Hundreds of metropolitan and countless thousands of micropolitans compete daily for business, tourism, residents, investment and the like. Stretching coast to coast, every community is in a fierce battle to have a positive and vibrant economy, and while all wish they were winners, not everyone can cross the finish line. The battle for economic development, entrepreneur retention and expansion is often costly and everlasting.

Just today a new list ranked 150 of Americas top metro areas to start a new business and to continue the path of achievements Fort Wayne has seen in the last year, we can add another gold star. Wallethub has given us another reason to love the Fort Wayne metro at the eleventh best city in the country to be an entrepreneur, quite the achievement beating out cities much larger. The list was ranked based on thirteen strategic metrics that provide a healthy atmosphere for young business leaders.

1. Accessibility of financing (total value of small business loans)
2. Cost of office rental/lease space per square foot
3. Access and availability of employees
4. Labor costs and median annual income
5. Corporate tax structure
6. Cost of living
7. Average length of employee workday
8. Educational level of the workforce
9. Entrepreneurial activity
10. Five-year survival rate
11. Number of small business per capita
12. Industry and business variety
13. Small Business acceptance and friendliness

What is most important to note is while these may be the best metrics for small business, some industries like tech/web are not looking at the same metrics. After reviewing every metro in the country from coast to coast, the findings have shocked several in the economic development community. Even more interesting to realize is the amount of communities not located along a major coast, but instead the heart of the country where several scholars have all but put on life support for future business expansion. It’s nice to prove them wrong.

1. Shreveport Louisiana
2. Tulsa Oklahoma
3. Springfield Missouri
4. Chattanooga Tennessee
5. Jackson Mississippi
6. Sioux Falls South Dakota
7. Memphis Tennessee
8. Augusta Georgia
9. Greensboro North Carolina
10. Columbus Georgia
11. FORT WAYNE INDIANA
12. Amarillo Texas
13. Columbus Ohio
14. New Orleans Louisiana
15. Birmingham Alabama
16. Wichita Kansas
17. Grand Rapids Michigan
18. Laredo Texas
19. Winston-Salem North Carolina
20. Nashville Tennessee

Hoch Associates is proud to call Fort Wayne our home, and it’s exciting to see another accolade for our growing metro. With Fort Wayne being named in the 35 Cities for People Under 35, Best Cities for Cost of Living, Best Quality of Life and now Best Cities for New Business, our future can only be brighter.