Report: Missouri is a top 10 state to launch a business
July 5, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
A recent study dubbed Missouri as one of the top 10 states to start a business.
The report was assembled by personal finance website WalletHub and aimed to determine which region held the most fertile grounds for launching an enterprise. Evaluating all 50 states’ business environments, access to resources and business costs, the report ranked Missouri No. 9.
WalletHub analysts determined these numbers by assessing 20 differently-weighted indicators of startup success — with business environment being the most critical to a state’s overall score.
Missouri earned its high ranking due to the state’s business environment, which was ranked No. 10 nationally. This metric was calculated by indicators such as startups per capita, five-year business survival rate, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s entrepreneurship index and more.
Although Missouri fared well overall, the state’s access to resources score is below average. This indicator is calculated via indicators such as financing accessibility, venture capital per capita and human capital availability.
Another area of improvement for Missouri is its total spending on incentives as a share of GDP. The Show Me State ranked 49 out of 50 in this metric, which is calculated by The New York Times’ database of government spending on business incentives.
Kansas nabbed an overall No. 34 ranking in the study. Although below Missouri, Kansas’ access to resources beat out the Show Me State.
Kansas’ business environment — No. 38 nationally — ranked significantly lower than Missouri’s. Yet the state’s access to resources and business costs yielded the Sunflower State a comfortable, middle rank.
North Dakota, Texas and Utah earned the top three spots, respectively.
To see the complete ranking, see the interactive map below.

2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
After KCPS pilot, $2.2B Sprint project plans to close the U.S. homework gap
More than 20 million U.S. households do not have an internet connection, according to the PEW Research Center. Pairing that with the fact that schoolwork is more frequently requiring internet access, millions of students around the nation are severely limited in their learning. In Kansas City, the story is no different — hundreds of households remain…
Profit and purpose: Innovators share 5 social entrepreneurship lessons
It’s been said that the best things in life are free. But what social entrepreneurs know well, is that it’s not that simple — nearly everything in life comes at a cost, including the positive impact they’re trying to make. And at Thursday’s Conquer for Good conference, a variety of innovators shared how they’re working…
KC tech innovators deliver mindset and personal development advice
For many, starting a business may sound like the dream — being your own boss, making your own rules and devising your own schedule. But the reality is that the entrepreneurial life isn’t all sunshine and roses. Like most good things in life, it comes with risk and challenges. And on Wednesday a panel of…
