CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A LendingTree analysis says Charlotte is one of the best places in America to start a business, but just about anywhere in North Carolina is good, with Raleigh and Durham also placing in the top 5.
The study ranked the 100 largest U.S. metros by population from best to worst for small businesses using nine metro and state-based metrics. These metrics included tax climate, business survival rate, the proportion of residents with at least a bachelor's degree and housing rates.
The best places included:
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Austin Texas
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Durham, North Carolina
- Boise, Idaho
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Portland, Oregon
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Nashville, Tennessee
- St. Louis, Missouri
"Charlotte is an interesting story at No. 3," LendingTree wrote. "The North Carolina metro's highest ranking is 15th — based on the state's tax climate, which factors in corporate, individual income, sales, property and unemployment insurance taxes. But its lowest ranking is just 53rd — based on the state’s entrepreneurship rate, or the rate of residents who start a business. This shows that a steady balance across the board can make for a better place to start a small business in some cases."
On the other end of the spectrum, the West Coast offers some of the worst locations with four of the bottom 10 in California.
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