The state of Florida is home to picturesque palm trees, long beaches, and Disney World. Temperatures averaging from 60 to 81 degrees help to attract nearly a hundred million tourists each year that contribute to the state’s economic development, as stated by Enterprise Florida.

While the contribution of such large number of tourists does support the locals, key industries such as aerospace, IT, life services, clean technology, trade, and financial services has helped spur the growth of numerous small to medium-sized businesses. According to the 2015 State Profile report published by the United States Small Business Administration, Florida is home to nearly 2.2 million small businesses.

In this blog, we’ll go over some of the most business-friendly cities (in no particular order) in Florida.

Orange City

Located about 30 miles south of Daytona Beach, Orange City is home to the iconic Daytona 500 NASCAR annual race. The Heritage Inn, one of the city’s oldest business properties, was established in 1876. Since then, businesses have continued to grow with around 100 new business licenses being issued each year, according to the city’s website.

Major employers include John Knox Village and the Florida Hospital Fish Memorial.

Lake Mary

Lake Mary is a family friendly Orlando suburb nested within a technology area. It’s also home to the Florida High-Tech Corridor Council headquarters which extends technical assistance and research grants to technology entrepreneurs as well as access to its Virtual Entrepreneur web portal which is located near Heathrow.

Doral

Located just 15 miles from inland Miami, Doral’s economy is powered by logistics, finance, trade, and tourism due to its nearness to the Miami Port. Big business names include Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, Perry Ellis International, and the Miami Herald Media Company. Entrepreneurs also have the option of attending free business consultation classes at the Florida International University in Miami.

Palatka

The northernmost city on this list, Palatka is found between Orlando and Jacksonville. This city makes the list because of its low median housing costs that average around $618 per month. Major businesses in Palatka are the Putnam Community Medical Center and the St. Johns River Water Management District. The University of Florida also has a small business development center that offers free advising sessions for local business owners.

In addition to these places, other business-friendly cities in Florida include names such as Naples, Coral Gables, Longwood, Boca Raton, and Fort Lauderdale. A crucial aspect of finding stability in the early years of business operation is improving accounting functions.

A&B Accounting and Business Solutions provide business consulting services and accounting services in Boca Raton. They’re experts in managing the accounting function and allow businesses to focus on pursuing long-term goals. Contact us today for more information.