KENTWOOD, Mich. — If you're thinking about becoming a small business owner, a new report says Kentwood is the best city in Michigan to open your dream company.
Kentwood was named the best small city in Michigan for having a small business.
Despite a pandemic, Kentwood was named #62 nationwide, moving up multiple spots from last year's spot at #85.
The report used US Census data from small cities across the country, basing its rankings off of seven metrics.
Those metrics include education level of workforce, average commute times, income, broadband access, availability of SBA loans, number of non-farm businesses and overall tax friendliness.
The mayor of Kentwood says it's things like strong infrastructure and real estate availability that make it possible for the city's economic success, especially during this troubling pandemic. However, none of its success would be possible without community effort.
"I think it's too early to really proclaim how we're doing economically. But signs are good when the mall is open and we're very thankful for that. They represent a lot of businesses and a lot employment there." said Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley. "I know that some businesses are still not open because of COVID and that's disheartening. Hopefully they'll be back and running here soon. So I think we're making it okay. We're okay right now, but I'm just praying, hoping that we get back to 100% sooner than better."
For more information on the the best small cities for small businesses, click here.
