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

Ernie Suggs, a reporter at the AJC since 1997, reviews a selection of articles he has contributed to during his time with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as of Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

Prosecutor Skandalakis has previously suggested that pursuing criminal charges against President Donald Trump may not be feasible until after he leaves office in 2029. (Craig Hudson/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images