After receiving a C+ last year, Louisiana is once again earning high marks for small-business friendliness, according to the 2017 Small Business Friendliness Survey by Thumbtack.
The state ranks No. 4 for having an environment supportive of small businesses, earning ‘A+,’ ‘A,’and ‘A-‘ in a categories ranging from ease of hiring, government websites, health and safety environment and tax code. It scored a ‘B’ for ease of starting a small business, regulatory friendliness, and employment.
Thumbtack, an app and website that lets you find local professionals for any project, surveyed over 13,000 small businesses in 50 states and 80 cities.
“The small business owners we heard from in Louisiana were 5 percent more positive about their state’s support for small businesses than the national average, leading to their A+ grade overall,” Thumbtack Economist Lucas Puente, says in a statement. “And compared to nearby states, such as Arkansas (A) and Mississippi (A-), Louisiana did better.”
Among cities, New Orleans earned an overall grade of ‘B+.’
