San Antonio Tops List, Sun Belt Represents Half of the Ranked Cities

TEMPE, Ariz., June 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) today revealed its 2026 list of America's Most Entrepreneurial Cities, with San Antonio, Texas, claiming the top spot. For the first time since launching the annual list, GoDaddy partnered with Zillow (Nasdaq: Z, ZG) to spotlight housing data for each market.

The rankings reveal a continued shift: small business growth isn't concentrated in a handful of expected hubs. It's taking hold in cities of every size, from major metros to places that rarely make these lists. Building on last year's finding that size doesn't determine entrepreneurial success, the 2026 data shows that pattern deepening, with an even more geographically diverse mix rising to prominence. Factors driving entrepreneurship often include real estate costs, talent migration, tax incentives, and remote work flexibility.

"The footprint of American entrepreneurship is shifting deeper into non-traditional places," said Alexandra Rosen, GoDaddy's small business economist. "The idea that you need to be in a major coastal city to build something has evolved. Whether it's a traditional storefront with a digital presence or an online side hustle, entrepreneurs are sustaining momentum and showing there's growing opportunity in every part of the country."

What Zillow's Housing Insights Say About the Most Entrepreneurial Cities
The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab created the 2026 list by determining the cities with the highest rate of business growth during the previous calendar year.

Zillow's data, including this year's home values, rent prices, and Market Heat Index, adds housing-market context for each breakout hub. For every Most Entrepreneurial City, Zillow details whether home values and rents sit above or below national averages, and whether a market favors buyers or sellers via the Market Heat Index.

"A thriving local economy and a thriving housing market tend to go hand in hand," says Zillow Chief Economist Mischa Fisher, "When housing is attainable and plentiful, entrepreneurs feel more confident putting down roots and businesses find it easier to attract and keep talent. The pandemic fundamentally changed where people want to live and work, and new energy flowed to markets outside of the traditional hotspots. The map of economic opportunity has been redrawn along with it."

Key Findings and Market Trends

San Antonio Emerges as the Nation's Top Entrepreneurial Hub
San Antonio's first-place ranking shows strong momentum and the highest rate of small business growth at 11% year over year. For every small business added in the San Antonio area, five new jobs are created, driving economic benefits for the surrounding community. Zillow data shows the city maintains a highly stable housing foundation, featuring a balanced Market Heat Index score of 50, representing a neutral housing market, favoring neither buyers nor sellers, with below-average home and rent values.

The Great Migration South: Founders Planting Roots in the Sun Belt
Texas, Florida, and New Mexico accounted for half of the cities on the list, underscoring continued entrepreneurial momentum across the Sun Belt. This region attracts founders with financial incentives, including no state personal income taxes in Florida and Texas. Past research has found that migration from other states and countries drives higher rates of new small businesses in the area. Zillow data, however, reveals founders across these two states are navigating very different housing environments. San Antonio, El Paso, and Albuquerque are below the national average for home values, making cost of living more affordable, while Miami and Tampa are above the national average for rent.

One small business founder in Miami, Florida, Anik Sahai, co-founder of Ethics Lab with Michael Gomez, a youth-focused organization shaping conversations around AI ethics, shared what he appreciates about this region. "South Florida's entrepreneurial ecosystem is built on a culture of collaboration and forward-looking innovation. For young builders, it provides a unique environment where you can connect across industries, find mentorship, and turn complex, real-world problems into scalable AI solutions. It is an incredible place to build."

The Surprising Standouts
Some cities in the top 10 demand a second look. Washington, D.C. - a city synonymous with big government - earned a top 10 spot on the strength of new business formations, while in New York it's the Bronx, not Manhattan, leading the way. Zillow's data shows the trend spans every kind of housing market, underscoring that there's no wrong place to start a business.

To learn more about the 2026 Most Entrepreneurial Cities, including additional city data, comprehensive interactive maps, Zillow housing insights, or to get more information on GoDaddy's Small Business Research Lab, visit godaddy/research.

About GoDaddy
GoDaddy, the world's largest domain name registrar, helps millions of entrepreneurs globally start, grow, and scale their businesses. People come to GoDaddy to name their idea, build a website and logo, sell their products and services and accept payments. GoDaddy Airo®, the company's AI-powered experience, makes growing a small business faster and easier by helping them to get their idea online in minutes, drive traffic and boost sales. GoDaddy's expert guides are available 24/7 to provide assistance. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

About GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab
The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab analyzes more than 20 million online businesses with a digital presence, defined by a unique domain and active website. Most of these businesses employ fewer than ten people, classifying them as microbusinesses. Since 2019, the program has surveyed more than 70,000 entrepreneurs, making it a leading source of data and insights on microbusiness trends. To learn more, visit godaddy/research.

About Zillow Group

Zillow Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people.

As the most visited real estate app and website in the United States, Zillow connects hundreds of millions of consumers with innovative technology, trusted agents and loan officers, and seamless digital solutions. With industry-leading tools and resources, Zillow supercharges real estate professionals so they can grow their businesses and deliver exceptional client experiences. For renters and housing providers, Zillow offers not only a robust marketplace but a set of end-to-end products and services to streamline applications, leases, payments and more.

Zillow's ecosystem spans the entire home journey — from dreaming and shopping to renting, buying, selling and financing.

Zillow Group's affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®, Zillow Premier Agent®, Zillow Home Loans®, Zillow Rentals®, Zillow® New Construction, Trulia®, StreetEasy®, Out East®, HotPads®, Follow Up Boss®, ShowingTime®, dotloop® and Zillow® Closing.

All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/). © 2026 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate.

Source: GoDaddy Inc.

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SOURCE GoDaddy Inc.