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Where is small business booming in America? We looked at the 100 most populous counties in the U.S. to find out. Using a mix of Census and BLS data, we ranked each county based on these five key factors:
How many new business applications were filed in 2024
Growth in business applications over the past 10 years
Number of business loans approved in 2025 so far
Average size of those loans
Total number of small businesses currently operating
This index spotlights the counties where entrepreneurship is on the rise and where local communities are creating the right environment for small businesses to succeed.
Key Takeaways:
Sacramento County, CA; Travis County, TX; and Los Angeles County, CA, are the top 3 counties for small business growth in 2025.
Miami-Dade, FL, leads with 4,862 business applications per 100,000 residents, followed by Fulton County, GA, and Broward County, FL.
Sacramento has seen the largest growth in business applications in the past 10 years, with a 250% increase since 2014.
All counties analyzed have seen an increase in business applications in the past decade, with even the smallest, New York County, having an 18% increase.
Top-Ranked Counties for Small Business Growth
Some counties are pulling ahead when it comes to supporting small business success. These spots seem to have the right mix of opportunity, resources, and momentum to help new ventures get off the ground and thrive.
Check out the chart below to see where your area landed.
Sacramento County, California, took the No. 1 spot in our ranking, followed by Travis County, Texas, and Los Angeles County, California. These areas stood out for their strong showings across multiple categories, with Sacramento leading in long-term business application growth.
Travis County (home to Austin's buzzing startup scene) ranked high in both new business formation and recent loan activity, while Los Angeles County's number of approved loans helped make it one of the top 3 best counties for small businesses.
Key Drivers of Growth Across U.S. Counties
Every strong small business community has a few things working in its favor, whether it's easier access to funding or just a business-friendly vibe. Here's a look at what's helping certain counties stand out.
Miami-Dade, Florida, led when it came to starting new businesses, with nearly 4,900 applications per 100,000 people. Fulton County, Georgia, and Broward County, Florida, weren't far behind, showing just how much momentum the Southeast has right now.
Sacramento County stood out for its long-term growth, with business applications increasing by 250% over the past 10 years. That kind of steady climb shows that more and more entrepreneurs see it as a place worth planting roots.
But even the most built-up areas are getting in on the action, as New York County (aka Manhattan) saw an 18% increase in applications since 2014. It's proof that there's still room to grow, even in the busiest business hubs.
As for funding, Los Angeles County had the most approved business loans so far this year (over 13,000). San Joaquin County, on the other hand, had fewer approvals (116), but those that did get funding received the highest average loan amounts, topping $760,000. That might mean bigger bets on fewer businesses, but it's still a strong sign of support.
Conclusion: What These Rankings Mean for Your Business
No matter where you're based, there's something to learn from the counties making big moves in 2025. These hotspots show what's possible when the right conditions come together. If you're thinking about where to start, grow, or expand your business, keeping an eye on trends like these can give you a leg up. The right location and support can make all the difference.
Methodology
This ranking considered the 100 most populous counties in the United States to explore which are the best for small businesses in 2025. The ranking considered these metrics and weighted them as follows:
New business application rank (25%): Number of business applications in 2024, from Census.gov
10-year increase in applications rank (25%): Long-term growth in new business applications from 2014 to 2024, from Census.gov; Note: If data was not available, the average was used.
Number of business loans approved(20%): Number of approved loans for 2025 as of date of publication, from SBA.gov
Average loan amount rank(20%): The average size of loans in 2025, from SBA.gov
Number of small businesses per state/district (10%): From BLS data for the first quarter of 2024, filtering for establishments with fewer than 500 employees across all private industries
Limitations: Only the 100 most populous counties were analyzed; therefore, this is representative of those, not every county in the U.S. Loan approval data is updated daily and may change.
About Clarify Capital
Clarify Capital helps small businesses grow with quick, accessible financing solutions tailored to your needs. Whether you're just starting out or expanding an established operation, our no-doc business loans and fast business loans provide flexible options to help you move forward without the red tape.
Fair Use Statement
This analysis is free to share for noncommercial use. If you'd like to reference or feature these findings, please include a link back to Clarify Capital with proper attribution.
Emma Parker
Senior Funding Manager
Emma holds a B.S. in finance from NYU and has been working in the business financing industry for over a decade. She is passionate about helping small business owners grow by finding the right funding option that makes sense for them. More about the Clarify team →
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