Where’s the best city in Michigan to start or expand your small business? The nation?
According to a new study by WalletHub, the personal finances website, it’s one in the same: Holland, Michigan, the lakeside tourist destination in the western part of the state.
With a population of just 33,000, the town topped a study that examined the business-friendliness of 1,261 small cities.
“We’ve had a long-term culture of entrepreneurialism, mainly because we had to,” said Craig Hall, a Holland-based entrepreneur, and investor, in an interview with Inc. “It always seemed that all of the resources went to Detroit, so we had to create our own opportunities.”
The study examined 16 variables, from “access to resources” to “business costs.”
A slew of Michigan cities made the list:
Southfield (59)
Dearborn (89)
Bay City (92)
Portage (109)
Wyoming (115)
Eastpointe (135)
Farmington Hills (164)
Madison Heights (168)
Midland (193)
Allen Park (227)
Troy (236)
Dearborn Heights (238)
Mount Pleasant (244) – One of shortest work weeks in average hours, 1257th.
Wyandotte (275)
Battle Creek (286) – Among the worst in accessible financing at No. 1156.
Roseville (304)
Royal Oak (330)
St. Clair Shores (345)
Muskegon (365)
Kalamazoo (386)
Novi (402)
Livonia (439)
Jackson (443)
Oak Park (469)
Taylor (479)
Saginaw (548)
Westland (550)
Southgate (568)
Garden City (593)
Lincoln Park (599)
East Lansing (624) – One of shortest work weeks in average hours, 1261st.
Rochester Hills (637)
Port Huron (674)
Pontiac (699)
Burton (745)
Inkster (997)
Read the full report here.
