This DeKalb city just ranked 2nd in the U.S. for small business

A national group has tapped one of DeKalb County’s cities as nearly the best in America for small business.

Welcomemat Services, a franchise system made up of small business owners across the country, picked Decatur for the second-place spot on its list of “America’s Top 25 Best Neighborhoods for Small Businesses 2016."

Also representing DeKalb, at No. 13, is Brookhaven. The only other Georgia city on the list is Evans, which is outside Augusta.

The list, topped by Lakewood Ranch, Florida, was released Wednesday. Welcomemat Services, which helps small businesses with promotion, determined the winners by polling businesses in the group's ranks.

They were surveyed on topics including “schools, local vibe, family friendliness, walkability, sense of community, etc.,” a news release said. The areas were chosen from the “over 500 ZIP codes Welcomemat delivers to.”