GoDaddy Ranks San Antonio Top with 11% Business Growth and 9,232 Startups
GDDY•GoDaddy's 2026 Most Entrepreneurial Cities list places San Antonio first with 11% year-over-year small business growth and 9,232 new businesses. Zillow housing insights reveal San Antonio's median home value at $278,644 and rent at $1,398, while Sun Belt cities account for half of the top 10 entrepreneurial hubs.
1. Ranking Criteria and Collaboration
GoDaddy's Small Business Research Lab calculated each city's ranking by the highest rate of small business growth over the previous calendar year. For the first time, Zillow provided home values, rent prices and a Market Heat Index for each market to give housing-market context without influencing the rankings.
2. San Antonio Leads with 11% Growth
San Antonio achieved the top spot with an 11% year-over-year increase in small business formations, equating to 9,232 new enterprises and roughly five jobs created per business. Zillow data shows a median home value of $278,644, typical rent of $1,398 and a neutral Market Heat Index of 50.
3. Sun Belt Cities Drive Half of Top 10
Cities in Texas, Florida and New Mexico make up five of the top 10 entrepreneurial hubs, including Miami (8% growth, 36,565 new businesses), Tampa (4%, 3,798) and El Paso (6%, 1,029). Factors such as no state personal income tax, affordable living costs and remote-work flexibility are fueling founder migration and business formation in the region.
4. Diverse Housing Environments Across Hubs
Zillow housing insights reveal wide variations across the top 10: median home values range from $231,010 in El Paso to $717,750 in the Bronx, rents span $1,398 to $3,406, and Market Heat Index readings vary from buyer’s markets in Miami to strong seller’s markets in Milwaukee and the Bronx.
