A new WaletHub study found Jacksonville to be one of the top large cities in America for starting a business. High scores for business environment, business costs, and access to resources – and the highest entrepreneurial activity score in the country – landed Jacksonville the third-best ranking out of 100 large cities. In a more in-depth analysis, the study noted that:
“Jacksonville, FL, is the third-best large city to start a small business in, and it has the highest Entrepreneurial Activity Index score in the country, indicating a very active start-up environment that helps many different types of new businesses launch and grow successfully. In addition, the city has some of the lowest corporate taxes in the country, which can provide a boost to new businesses by allowing them to reinvest more of their capital.
Businesses that are currently in Jacksonville are thriving, as the city has a very high number of startup firms per capita, indicating a strong environment for launching new businesses. It also has some of the highest rates of growth in business revenues in the country, which suggests that companies in the city have strong potential to expand and succeed.”
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan celebrated the news: “Our goal to become the Small Business Capital of the Southeast is within our reach. This momentum is shown by the many companies that are choosing to launch, relocate, or expand in Jacksonville. Our city is a great place to do business, and we are proud to be nationally recognized for it.”
The City of Jacksonville has launched the following business-focused programs and initiatives since July 2023:
- Opened four Entrepreneurship & Workforce Development Centers across the city to provide free services for businesses and workers.
- Substantially increased the amount of city contract dollars awarded to Jacksonville Small and Emerging Business (JSEB) certified businesses – $192 million in the FY2024 and FY2025 budgets.
- Provided $900,000 in Small Business Capital Access loans and grants to small business owners and $50,000 in JSEB grants for veteran-owned businesses.
- Streamlined the permitting process by launching the JaxEPICS online platform, revamping the civil plan review process, and creating an express lane option.
- The JSEB division won the 2025 Economic Advancement Award from the Florida League of Cities for its innovative programming, including a groundbreaking new entrepreneurship program for individuals with disabilities, 120+ outreach events, and transparency dashboard to track program growth.
About the City of Jacksonville
The City of Jacksonville is the largest city by land mass in the contiguous United States, serving more than one million residents. City of Jacksonville leadership includes Mayor Donna Deegan and a 19-member City Council led by President Kevin Carrico. To learn more, visit jacksonville.gov.