How Small Businesses Stack Up In Top 20 States

Are some states more popular than others when it comes to starting and running a small business? With many entrepreneurs still fighting to keep their doors open, business environment matters more than ever.

In its annual report, the SBA Office of Advocacy reveals a detailed look into small businesses in every state and U.S. territory, including total number of businesses, store openings, closings and foreclosures and demographic information on owners.

Based on the most recent data available, here's a snapshot of the business environment in the 20 states with the biggest number of small businesses.

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Comments

[Jim Ryon]

08:29 PM on 02/19/2012

Total business openings (in 2010): 169.853

Total business closings (in 2010): 163,563

Total bankruptcies (in 2010): 8,814

Califorina numbers ! if they are #1 we are in deep doo doo !

[johnl68hi]

01:19 PM on 02/18/2012

People want to work but where? I can`t start a business with all the stupid taxes even in these small towns . I guess it will end with gangs of people going after what ever scrapes they can find from the rich . Maybe the rich should move to China while they still have a chance .

[sunelpru]

03:10 PM on 02/15/2012

THE PROBLEMS IN PENNSYLVANIA ARE BANKS LIKE ENTERPRISE BANK THAT ACT LIKE CRIMINALS. AND ARE SUPPORTED BY THE COURTS AND GOVERMENTS.

[carburetor]

02:59 AM on 02/18/2012

Federal regulations are hitting the banks pretty hard after the mortgage bubble burst and nearly collapsed our economy. I'm still hoping those "criminals" will be prosecuted. Can you cite any specific examples of Enterprise Bank having support of the courts and government?

[jonesengr]

02:49 PM on 02/15/2012

My small company depends on the economy in general. We have clients who need our services but can not afford the products. We are forced to try and work alternative solutions that are not as good as the normal way

[edmundavolio]

09:23 AM on 02/15/2012

A pertinent indicator of economic health would be the number of manufacturing company startups in the States. Restaurant and other service types will not have a significant impact on unemployment. Until Congress requires products SOLD in the US be made with the same laws as MADE in the US, unemployment and fiscal deterioration in the US will continue to be a problem. Never in the history of the world has a country mandated costs of domestic production that has resulted in the 90% loss of consumer product manufacturing. Since consumer buying is 70% of the US economy, our unemployment and fiscal problems must continue.

[Popopnano]

03:19 PM on 02/14/2012

Ya but Obama is turning small business into government dependent slave shacks that feed on the souls of our children while spreading Muslim extremest propaganda throughout our youth by using Pokemon as a media source. Put aluminum foil over your heads and hide in your refrigerator!

AHHHHHHHHHH!!!

[carburetor]

02:50 AM on 02/18/2012

Tongue in cheek, I hope? Or did you lose your foil hat while hiding in the fridge? Lol!

[Sherry Powell]

10:24 PM on 02/13/2012

I'm not surprised...So many were well trained in Corporate settings...And found themselves without a job... Well "Make yourself a job" The only problem is banks aren't funding start ups... So you have to be very creative. It can be done.

[Philph]

09:58 AM on 02/13/2012

Many small businesses has been shut down and boosted up due to uncertain and fluctuated economical situations in last 5 years.
Now it is the era of internet and internet businesses, which require the internet marketing business and services provider to come forward to get the maximum from this potential business.
Many companies like BuraQ SEO Services UK are getting more out of it and it is now a good business at small level/

YOu can check their progress here at :http://buraqseo.com/

[marcdostl]

12:51 PM on 02/12/2012

The State of AFFAIRS? This is Obamanomics:

http://news.investors.com/Article/600452/201202080802/government-dependence-jumps-under-president-obama.htm

[WayOutHere]

02:54 AM on 02/11/2012

I'm sure this info is interesting to U.S. readers of HuffPo, but I'm on the Canadian version of the small business page. Could you offer content that I, as a Canadian small business person, would find useful and interesting?

[carburetor]

02:55 AM on 02/18/2012

I wonder how that happened? They have been working on the web site trying to get out the bugs. Bummer, aye?

[WayOutHere]

01:58 PM on 02/18/2012

Aye, bummer. ;)