Dallas-Fort Worth's track record for developing entrepreneurial powerhouses has been recognized in WalletHub's just-released list of the "Best Large Cities to Start a Business" for 2025. DFW contributed six cities among the top 50, with Dallas proper landing in the No. 16 spot.
The annual report ranked 100 U.S. cities based on 19 metrics across three main categories: business environment, access to resources, and costs. Factors considered in the report include five-year business survival rates, job growth comparisons from 2019 and 2023, office space affordability, and more.
The central Florida city of Orlando came in at No. 1, topping the list as the best large city for starting a business this year.
Dallas' business climate has slipped slightly since 2024, when the city previously ranked No. 14.
Dallas scored highly in the "national business environment" category, ranking No. 13 out of all 100 cities in the report. But it got much lower marks in categories such as access to resources and business costs.
And it earned a dubious prize: Dallas workers have the second-longest workweeks nationwide.
"Starting a business can be very scary, considering one in every five startups doesn’t make it past the first year," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "That’s why it’s especially important to live in a city that provides an environment where new businesses can thrive, with enough capital, workers and customers to keep it going long-term."
Despite this study's less-than-stellar review of the city's entrepreneurial spirit, there are many Dallas-based businesses that reigned superior on Fortune’s 2025 list of "America’s Most Innovative Companies." Dallas is also getting its own regional Nasdaq headquarters, so the metro clearly loves big business.
Across the Metroplex, Fort Worth ranked the highest out of all six DFW cities in the report at No. 11, followed by Arlington (No. 15), Irving (No. 22), Garland (No. 29), and Plano (No. 43).
Elsewhere in Texas
Austin was the only Texas city to rank among the top 10 best big cities to start a business in 2025, climbing up into the No. 3 spot.
Other large Texas cities that were named among the best places to start a business in 2025 include Lubbock (No. 33), Houston (No. 34), Laredo (No. 44), San Antonio (No. 64), El Paso (No. 67), and Corpus Christi (No. 70).
The top 10 best large cities to start a business in 2025 are:
- No. 1 – Orlando, Florida
- No. 2 – Tampa, Florida
- No. 3 – Austin, Texas
- No. 4 – Jacksonville, Florida
- No. 5 – Miami, Florida
- No. 6 – St. Petersburg, Florida
- No. 7 – Boise, Idaho
- No. 8 – Atlanta, Georgia
- No. 9 – Raleigh, North Carolina
- No. 10 – Hialeah, Florida
