10 Best Cities for Small Business

Despite tough economic times, an analysis of the country’s 100 largest metropolitan areas offers hope for those looking to launch a small business. Portfolio and BizJournals list the cities that are most conducive:

Raleigh, NC: The only market to rank among the top 10 in many key categories: growth, population, employment—and almost 30,000 small businesses for a million residents.
Charlotte, NC: A key banking hub, the city has some big problems, but its small business sector appears “remarkably resilient."
Seattle: A strong concentration of small businesses is “a nice cushion against tough times.”
Austin: Texas has taken less of a beating during this recession. Witness Austin’s creation of 10,000 jobs last year.
Boise, Idaho: Despite being the second-smallest market in the top 10, “Boise boasts the nation’s best growth rate for small businesses,” 4½ times faster than the national average.