A 2017 Thumbtack survey found that Oregon ranked 37th in ease for small businesses to launch, operate, and expand.
According to Thumbtack’s recently released Small Business Friendliness Survey, Oregon was given a ‘C’ rating in small business friendliness, which assesses the public policies that influence the small business environment to launch and grow. In 2017, Thumbtack surveyed over 13,000 American small business owners, and ranked all 50 states and 80 selected cities on their small business friendliness. Oregon ranked 37th place out all 50 states, with ‘D’ grades for ease of starting a business, ease of hiring, tax code, zoning, and employment, labor and hiring regulations.
Since 2015, Oregon has been declining in its small business friendliness ratings, sliding from a ‘B’ to 2017’s ‘C.” This means that the Legislature is not addressing important policy frameworks that could help stimulate small business development. Oregon is succeeding in its government websites’ abilities to ease regulation compliance and to provide important information to small businesses.
Portland ranked 64th out of the 80 cities surveyed, and received a ‘C-’ grade. Portland’s most concerning areas to improve were in regulations that ease the process of starting a business and in hiring.
