Small Florida cities rank high in survey about starting a business

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

In Central Florida, Kissimmee is No. 7 and Daytona Beach came in 11th, according to a new report by Verizon Business,

Some South Florida cities came in higher on the list. Weston ranks No. 2 in the category nationally, while Delray Beach was fifth. 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, which is in Broward County near Fort Lauderdale.

“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.”

Florida wound up with eight cities in the top 50, the others being North Port (39) and Sarasota (44).