St. Cloud Makes Top-30 in ‘Best Small Cities for Business’ Ranking
ChamberOfCommerce.Org has combed through the data, crunched the numbers, and come up with the 30 Best Small Cities in America for Business, and St. Cloud is on the list.
Small cities in the central Western and Midwestern states fared the best in the ranking, with a whopping 15 out of the top 20 belonging to these regions. Despite being some of the most sparsely populated states in the country, aka “flyover states”, they account for over a quarter of the top 20 best small cities for business.
The findings of this ranking point to the conclusion that being located in a specific region of the country does not indicate that a small city will be good for business. Rather, its geography-independent variables like a young, educated workforce, established industry, and a low unemployment rate that are the best indicators.
Half of the Top-30 are either from Minnesota or our neighbors. Of those, three are Minnesota cities -- including St. Cloud at #26.
Drumroll please. And the list of the top-30 small cities in America for business are...
- Fargo, ND
- Billings, MT
- Columbus, OH
- Bismarck, ND
- Rochester, MN
- La Crosse, WI
- Midland, TX
- Lake Charles, LA
- Elkhart-Goshen, IN
- Appleton, WI
- Missoula, MT
- Rapid City, SD
- Bowling Green, KY
- Jonesboro, AR
- Columbia, MO
- Cheyenne, WY
- Mankato, MN
- Sheboygan, WI
- Eau Claire, WI
- Hattiesburg, MS
- Dubuque, IA
- Idaho Falls, ID
- Springfield, IL
- Gainsville, GA
- Grand Forks, ND
- St. Cloud, MN
- Oshkosh-Neenah, WI
- Carson City, NV
- Sioux City, IA
- Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL