Thinking about starting a small business? Don't move. Georgia was recently named one of the top most entrepreneurial states, according to NerdWallet — a personal finance and information service.

The rankings are determined by information analyzed from the U.S. Census Bureau's county business patterns and data on Small Business Administration (SBA) loans.

Of the 50 states, Georgia ranked as the No. 9 most entrepreneurial state with the No. 1 largest average SBA loan in 2014-2015 and the No. 5 highest growth in number of SBA loans from 2012-2015.

Here are the top ten most entrepreneural states in America:

1. Utah

2. Colorado

3. California

4. Connecticut

5. New York

6. Washington

7. Florida

8. Washington, D.C.

9. Georgia

10. Massachusetts

About the Author

Keep Reading

Lead Nurse Practitioner Lori Reed examines a Covid patient at Piedmont Pulmonary Covid Recovery Clinic in Atlanta in 2022. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mostly attributed the nationwide rise in life expectancy to fewer deaths caused by the infectious disease. (Steve Schaefer/AJC file)

Credit: Steve Schaefer

Featured

Managing Partner at Atlantica Properties, Darion Dunn (center) talks with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens during a tour following the ribbon cutting of Waterworks Village as part of the third phase of the city’s Rapid Housing Initiative on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
(Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez