The 10 best small cities in America to start a business right now

A majority of Americans dream of being their own boss, but building a small business from the ground up is anything but easy. That’s why WalletHub set out to find the best small U.S. cities to start a company.

“The benefits of starting a business in a small city include lower overhead costs, stronger relationships with customers and the potential to become a big fish in a little pond,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

Still, not every small city will set you up for success. “Entrepreneurs who want to build a large professional network aren’t likely to make as many connections in a town with fewer residents,” Lupo said. “Other restrictions might include limited industry options, a less diverse customer base, and difficulty attracting and keeping top talent.”

To create its list, WalletHub looked at the business-friendliness of more than 1,300 small-sized cities, analyzing them by their costs, business environment, and access to resources. It considered factors like startups per capita, average growth in business revenue, financing accessibility, working-age population growth, and labor costs.

Continue reading to see which small cities were ranked the best 10 to launch your dream business.