List: Looking To Start A Business In North Carolina? These Are The 28 Best Small Cities For Success
Looking to start a business? Location, location, location is key. And sometimes, many times, the best place to start a business it’s not in the big city but in the…
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nevarppLooking to start a business? Location, location, location is key. And sometimes, many times, the best place to start a business it's not in the big city but in the smaller ones. Of course, this is dependent upon the type of business. Small cities offer often times cheaper start-up costs, as well as less competition. So if you're looking to start a business in North Carolina, you may want to consider a smaller city instead of Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro or another larger one. But which is best?
Our friends at WalletHub compiled a list of the best & worst small cities to start a business in. They ranked 1,300 small-sized cities in states across the country. Cities were scored on 18 key metrics, and those scores were averaged out and compiled into rankings. Metrics included things like labor costs, access to investors, and business environment. One North Carolina city actually cracked the top 10 of those 1,300 cities. And even more impressive is that all 28 North Carolina small cities featured on this list, ranked in the top 50 percent. That's great news for anyone looking to start a business in North Carolina.
Keep reading to see each of the 28 cities and how they ranked in North Carolina as well as where they stand nationally. Want more details? Read the full WalletHub study here.
1. Morrisville
Overall Rank: 10
Total Score: 60.05
Business Environment:35
Access To Resources: 62
Business Costs: 419
2. Asheville
Overall Rank: 48
Total Score: 56.67
Business Environment: 175
Access To Resources: 152
Business Costs: 138
3. Holly Springs
Overall Rank: 50
Total Score: 56.62
Business Environment:140
Access To Resources: 69
Business Costs: 501
4. Wake Forest
Overall Rank: 62
Total Score: 55.68
Business Environment:263
Access To Resources: 49
Business Costs: 418
5. Salisbury
Overall Rank: 70
Total Score: 55.27
Business Environment: 228
Access To Resources: 462
Business Costs: 16
6. Mooresville
Overall Rank: 73
Total Score: 55.14
Business Environment: 243
Access To Resources: 174
Business Costs: 184
7. Apex
Overall Rank: 82
Total Score: 54.75
Business Environment: 274
Access To Resources: 46
Business Costs: 518
8. Fuquay- Varina
Overall Rank: 85
Total Score: 54.68
Business Environment:330
Access To Resources: 56
Business Costs: 215
9. Garner
Overall Rank: 87
Total Score: 54.55
Business Environment:295
Access To Resources: 281
Business Costs: 205
10. Statesville
Overall Rank: 53.32
Total Score: 240
Business Environment:845
Access To Resources: 39
Business Costs:
11. Concord
Overall Rank: 173
Total Score: 52.03
Business Environment: 268
Access To Resources: 488
Business Costs: 258
12. Kannapolis
Overall Rank: 183
Total Score: 51.64
Business Environment:226
Access To Resources: 1031
Business Costs: 162
13. Huntersville
Overall Rank: 188
Total Score: 51.6
Business Environment: 227
Access To Resources: 373
Business Costs: 484
14. Cornelius
Overall Rank: 195
Total Score: 51.43
Business Environment: 311
Access To Resources: 455
Business Costs: 283
15. Gastonia
Overall Rank: 202
Total Score: 51.2
Business Environment: 279
Access To Resources: 1001
Business Costs: 141
16. Chapel Hill
Overall Rank: 236
Total Score: 49.98
Business Environment: 886
Access To Resources: 21
Business Costs: 448
17. Burlington
Overall Rank: 236
Total Score: 49.98
Business Environment: 782
Access To Resources: 469
Business Costs: 65
18. Indian Trail
Overall Rank: 240
Total Score: 49.93
Business Environment:328
Access To Resources: 679
Business Costs: 336
19. Monroe, NC
Overall Rank: 243
Total Score: 49.81
Business Environment: 328
Access To Resources: 679
Business Costs: 336
20. Mint Hill
Overall Rank: 267
Total Score: 49.28
Business Environment: 347
Access To Resources: 783
Business Costs: 325
21. Greenville
Overall Rank: 278
Total Score: 48.99
Business Environment: 854
Access To Resources: 351
Business Costs: 63
22. Jacksonville
Overall Rank: 292
Total Score: 48.79
Business Environment: 773
Access To Resources: 823
Business Costs: 72
23. Sanford
Overall Rank: 303
Total Score: 48.65
Business Environment:997
Access To Resources: 693
Business Costs: 19
24. Wilson, NC
Overall Rank: 308
Total Score: 48.61
Business Environment: 1008
Access To Resources: 284
Business Costs: 64
25. Goldsboro
Overall Rank: 332
Total Score: 48.23
Business Environment: 1192
Access To Resources: 263
Business Costs: 2
26. Thomasville
Overall Rank: 254
Total Score: 47.83
Business Environment:870
Access To Resources: 1118
Business Costs: 51
27. Asheboro
Overall Rank: 417
Total Score: 46.89
Business Environment:839
Access To Resources: 1170
Business Costs: 13
28. Rocky Mount
Overall Rank: 569
Total Score: 45.04
Business Environment:1258
Access To Resources: 386
Business Costs: 58
