Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own.

Boulder, Colorado-based Grasshaven Outdoor sells canvas tepees, durable dinnerware and patterned picnic coolers — accessories for glamorous camping, or “glamping,” as founder Dawn Bitz calls it. Since she quit her corporate job to start the company in 2012, Bitz has been called the “Martha Stewart of camping” and the “camping style diva.” She got the idea for the business when she was planning a camping trip with her husband and kids but couldn’t find gear that was both stylish and functional.

“It was literally one of those middle-of-the-night epiphanies,” she says of the moment the idea came to her.

With an e-commerce site, a flagship store in Boulder and 17 retail locations in RV dealerships across the country, the company has grown quickly. Bitz attributes much of that success to her city’s “entrepreneurial spirit,” which has helped her meet mentors, find great employees and even get access to capital. Grasshaven Outdoor employs four full-time workers and several part-time and contract employees. As she looks to expand, Bitz plans to improve the company’s website, and she hasn’t had trouble finding people to help her do that in Boulder.

“There’s just a hotbed of talent here to tap into,” Bitz says.

For more related information, visit NerdWallet’s resources on how to start a business.

Where do businesses succeed?

Location is one of the most important factors in business. A business’s location shapes its customer base, its workforce and its access to capital and mentorship.

To understand where entrepreneurs in the U.S. can find the most success, NerdWallet analyzed 183 metropolitan areas with 15,000 or more businesses and populations over 250,000. We considered six metrics to answer the two main questions about each place:

Are businesses successful here? In each place, we looked at the average revenue of businesses, the percentage of businesses with paid employees and the number of businesses per 100 people, all key indicators of success.

It’s important to note that about 23 million of the 28 million total U.S. small businesses are non-employer businesses, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. They are sole proprietors: one- or two-person enterprises including IT consultants, freelance writers, painters, roofers and more.

Is the area’s overall economy strong? We evaluated the median annual income, median annual housing cost and unemployment rate in each place to assess the environment for entrepreneurs.

Key takeaways

Smaller markets pay off. All of the places on our top 10 list have populations under 1 million. The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk metro area in Connecticut has the largest population of the top 10 places at 926,233, and Wilmington, North Carolina, has the smallest at 259,815.

Consider the Midwest. When you think of successful locations, places on the coasts often are the first to come to mind. However, cities in the Midwest offer a lower cost of living and less competition. Five of the top 10 places on our list are in the Midwest, including two in Indiana and one each in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas, stands out. This southeast Texas metro area stands out because of its low annual housing costs and high business revenues. On average, businesses here take in 155% more than businesses in the other metro areas we studied.





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Via: NerdWallet



Best places to start a business

1. Boulder, Colorado

With stunning Rocky Mountain views, a booming technology scene, a large natural food industry and a culture that appreciates locally made goods, it’s no surprise that Boulder tops our list. Nationally recognized brands hail from the city, including Justin’s, a maker of organic nut butters, and Crocs, the casual footwear company famous for brightly colored clogs. Boulder has abundant resources for entrepreneurs, including several co-working spaces, capital investors and incubators. Business owners can also join the Boulder Chamber to attend networking events, get listed in its directory and find out about programs such as Boulder Young Professionals, which hosts social, volunteering and professional development events.

2. Wilmington, North Carolina

A growing population, strong tourism industry and proximity to the beach make this port city ideal for businesses. Wilmington has about 15 businesses for every 100 people — the highest volume of businesses in our top 10. Nearly 900 of those businesses are downtown, including Flytrap Brewing, a craft brewery, and Fuzzy Peach, a frozen yogurt chain started by three friends who met at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Businesses can join the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce to get listed in its business directory, attend training seminars and go to biannual business-to-business networking expos.

3. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut

In southwest Connecticut, just north of Long Island, the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk area has a strong arts scene, an educated population and financially successful businesses. The annual median income here — $63,369 — is the highest of all places in our top 10. Local businesses include Amodex, a family-owned company that makes an ink and stain remover, and Mike’s Ristorante, a family-owned Italian eatery. Businesses in the area can join the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce or the Bridgeport Regional Business Council to attend networking events, get listed in their business directories and get access to insurance programs through the Chamber Insurance Trust.

4. Evansville, Indiana-Kentucky

Evansville is an economic and commercial hub in the Indiana-Kentucky-Illinois Tri-State area. The city’s biggest employers include two medical centers, the local school district and Berry Plastics, a company that makes plastic packaging products. Evansville also has several cultural districts with entertainment venues, local restaurants and boutiques. Businesses can join the Southwest Indiana Chamber to get listed in its directory, get discounts on business services and join local groups, including the Diverse Business Alliance and the Downtown Alliance. The Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville also has resources including free site selection services, business expansion programs and a technology incubator.

5. Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine

A small community with a big culinary culture, many of Portland’s local businesses involve food. Maine Foodie Tours offers culinary walking tours of the city, and Bite Into Maine is a popular food truck specializing in lobster rolls. Portland is also home to the SBA’s Maine Young Entrepreneur of 2010, Becky McKinnell, who founded the web design studio iBec Creative. For budding businesses, the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce provides members with free meeting space and discounts on cellphone plans, health insurance, credit card processing and Apple products. Members of the Biddeford+Saco Chamber of Commerce & Industry are included in its business directory, can attend networking events and training workshops and get discounts on health insurance programs through the Alliance of Maine Chambers.

6. Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cedar Rapids has a low cost of living, a downtown district with local shops and restaurants and an economy driven by food processing, manufacturing, distribution, wind energy, electronics and financial services. Local businesses include Fix Salon, a hair and beauty salon, and Brewed Awakenings, a coffee shop. The unemployment rate of 3.8% is the lowest of our top 10. Businesses can join the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance to get listed in its annual business directory and to attend networking events.

7. Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas

This area, in southeast Texas near the Louisiana border, is home to Cajun culture, views of the Gulf of Mexico and an affordable cost of living. The average household pays $8,316 a year for housing, the lowest in our top 10, but businesses earn $2.8 million a year in revenue on average, the highest of our top 10 cities. Businesses can join the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce or the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce to be included in business directories, attend networking events and participate in referral groups.

8. Green Bay, Wisconsin

Home to the Packers football team, Green Bay draws visitors from across the state for home games at Lambeau Field. In addition to football, Green Bay’s downtown has parks, museums, theaters, shops, restaurants and the CityDeck, a boardwalk along the Fox River. Almost a third of businesses here have paid employees, including Hinterland, a brewery and restaurant featuring locally sourced food. Businesses can join the Greater Green Bay Chamber to be included in its directory and attend networking events. The Chamber’s Advance Microloan program offers loans up to $75,000 for new businesses in need of startup capital.

9. Fort Wayne, Indiana

As Indiana’s second-largest city, Fort Wayne has a low cost of living, family-friendly neighborhoods and a vibrant downtown. Local businesses here include The Olive Twist, an olive oil and balsamic vinegar boutique, and Pure Movement Pilates, a pilates studio. Businesses can join Greater Fort Wayne Inc. to get listed in its business directory, attend networking events and get business referrals. The city also has a step-by-step guide to starting a business in Fort Wayne.

10. Peoria, Illinois

This college town has a low cost of living, and it’s equidistant from Chicago and St. Louis. Bradley University and Caterpillar, the global construction equipment manufacturer, are located here, providing employment opportunities and drawing customers to local businesses, including The Chef and the Baker, a family-owned restaurant that sells box lunches and sweets. Peoria’s RiverFront District is the city’s main attraction, with festivals, live music, art, restaurants and shopping. Businesses can join the Peoria Chamber of Commerce to get listed in its directory, attend networking events and find advertising opportunities.

Best places to start a business

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Rank Location Average revenue of businesses Percentage of businesses with paid employees Number of businesses per 100 people Annual median income Annual median housing costs Unemployment rate Overall score 1 Boulder, CO $721,489 23.8% 14.1 $55,348 $15,792 5.2% 62.008 2 Wilmington, NC $665,548 23.6% 15.1 $40,615 $11,916 6.8% 60.352 3 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT $2,145,214 22.4% 11.8 $63,369 $21,948 6.8% 57.606 4 Evansville, IN-KY $1,844,834 27.5% 8.2 $39,842 $9,312 4.8% 55.532 5 Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME $716,382 24.0% 12.1 $45,258 $13,500 4.5% 55.424 6 Cedar Rapids, IA $1,514,835 26.1% 8.3 $44,727 $10,452 3.8% 54.624 7 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $2,778,973 22.9% 6.9 $41,240 $8,316 5.8% 53.927 8 Green Bay, WI $1,594,448 31.1% 7.2 $41,972 $10,596 5.1% 53.213 9 Fort Wayne, IN $1,965,562 26.5% 7.7 $41,666 $9,060 6.3% 52.771 10 Peoria, IL $1,698,149 27.2% 7.1 $44,934 $9,624 5.3% 52.019 11 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $1,667,181 22.1% 8.7 $45,653 $11,808 4.3% 51.971 12 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $592,116 24.5% 11.3 $47,194 $13,872 5.5% 51.772 13 Baton Rouge, LA $1,646,889 20.7% 8.8 $43,853 $10,044 5.0% 50.914 14 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $1,416,694 23.2% 9.3 $51,395 $14,736 5.3% 50.843 15 Salt Lake City, UT $1,315,861 25.7% 9.6 $42,310 $13,536 5.4% 50.811 16 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA $1,550,877 25.4% 8.0 $42,918 $11,736 4.4% 50.720 17 Pittsburgh, PA $1,333,954 25.6% 7.7 $44,705 $9,468 4.9% 50.682 18 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $1,425,630 26.6% 8.7 $54,556 $16,884 5.9% 50.185 19 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $1,517,342 21.5% 10.3 $61,691 $20,412 6.3% 50.156 20 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $1,829,748 23.8% 8.2 $55,728 $15,564 6.4% 50.115 21 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI $1,762,529 27.1% 7.2 $46,655 $12,084 6.1% 49.832 22 Roanoke, VA $1,078,870 27.6% 7.8 $40,752 $10,068 4.4% 49.813 23 Tulsa, OK $1,236,235 21.6% 9.3 $40,080 $9,864 4.7% 49.804 24 Denver-Aurora, CO $1,109,075 22.4% 10.3 $49,884 $14,832 5.9% 49.800 25 Lincoln, NE $1,045,672 26.0% 8.4 $41,342 $10,428 4.6% 49.578 26 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $1,470,846 24.4% 7.3 $43,194 $9,432 4.4% 49.484 27 Trenton-Ewing, NJ $1,637,878 28.1% 8.2 $56,392 $17,844 7.1% 49.362 28 Boise City-Nampa, ID $1,142,356 25.6% 9.6 $40,127 $11,412 6.4% 49.308 29 Duluth, MN-WI $899,799 26.1% 8.3 $42,170 $9,156 5.3% 49.155 30 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH $1,404,655 22.9% 9.4 $57,307 $18,204 5.8% 49.064 31 Anchorage, AK $1,418,915 24.7% 8.9 $52,231 $16,728 5.5% 48.886 32 New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA $1,290,369 22.6% 10.4 $52,982 $17,868 6.3% 48.860 33 Oklahoma City, OK $995,323 21.3% 9.5 $39,433 $10,212 4.0% 48.857 34 Amarillo, TX $1,071,730 21.1% 8.9 $38,303 $9,432 3.3% 48.825 35 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL $655,480 18.8% 14.1 $38,508 $14,760 7.5% 48.779 36 Kansas City, MO-KS $1,410,021 23.0% 8.5 $45,312 $11,964 5.4% 48.656 37 Lexington-Fayette, KY $1,399,619 23.4% 8.5 $42,437 $10,488 5.7% 