Businesses

WalletHub - WalletHub today released its report on 2026’s Best Large Cities to Start a Business, as well as expert commentary, in order to help entrepreneurs find the right places for their startups to thrive. WalletHub compared 100 U.S. cities across 19 key indicators of startup viability. The data set ranges from the five-year business-survival rate to labor costs to office-space affordability.
 

Best Large Cities to Start a Business
1. Tampa, FL	11. Dallas, TX
2. Orlando, FL	12. Atlanta, GA
3. Jacksonville, FL	13. Phoenix, AZ
4. Hialeah, FL	14. Charlotte, NC
5. St. Petersburg, FL	15. North Las Vegas, NV
6. Durham, NC	16. Irving, TX
7. Raleigh, NC	17. Henderson, NV
8. Tulsa, OK	18. Chandler, AZ
9. Oklahoma City, OK	19. Indianapolis, IN
10. Miami, FL	20. Mesa, AZ

Best vs. Worst

• Toledo, Ohio, has the lowest average annual rent for office space, which is 6.7 times cheaper than in San Francisco, the city with the highest.
   
• Detroit has the lowest labor costs (median annual income), which is 4.5 times lower than in Fremont, California, the city with the highest.
   
• Oklahoma City, have the lowest cost-of-living index, which is 2.3 times lower than in Honolulu, the city with the highest.
   
• Miami and Hialeah, Florida, have the most startups per 100,000 residents, which is three times more than in Toledo, Ohio, the city with the fewest.

 To view the full report and your city’s rank,