For small businesses, location matters.
Thumbtack, an online marketplace that connects consumers with a range of professionals from chimney sweeps to dog walkers, surveyed almost 18,000 small business in 95 cities across all 50 states and ranked the top cities for small businesses.
The survey asked owners to rank their city in 36 different categories, which Thumbtack combined to make an overall grade.
Manchester, New Hampshire took the top spot, while Texas had the most cities of any state with 4 of the top 10.
“We have found that state and city governments that promote local business training and focus on ease of regulatory compliance are consistently perceived as being friendliest to small business,” Jon Lieber, chief economist for Thumbtack, wrote. “Once again, we found that entrepreneurs’ perceptions of their tax burdens were among the least important factors in judging governments.”
We compiled the top 10 cities from the survey along with Thumbtack’s grade for 5 key survey categories.
10. San Antonio, TX
Overall friendliness: A
Ease of starting a business: A-
Ease of hiring: B-
Regulations: A
Training and Networking Programs: A+
9. Boulder, CO
Overall friendliness: A
Ease of starting a business: A+
Ease of hiring: C
Regulations: B-
Training and Networking Programs: B-
8. Fort Collins, CO
Overall friendliness: A
Ease of starting a business: A
Ease of hiring: C-
Regulations: B-
Training and Networking Programs: A+
7. Houston, TX
Overall friendliness: A+
Ease of starting a business: A+
Ease of hiring: B+
Regulations: A+
Training and Networking Programs: B+
6. Nashville, TN
Overall friendliness: A+
Ease of starting a business: A+
Ease of hiring: A-
Regulations: A-
Training and Networking Programs: C-
5. Knoxville, TN
Overall friendliness: A+
Ease of starting a business: A+
Ease of hiring: A-
Regulations: A+
Training and Networking Programs: D
4. Austin, TX
Overall friendliness: A+
Ease of starting a business: A+
Ease of hiring: B-
Regulations: B
Training and Networking Programs: A+
3. Richmond, VA
Overall friendliness: A+
Ease of starting a business: A+
Ease of hiring: A+
Regulations: A+
Training and Networking Programs: A+
2. Dallas, TX
Overall friendliness: A+
Ease of starting a business: A+
Ease of hiring: B+
Regulations: A+
Training and Networking Programs: A-
1. Manchester, NH
Overall friendliness: A+
Ease of starting a business: A+
Ease of hiring: A-
Regulations: A+
Training and Networking Programs: B+
This article is published in collaboration with Business Insider. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.
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Author: Bob Bryan is a Finance and Markets Intern for Business Insider.
Image: Cyclists pass beneath the downtown skyline on the hike and bike trail on Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas. REUTERS/Julia Robinson
