When considering whether or not to start a small business, there are several factors to keep in mind while determining where you would start your business. Fit Small Business compiled a 2018 ranking of all 50 states to determine the best states to start a small business, using the following categories:
Taxes – This includes corporate, sales, property tax, individual income, and unemployment insurance tax rates. The ranking demonstrates how much you can expect that your business would have to pay in taxes in the state ranked.
Labor Market – This category was assessed by including unemployment rates well as education levels (% of adults ages 25 to 34 who have attained at least a bachelor’s degree). This is meant to measure availability of desirable employees and the overall strength of this market in the state ranked.
Cost of Living – This includes costs of utilities, grocery, healthcare, housing, and transportation.
Quality of Life – This category is based on access to education, physical safety, and healthcare.
Cost to Start a Business – Using per capita income in the state ranked, this is meant to evaluate costs to staff your business as well as the per sq. ft/year cost to rent a commercial building.
Startup Activity – Meant to illustrate how likely new businesses are to succeed or fail in the state ranked, this represents the # and survivability of new businesses in that state.
Access to Capital – This assesses the likelihood of your business attaining startup capital by evaluating the size and # of small business loans granted and by measuring access to capital based on the availability and amount of venture capital funds.
Taking into account these factors, the survey ranked Wyoming 3rd out of the 50 states, with each of the categories above ranked accordingly:
Taxes: 1 out of 50
Labor Market: 35 out of 50
Cost of Living: 11 out of 50
Quality of Life: 19 out of 50
Cost to Start a business: 3 out of 50
Startup Activity: 47 out of 50
Access to Capital: 25 out of 50
The "Equality State" has one of the best records of business survival with a ratio of 1.61 of businesses created to businesses closing down. Not only that, but its business tax climate is incredibly attractive to entrepreneurs looking to start up a new business as it lacks a corporate income tax, individual income tax, or gross receipts tax. The state capital of Cheyenne, with its neighboring university of Wyoming at Laramie, offers access to a young and bright talent pool and is also home to affordable office space. This state (which was the first to grant women the right to vote in 1869!) also ranks high in public safety, access to education, and per capita income. We have a feeling that it may not be hard to convince you to strongly consider the beautiful state of Wyoming, with the Bighorn mountains, Yellowstone National Park, and vista after stunning vista, as a top contender to start your new business.
Wyoming Department of Revenue 122 West 25th Street, 2nd Floor West Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001-0110 P 307-266-3261
Last day of the month following the reporting period
Property Tax
Applicable:
Yes
Rate:
0.58%
Due Date:
March 1
Unemployment Tax
Applicable:
Yes
Rate:
0.18 - 8.72%
Due Date:
The end of the month following the end of each calendar quarter
Annual Report Required?* *(C-Corp & LLC only)
Applicable:
Yes
Rate:
Depends on assets located in Wyoming. $50 for businesses with less than $250,000 in Wyoming assets. An additional $2-$9 convenience fee for online filing.
Annually by the first day of the registration anniversary month. So if you incorporated or foreign-qualified on March 15, then your annual report is due every year by March 1.
