OVERBEARING bureaucracy and excessive licensing is stifling small business in America. States and cities have traditionally tried to attract businesses by offering them tax breaks and other cash incentives. But research by Thumbtack, a website that matches customers to businesses, and the Kauffman Foundation, a think-tank, has found how little local tax rates matter to small business owners. Nearly two-thirds of respondents say they pay their “fair share” of taxes, which the survey-takers reckon means they don’t feel over- or undertaxed. But many complain about the difficulty of complying with complex regulations.

Explore the findings in our interactive map, which rates states by “business climate,” tax codes and regulations. It also reveals the proportion of jobs that require licences. Read the story in the print edition here