48.584 38 Richmond, VA $1,573,132 25.8% 7.9 $46,351 $13,596 5.6% 48.475 39 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY $1,396,138 27.9% 6.5 $44,852 $9,852 5.4% 48.451 40 Madison, WI $1,232,260 25.5% 7.9 $46,649 $13,428 4.2% 48.407 41 Naples-Marco Island, FL $554,641 23.8% 11.7 $36,376 $13,428 5.4% 48.388 42 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $1,796,830 23.6% 8.5 $67,416 $22,332 6.6% 48.314 43 Syracuse, NY $1,421,165 24.5% 7.5 $44,693 $10,620 5.1% 48.300 44 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $1,449,501 24.2% 7.6 $44,947 $11,448 4.8% 48.249 45 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $559,832 23.3% 11.0 $47,971 $16,260 5.0% 48.188 46 Manchester-Nashua, NH $1,047,236 24.5% 9.4 $51,445 $16,572 5.3% 48.082 47 St. Louis, MO-IL $1,453,184 24.5% 8.0 $45,545 $11,424 6.2% 47.984 48 Asheville, NC $564,964 19.8% 11.1 $37,201 $9,480 5.2% 47.943 49 Wichita, KS $1,425,670 24.0% 7.8 $41,838 $9,828 5.6% 47.802 50 Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH $1,228,096 24.5% 8.5 $45,473 $10,812 6.8% 47.772 51 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $1,107,597 28.1% 7.0 $40,042 $9,264 5.0% 47.706 52 Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, FL $588,183 23.9% 10.7 $39,013 $11,556 6.0% 47.678 53 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $1,164,766 22.6% 8.7 $40,288 $9,840 5.2% 47.541 54 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA $1,507,433 21.2% 8.9 $41,772 $11,424 5.9% 47.420 55 Corpus Christi, TX $1,404,578 21.9% 8.6 $38,239 $10,176 5.0% 47.391 56 Reno-Sparks, NV $1,082,796 27.0% 9.4 $42,228 $13,164 7.5% 47.377 57 Durham, NC $1,263,824 23.1% 8.3 $45,793 $11,748 5.6% 47.342 58 Birmingham-Hoover, AL $1,482,205 22.1% 8.3 $42,809 $10,464 6.1% 47.100 59 Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN $1,465,614 21.9% 8.5 $41,637 $10,236 6.4% 47.006 60 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $1,511,796 24.0% 8.0 $51,720 $14,580 6.7% 46.590 61 Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA $1,188,251 25.5% 8.8 $48,110 $14,376 7.1% 46.530 62 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $1,048,675 24.2% 7.8 $49,319 $12,612 5.0% 46.503 63 Lubbock, TX $866,106 26.0% 8.2 $36,933 $9,768 4.7% 46.500 64 Lynchburg, VA $966,264 27.9% 7.2 $39,050 $9,228 5.2% 46.459 65 Springfield, MA $999,167 23.1% 8.7 $48,340 $12,096 6.3% 46.393 66 Baltimore-Towson, MD $1,125,041 23.0% 8.7 $53,869 $16,080 5.6% 46.324 67 Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN $1,586,710 21.6% 7.9 $45,557 $11,664 6.0% 46.321 68 Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA $949,050 26.4% 8.6 $48,298 $13,728 6.8% 46.104 69 Greensboro-High Point, NC $1,440,701 22.9% 8.6 $38,095 $9,804 7.0% 46.073 70 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $674,133 23.6% 10.8 $50,946 $17,736 6.7% 45.821 71 Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI $1,371,772 22.4% 9.2 $50,112 $15,060 7.5% 45.811 72 Springfield, MO $804,384 21.6% 9.5 $35,956 $8,892 5.5% 45.732 73 Raleigh-Cary, NC $1,006,740 23.2% 8.7 $48,473 $13,224 6.0% 45.725 74 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO $1,290,803 21.0% 8.2 $37,176 $9,576 4.4% 45.720 75 Akron, OH $1,067,322 24.3% 8.4 $43,339 $10,608 6.9% 45.495 76 Ann Arbor, MI $783,582 20.5% 9.4 $53,378 $13,848 6.0% 45.464 77 Lancaster, PA $1,016,849 20.9% 9.0 $43,089 $12,012 5.0% 45.351 78 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA $899,279 23.6% 8.1 $39,799 $8,184 6.1% 45.298 79 Erie, PA $1,070,116 26.3% 7.0 $39,713 $8,904 5.8% 44.954 80 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX $1,687,168 17.6% 8.6 $44,738 $12,744 5.5% 44.945 81 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $1,146,806 20.1% 9.2 $62,903 $21,120 5.1% 44.772 82 Spokane, WA $971,515 27.6% 7.2 $42,225 $10,620 6.2% 44.632 83 Huntsville, AL $1,080,694 22.8% 7.6 $46,449 $10,032 6.4% 44.570 84 Canton-Massillon, OH $1,100,054 23.6% 7.9 $40,356 $9,120 6.5% 44.536 85 Eugene-Springfield, OR $748,959 25.3% 9.2 $40,277 $11,244 7.4% 44.429 86 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA $1,163,317 19.6% 10.2 $45,784 $13,836 7.8% 44.356 87 Bremerton-Silverdale, WA $453,391 28.1% 8.1 $51,034 $15,120 5.6% 44.269 88 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $1,379,779 20.8% 7.9 $45,325 $10,932 6.5% 44.230 89 Austin-Round Rock, TX $1,282,864 19.5% 8.9 $45,579 $14,160 5.3% 44.226 90 Rochester, NY $1,046,077 24.4% 7.2 $44,559 $11,208 5.2% 44.211 91 Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI $1,238,246 22.3% 8.6 $49,378 $11,808 8.7% 44.181 92 Columbus, OH $1,481,856 19.2% 7.9 $45,639 $11,820 5.5% 44.115 93 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $1,094,269 23.0% 7.3 $38,744 $8,808 4.9% 44.111 94 Toledo, OH $1,242,834 24.7% 7.9 $41,933 $9,684 8.3% 44.110 95 Indianapolis-Carmel, IN $1,348,848 22.6% 7.6 $43,879 $11,172 6.4% 44.030 96 Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA $1,111,545 21.3% 7.6 $36,175 $7,164 5.3% 43.955 97 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $919,982 22.2% 9.4 $40,723 $11,784 6.8% 43.814 98 Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA $950,433 28.1% 5.8 $45,884 $11,088 5.0% 43.620 99 Greeley, CO $967,071 21.8% 8.9 $43,107 $13,260 5.5% 43.608 100 Waco, TX $1,337,738 24.6% 6.6 $35,061 $9,276 4.6% 43.578 101 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $655,118 21.1% 11.0 $51,226 $19,404 6.1% 43.560 102 Gainesville, FL $689,182 24.8% 8.1 $40,062 $10,992 5.3% 43.534 103 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $1,100,526 18.0% 9.4 $41,907 $11,628 5.7% 43.528 104 Jackson, MS $1,099,276 20.7% 8.6 $38,000 $9,756 5.9% 43.526 105 Fort Smith, AR-OK $850,035 20.4% 8.5 $33,834 $7,512 4.9% 43.502 106 Jacksonville, FL $1,163,950 25.2% 8.2 $41,503 $12,816 7.0% 43.362 107 Colorado Springs, CO $750,266 22.5% 9.3 $44,001 $13,632 6.0% 43.185 108 Lafayette, LA $949,486 25.9% 6.0 $40,856 $8,124 5.0% 43.148 109 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA $1,152,148 20.8% 10.6 $44,383 $17,748 7.1% 42.940 110 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $709,112 25.8% 8.4 $41,259 $11,280 7.1% 42.915 111 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $1,071,551 23.6% 7.7 $40,571 $9,300 7.1% 42.858 112 Savannah, GA $932,223 22.5% 8.8 $40,207 $12,204 6.0% 42.829 113 Montgomery, AL $985,795 19.3% 8.7 $40,268 $10,320 5.5% 42.719 114 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $1,211,791 23.0% 7.6 $46,495 $13,296 6.1% 42.699 115 Olympia, WA $609,379 25.7% 7.9 $50,560 $14,688 5.8% 42.641 116 Utica-Rome, NY $888,886 25.3% 6.5 $39,958 $9,132 4.9% 42.580 117 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $1,243,810 17.2% 9.0 $44,653 $13,068 5.6% 42.474 118 Norwich-New London, CT $851,823 23.3% 7.9 $52,031 $15,408 5.8% 42.208 119 Chattanooga, TN-GA $964,158 19.3% 8.7 $39,192 $9,348 6.2% 42.165 120 Ogden-Clearfield, UT $760,220 24.0% 7.2 $45,159 $12,768 4.3% 42.138 121 Dayton, OH $1,178,558 21.4% 7.6 $42,767 $10,356 6.6% 42.060 122 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $1,492,229 21.9% 5.3 $39,330 $7,236 4.6% 42.056 123 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $516,064 22.1% 10.2 $37,975 $11,592 7.4% 42.050 124 Spartanburg, SC $1,296,579 24.2% 6.8 $38,088 $8,688 7.0% 42.011 125 Mobile, AL $1,200,814 20.4% 8.4 $38,569 $9,792 7.1% 41.968 126 Binghamton, NY $953,812 22.0% 7.0 $41,698 $9,156 5.3% 41.867 127 Albuquerque, NM $978,605 22.9% 7.4 $41,575 $11,052 5.6% 41.775 128 Knoxville, TN $1,174,760 20.0% 7.3 $39,498 $9,264 5.2% 41.667 129 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $885,606 22.9% 8.8 $40,898 $12,696 6.8% 41.513 130 New Haven-Milford, CT $916,181 21.7% 8.6 $53,219 $16,044 7.1% 41.395 131 Provo-Orem, UT $606,098 21.9% 8.6 $44,933 $13,824 4.9% 41.391 132 Orlando-Kissimmee, FL $919,165 22.8% 9.6 $38,011 $13,392 7.6% 41.278 133 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $879,987 21.8% 8.2 $42,691 $10,020 7.5% 41.179 134 Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA $781,720 24.3% 9.3 $44,336 $17,820 6.0% 41.074 135 Rockford, IL $1,011,809 24.7% 7.8 $42,448 $11,052 8.3% 41.063 136 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $1,211,682 21.3% 9.7 $51,434 $21,360 6.4% 41.040 137 Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ $1,171,688 22.0% 7.7 $43,136 $12,948 6.1% 40.931 138 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA $863,555 22.7% 9.3 $48,609 $18,468 6.2% 40.873 139 Reading, PA $1,102,709 22.9% 7.4 $43,317 $11,964 6.5% 40.795 140 Port St. Lucie, FL $550,167 21.6% 10.0 $38,527 $11,928 7.9% 40.444 141 York-Hanover, PA $1,006,088 20.7% 7.7 $45,042 $12,444 5.9% 40.379 142 Columbia, SC $1,010,827 23.1% 7.5 $40,126 $10,728 6.8% 40.193 143 Worcester, MA $1,079,436 22.2% 7.0 $52,413 $14,496 6.4% 40.046 144 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $892,665 20.7% 8.5 $33,991 $7,968 7.4% 40.003 145 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $751,138 22.6% 7.8 $43,695 $11,880 6.5% 39.917 146 Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC $1,532,541 22.2% 6.8 $43,087 $11,664 7.7% 39.849 147 Ocala, FL $561,633 21.9% 8.8 $33,989 $8,976 6.8% 39.832 148 Tucson, AZ $751,416 22.8% 7.7 $40,195 $10,752 6.4% 39.564 149 Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC $1,032,154 22.9% 6.6 $39,943 $9,264 6.4% 39.487 150 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI $1,186,256 23.0% 6.4 $43,204 $10,812 6.7% 39.422 151 Salem, OR $708,273 27.6% 7.4 $38,887 $11,436 8.1% 38.988 152 Winston-Salem, NC $1,360,428 22.4% 6.1 $39,514 $9,348 6.7% 38.973 153 Tallahassee, FL $583,917 23.8% 8.2 $40,507 $11,532 7.4% 38.954 154 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC $962,512 24.7% 6.8 $42,981 $15,024 5.3% 38.402 155 Atlantic City, NJ $972,686 27.3% 7.6 $43,706 $15,696 8.7% 37.927 156 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $589,459 26.6% 7.3 $34,878 $10,344 7.1% 37.855 157 Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA $905,654 20.9% 8.3 $50,613 $15,648 8.0% 37.797 158 San