Colorado Springs Named Bluevine's Best City in US for Small Business in New Study

Mid-size cities and Colorado metros dominate Bluevines' Best Cities for Small Business 2026 list of the places with the most small business momentum in the US.

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new monthlong study of government-data and internal financial data from more than 200,000 active banking accounts across its 100 most-active metros by Bluevine–the largest small business banking platform in the US*–has revealed Bluevine's best city in the US for prospective small business owners: Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The study, which measured data from the 100 US metro areas with the most Bluevine accounts, set out to find the cities in America with the most small business momentum; the places where a small business owner has the best chance of finding success, all things considered. After weeks of combing through data, Bluevine awarded 15 metros across America in its inaugural Bluevine Best Cities for Small Business list and one thing became apparent: Small business is booming in Colorado and in midsize cities across the country.

The Centennial State was the only state in the US with three cities ranked in the top 15 locales for small business with Colorado Springs ranking first while the capital city of Denver ranked second nationally and Greeley–which has seen skyrocketing population growth across the last decade–was ranked 12th.

"Being recognized as the No. 1 city in America for small business is an incredible honor; and it belongs first and foremost to our entrepreneurs," said Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade about the findings. "I've experienced small business from both sides of the counter; as an entrepreneur who started several small businesses and later as the City's Small Business Development Administrator, working alongside entrepreneurs to help them succeed. That experience taught me that great cities do not simply attract businesses; they create the conditions for people with ideas and ambition to start, grow, and thrive."

"As a fourth-generation Colorado Springs native, I didn't start The Local Motive just to build a business. I wanted to invest in the city I love," said Johnny Joy, the owner of The Local Motice–a Colorado Springs-based tour agency. "Colorado Springs isn't just where we do business. It's our home, and we're invested in making it even better."

For the rankings, Bluevine set out to create the most robust methodology for determining the cities that were experiencing a surge in small business ownership, while still having white space for more small business owners, an entrepreneurial landscape that was accessible without being prohibitively costly, and verified Bluevine banking data showing that Bluevine customers in those metros were flourishing.

With a weighted rubric that placed 25% value on government-reported business survival rates, 25% value on government-reported business growth metrics, 20% value on government-reported cost of doing business metrics, and 30% value on Bluevine success metrics, Bluevine's business data team created a standardized score for each metro and proportionally penalized any metro that ranked in the bottom half (51-100) of any of those individual data sets. The goal was to find the metros that offer the most advantageous and balanced climates for small business owners. After weeks of research, the 15 winning metros for Bluevine's Best Cities for Small Business 2026 were:

1. Colorado Springs, CO
2. Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
3. Raleigh-Cary, NC
4. Salt Lake City-Murray, UT
5. Kansas City, MO-KS
6. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
7. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
8. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
9. Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT
10. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
11. Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
12. Greeley, CO
13. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
14. New Haven, CT
15. Jackson, MS

"The data we're seeing makes it clear that small business is flourishing in midsize cities across America–nine of our 15 winning cities are metropolitan statistical areas ranked lower than 30th in total population in the US," said Eyal Lifshitz, Co-Founder and CEO of Bluevine. "That speaks to a number of factors but one of the largest factors is how technology has allowed for equal access to modern banking and financing solutions, regardless of where entrepreneurs live. At Bluevine, we're proud to be leading that charge."

When Bluevine drilled down on its internal banking data, the growth within the winning cities became even more impressive with many cities posting more than 100% annual growth in total Bluevine customers and with the average Bluevine customer account balances jumping by more than 50% year-over-year. For instance, Colorado Springs saw total Bluevine accounts jump 133% year-over-year while average account balances grew 54%, signaling not just an appetite for more small businesses but also–at least directionally–that small businesses had more cash in their pockets year-over-year in Colorado Springs.

The full breakdown of Bluevine banking success stats reveals just how fast the top 15 metros are growing:

For additional information on Bluevine's Best Cities for Small Business 2026 list, as well as a more in-depth explanation of the methodology, you can visit the awards page on Bluevine's website, here.

*As compared to publicly available data on the number of lifetime customer accounts held by other U.S. banking platforms dedicated to small businesses that offer both checking and lending services, as of June 2026.

Methodology

This study was conducted by blending measuring public, government-reported metro data on business survival, small business growth, and cost of doing business with year-over-year data from more than 200,000 active Bluevine accounts. The data was standardized into a score, any metro ranking in the bottom half of any of the four data sets was proportionally penalized, and the final scores were reassessed to find the 15 highest ranking metro statistical areas.

The business survival data set was weighted 25% and consisted of 10% Bureau of Labor (BLS) Statistics small business one-year survival rate and 15% BLS small business 5-Year survival rate. The business growth data set was weighted 25% and consisted of 5% US Census Bureau reported new business applications per 100,000 residents, 5% SBA reported small business density, 10% SBA 7(a) loan density, and 5% BLS reported employment rate. The cost of business data set was weighted 20% and compiled of 5% Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported regional price parities, 10% US Census Bureau reported median individual income, and 5% BLS reported income growth. The Bluevine data set included 10% Bluevine user rate per SMB, 10% account openings year-over-year, and 10% Bluevine account balance growth year-over-year.

About Bluevine
Bluevine is the largest small business banking platform in the U.S., serving as the financial operating system for startups and small businesses. Through a single account, companies can earn more, save more, borrow, and manage their money whenever and wherever they do business - without ever stepping into a branch. Accessible through one dashboard, its product suite integrates high-yield business checking, accounts payable, debit and credit cards, loans, and lines of credit. Since 2013, Bluevine has served over 1 million delivered over $17 billion in loans, and is currently trusted with over $1.6 billion in managed customer deposits.

Bluevine is backed by leading private and institutional investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Menlo Ventures, 83North, Citi Ventures, ION Crossover Partners, SVB Capital, Nationwide, and M12 (Microsoft's Venture Arm). Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC. Lines of credit are issued by Celtic Bank. For more information, please visit bluevine.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

SOURCE Bluevine