Add “small business haven” to this city’s reputation as a world-class live music scene, foodie destination and burgeoning tech hub.
Austin, Texas, has been named the fastest-growing city for small business in 2026, according to a study by commercial insurer USA Business Insurance released Tuesday.
Miami, Phoenix, Nashville and Tampa rounded out the study’s top-five cities.
Cities were ranked based on the number of new business applications recorded by the Census Bureau, small business employment growth metrics, commercial permits, and “population and workforce migration trends made publicly available,” the insurer said in a statement.
The top 10 cities in the study were Austin, Miami, Phoenix, Nashville, Tampa, Raleigh (North Carolina), Boise, Charlotte, Salt Lake City and Atlanta.
This isn’t the first time that Austin has appeared on “best cities” lists for small business and employment. It ranked fifth in the nation in a 2024 list of the country’s best cities for small business in an article from the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. The study noted Austin is known as “Silicon Hills” because of its growing tech and startup industry.
The city was named the third-best location to start a new business, per a 2025 study from personal finance site WalletHub. Austin earned high marks for its existing business community and resources available for business owners, the study noted.
Part of the city’s draw for small business may have something to do with its local consumers, which ranked first for their support of small businesses, according to a 2025 study from business lender Nav.
The study found that while national average yearly spend at small businesses was $469, Austin residents spent $627.30 per year, or nearly $50 more than the next best city.
West Coast no-show
While Austin took the top spot for fastest growth, Florida and North Carolina were the only two states with multiple cities in the top 10. Miami placed second and Tampa placed fifth, while Raleigh was No. 6 and Charlotte was No. 8.
Five of the 10 cities are on the East Coast, and no cities on the West Coast were included on the list.