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Oklahoma City named number 1 large city
(New York, October 13) -- FORTUNE Small Business magazine and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation announced today the 2009 list of the 50 best places in the United States to launch a business. Topping the list are Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as the no. 1 large city; Huntsville, Alabama, as the no. 1 medium city; and Billings, Montana no. 1 small city.
FSB Editor Jessica Bruder writes, "Historically, fast-growing small companies have led the U.S. economy out of recession. And according to our latest [FSB/Zogby International] poll, nearly half of all small business owners would consider moving if doing so would help their companies.... Location matters more than ever before. The Great Recession redrew the map of America." Other cities topping each list include: big cities (1 million+), Pittsburgh, PA at no. 2 and Raleigh-Cary, NC at no. 3; medium cities (250K to 1 million), Lafayette, LA no. 2 and Omaha, NE no. 3; and small cities (fewer than 250K), Bismarck, North Dakota at no. 2 and Fargo, North Dakota at no. 3.
"More than ever, cities are facing a new imperative to boost their economies. This report provides regional leaders with a score card for where their cities rank and lessons from the best models," said Robert E. Litan, vice president of Research and Policy at the Kauffman Foundation. "We hope community leaders will use this report as they make policy and programming decisions that will either reinforce or create successful entrepreneurial cultures."
The full results of the joint study are available at http://money.cnn.com/launch
Plus: CNNMoney.com offers data on more than 300 metropolitan areas. Online features will include video and short profiles for not only all 50 places on the list, but also the Top 25 cities with the fastest small-business growth, most college-educated workers, and fewest foreclosures. Plus, you can post comments on each metro area’s profile page through CNNMoney's Facebook Connect feature and view comments from other business owners.
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FORTUNE Small Business is the premier magazine for and about small business owners, with the largest rate base in the small business category. Through a partnership with American Express, FSB is distributed 10 times a year and reaches 1 million owners, partners, and top management of leading small businesses. With unmatched resources and access to the industry's most innovative thinkers, FSB delivers best practices, connects small business owners to a community of their peers and arms them with the inspiration and actionable advice they need to succeed.