Winston-Salem Is the 70th-Best Large City in the U.S. to Start a Business (2026)

Winston-Salem, N.C., is the 70th-best large city in the U.S. to start a business in, according to a new WalletHub study. The study compared startup opportunities across 100 of the largest U.S. cities based on 19 key metrics, including the five-year business survival rate, labor costs and office-space affordability. 

“Starting a business can be very scary, considering one in every five startups doesn't make it past the first year,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “That's why it's especially important to live in a city that provides an environment where new businesses can thrive, with enough capital, workers and customers to keep it going long-term.”

In-Depth Look at Winston-Salem

Among the best large cities to start a business, Winston-Salem ranks:

• 89th for its business environment
• 90th for access to resources when starting a business
• Third for the cost of running a business
• 70th overall

Winston-Salem does especially well when it comes to corporate taxes, which tie for the lowest in the nation. It also demonstrates business-friendliness by having the 13th-best five-year survival rate for businesses.

Winston-Salem struggles in other areas. It has the third-worst business revenue growth in the country, and it ranks 84th when it comes to the number of startup firms per capita.

Best Large Cities to Start a Business

Americans are known for their entrepreneurial spirit. However, recent years have been particularly challenging for business owners in the U.S., due to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Resignation and high inflation. Below, you can see which large cities provide a good environment for new business owners and which are struggling.

The methodology can be found on the full version of the article on WalletHub.