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Dallas has stripped Atlanta of its title as Paychex’s best metro area for small businesses. The small business job index ranks Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Washington, DC, and Baltimore in the top five spots.
Dallas’ new position at the top is a bellwether of broader economic stability because small businesses are more susceptible to economic ups and downs, the Dallas Morning News reports. Paychex and IHS use monthly payroll information from 350,000 businesses across the U.S. with fewer than 50 employees.
Though Big D takes the top spot by metro, Texas ranks 15th by state. Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Virginia and Washington are the top five states in order. Houston, the only other Texas city mentioned, ranks as the 20th best city for small businesses.
The national index was flat in March after three months of gains. Analysts told the Morning News that small businesses have been bouncing back since 2016.
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