Thumbtack ranks cities and states based on small business perceptions of government, producing the “Thumbtack Small Business Friendliness Survey.” Being scored on a scale of A to F, just like in grade school, states and cities receive a report card.

In 2016, more than 12,000 U.S. small business owners participated in the study, collectively grading 35 states and 78 cities on the government policies that affect their businesses. These skilled professionals operate in a variety of industries, including as electricians, music teachers, wedding planners, wellness professionals, and more.

To mark the survey’s fifth year, Thumbtack released a special report highlighting the top policy concerns for skilled professionals, with in-depth case studies of five cities from five different regions that performed across the grade spectrum: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Minneapolis, and San Francisco.

Lucas Puente, an economist at Thumbtack noted that, “The highest-rated governments make regulations easy to comply with and enforce them consistently.” Atlanta had an “A” ranking in all of the following categories:

• Overall Friendliness

• Ease if starting a business

• Regulations

• Health and Safety

• Employment, labor & hiring

• Tax Code

• Licensing

• Environmental

• Zoning

In addition, Thumbtack found that 58% of local professionals have used government websites [like georgia.org/smallbusiness], and about 1/3 do so to register a new business.

Small businesses are essential to an economy, and Georgia proves, yet again, to have an atmosphere where small business owners thrive.

From the Georgia Department of Economic Development: Georgia.org.