here's their advice
It's Latina Women's Equal Pay Day—here's how companies can close their pay gap	How to respond when an interviewer asks 'What's your current salary?'	44% of US employers will give their workers paid time off to vote this year	Gravediggers earn $30,700 a year—here's how much other creepy jobs pay
Failure helped 6 millennials launch a multimillion-dollar international start-up	Women farmers earn about $58,000 a year—but they still outearn men	4 things to consider before wearing a Halloween costume to work tomorrow	After #MeToo, women in entertainment still struggle to find their voice
These are the 10 best universities in the world	What to say when you win a promotion over an older colleague	Not just Hollywood: Workers across entertainment say Time's Up	At Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine, women play the leads—onscreen and off

The #1 city for starting a small business is ...

The 10 friendliest cities for small business

10. San Antonio

9. Boulder, Colorado

8. Fort Collins, Colorado

7. Houston

6. Nashville, Tennessee

5. Knoxville, Tennessee

4. Austin, Texas

3. Richmond, Virginia

2. Dallas

1. Manchester, New Hampshire

More From Careers

more from Careers