Antonio, TX $836,618 17.8% 7.9 $39,069 $11,016 5.0% 37.736 159 Honolulu, HI $967,701 22.8% 7.7 $44,790 $19,692 3.7% 37.636 160 Lakeland, FL $1,027,239 21.9% 7.4 $35,707 $10,080 7.1% 37.583 161 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $648,823 21.9% 8.1 $37,544 $11,184 6.8% 37.340 162 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $1,246,251 17.9% 7.8 $40,980 $11,376 7.5% 37.255 163 Flint, MI $950,354 20.0% 8.0 $42,099 $9,600 9.3% 37.187 164 Laredo, TX $487,482 19.4% 8.3 $30,461 $10,008 4.1% 37.132 165 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $883,904 19.4% 7.2 $40,170 $9,720 6.4% 36.986 166 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $495,350 21.7% 7.8 $36,825 $10,944 6.0% 36.506 167 Columbus, GA-AL $986,133 19.7% 7.3 $35,826 $10,296 6.5% 35.892 168 Salinas, CA $760,648 23.9% 7.5 $41,561 $16,488 6.7% 34.608 169 El Paso, TX $758,289 16.2% 7.7 $32,279 $9,132 5.2% 34.412 170 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV $1,026,318 21.0% 7.7 $40,439 $13,860 8.4% 34.122 171 Clarksville, TN-KY $785,244 21.9% 6.1 $37,547 $10,368 6.3% 33.904 172 Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX $976,378 21.6% 5.1 $37,279 $10,908 5.2% 32.549 173 Fresno, CA $872,783 24.0% 6.3 $39,710 $12,072 8.9% 32.110 174 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA $1,071,793 20.7% 6.6 $51,496 $18,204 7.6% 31.880 175 Fayetteville, NC $734,102 23.2% 5.8 $36,014 $11,028 7.4% 30.977 176 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $446,457 16.3% 7.3 $29,044 $7,452 5.8% 30.921 177 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $413,147 13.2% 8.3 $28,771 $7,452 6.3% 30.145 178 Bakersfield, CA $953,817 19.0% 6.3 $40,372 $12,060 8.1% 29.817 179 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $781,509 19.6% 5.4 $36,919 $10,116 6.2% 29.815 180 Modesto, CA $994,691 24.1% 6.0 $42,985 $13,644 10.5% 29.805 181 Stockton, CA $1,055,963 23.0% 5.9 $44,382 $14,808 10.1% 28.937 182 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $749,418 17.6% 7.3 $43,407 $15,948 9.0% 26.620 183 Visalia-Porterville, CA $759,690 21.8% 5.6 $35,386 $11,424 9.0% 26.373

Methodology

NerdWallet analyzed 183 metropolitan areas with 15,000 or more businesses and populations over 250,000. The overall score for each place was calculated with the following metrics:

Business environment is 60% of the overall score. This is based on three data points from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey:

Average revenue of businesses. Higher revenue led to a higher score. This is 15% of the score.

Percent of businesses with paid employees. A larger percentage led to a higher score. This is 15% of the score.

Number of businesses per 100 people. A higher number led to a higher score. This is 30% of the score.

Economic landscape is 40% of the overall score. This is based on three data points from the American Community Survey:

Median annual income. A higher income led to a higher score. This is 15% of the score.

Median annual housing cost. A lower cost led to a higher score. This is 15% of the score.

Unemployment rate. Lower unemployment rates led to a higher score. This is 10% of the score.

For more information on starting a small business, check out NerdWallet’s small business guide.

Infographic by Brian Yee.

Downtown Boulder, Colorado, image via iStock.