Midmarket: Oklahoma City, Dallas Best Cities for Small Businesses

When it comes to starting a business, location can be everything. If you're a restaurant, you want to be on a highly visible and well-traveled street, whereas an IT distribution company might want to be closer to an airport or major highway. Most important can be the actual city you pick to start your business, which is why Thumbtack.com, in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, conducted a two-month survey of more than 6,000 small-business owners nationwide. The survey offered insight into the United States' business regulatory climate and the nation's economic health, as well as breaking down which cities are the best (and worst) when it comes to things like training programs, hiring costs, networking programs, tax codes, zoning, health and safety, licensing and overall friendliness. The results may surprise you. Here, eWEEK takes a look at what cities are the best bets for starting a small business during these challenging economic times when budgets are stretched to the max.