Entrepreneurs looking to start a small business in a small city have some of the best options for locations right here in South Florida.

Weston ranks No. 2 in that category nationally, according to a new report by Verizon Business, while Delray Beach came in No. 5.

Lauderhill was No. 13 on the list, with Homestead at No. 38.

Factors considered in Verizon’s study include population, education, travel time to work, income per capita, loans per capita, broadband access and tax scores. (The report notes that to be considered a “small city” according to the U.S. census, the population must fall between 50,000 to 75,000 people.)

Only Portland, Maine, was a more attractive small city for starting a small business than Weston.

“Being No. 8 among the top 100 safest cities in the country is reassuring for a fledgling business,” Verizon’s report says of Weston. “This is also the most educated city in the top 10, with nearly 60% of the population holding at least a bachelor’s degree. So Weston has got a lot going for it, and people are taking notice. The only downside to setting up shop here is the commute to work, which runs at about half an hour, but hey — you’re not far from the beach and the Everglades are basically in the city’s backyard, so let’s call it even.”

The South Florida lifestyle also played a role in Delray Beach ranking so high.

“There’s more of a draw to this city than its spread of sunny beaches along the southeastern coast of the state,” the Verizon’s report says. “Not quite as high on the education scale as Weston but higher than Kissimmee, Delray Beach is a happy Floridian medium with the shortest average commute time between the three cities. It enjoys a thriving industry of restaurants, nightclubs, retail shops, and art galleries, which is important to keep in mind when considering where to put your business’s roots down. And hey, the beach might not be the most important thing, but a beach day every now and then definitely couldn’t hurt.”

Florida wound up with eight cities in the top 50, the others being Kissimmee (No. 7), Daytona Beach (11), North Port (39) and Sarasota (44).

The Top 50

1. Portland, Maine
2. Weston, Florida
3. Missoula, Montana
4. Southfield, Michigan
5. Delray Beach, Florida
6. South Jordan, Utah
7. Kissimmee, Florida
8. Rochester Hills, Michigan
9. Rapid City, South Dakota
10. Bismarck, North Dakota
11. Daytona Beach, Florida
12. Broomfield, Colorado
13. Lauderhill, Florida
14. Evanston, Illinois
15. Alpharetta, Georgia
16. Redondo Beach, California
17. Wilmington, Delaware
18. Eau Claire, Wisconsin
19. Rockville, Maryland
20. Logan, Utah
21. Greenville, South Carolina
22. Flagstaff, Arizona
23. Walnut Creek, California
24. Mansfield, Texas
25. Maple Grove, Minnesota
26. St. Charles, Missouri
27. St. Cloud, Minnesota
28. Georgetown, Texas
29. Eagan, Minnesota
30. Appleton, Wisconsin
31. Schaumburg, Illinois
32. Palo Alto, California
33. Laguna Niguel, California
34. Lehi, Utah
35. Pawtucket, Rhode Island
36. Novi, Michigan
37. Cheyenne, Wyoming
38. Homestead, Florida
39. North Port, Florida
40. Corvallis, Oregon
41. Waukesha, Wisconsin
42. Missouri City, Texas
43. Waltham, Massachusetts
44. Sarasota, Florida
45. Lafayette, Indiana
46. Medford, Massachusetts
47. Redlands, California
48. Gaithersburg, Maryland
49. Canton, Ohio
50. Taylorsville, Utah

 

Source: SunSentinel