United States of America 50 states map.

Businesses affect local communities in different ways. A new CoworkingCafe study looked at 286 U.S. metro areas and ranked them across three population sizes.

The U.S. is home to 36.2 million small businesses, which account for nearly 46% of total employment and remain a backbone of the national economy. CoworkingCafe's latest study shows the strongest small business environments are spread nationwide: the South leads among large and mid-sized metros, while smaller Western markets stand out for business density, talent and flexible work infrastructure.

Key national benchmarks: the U.S. logs 1,553 new business applications per 100K residents; has 10,376 small businesses per 100K residents; 10.2% of workers are self-employed business owners; median earnings stand at $46,151; unemployment is 3.3%; and coworking memberships have a median of $220/month. 

These are the top metros for small businesses by population bracket:

  • Large metros: Miami, FL, leads with more than 4,000 new business applications per 100K residents and the highest small business density among large metros. Austin, TX, follows with nearly 50% GDP growth from 2019 to 2023 and more than 2,300 new business applications per 100K residents. Washington, D.C., ranks third, supported by a 91.1% business survival rate and median earnings of roughly $66,000.
  • Mid-sized metros: Charleston, SC, takes first place, with roughly 11,600 small businesses per 100K residents, more than half of local employment tied to small businesses, and a 91% survival rate. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT, follows with about 13,270 small businesses per 100K residents and the bracket's highest median income, at more than $55,000. Portland, ME, claims third with the highest business survival rate in the study, at 92.2%.
  • Small metros: Boulder, CO, leads with about 15,670 small businesses per 100K residents, roughly 3,100 new business applications per 100K residents, and the highest coworking density in its bracket. Barnstable Town, MA, follows with small businesses supporting 68% of total employment and a 91.6% survival rate. Midland, TX, rounds out the top three, standing out with the study's strongest GDP growth, at 68.6%.

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