A recent report from B2B Reviews ranked Nashua as the seventh city in the nation for small businesses. Courtesy photo/Seth Dewey on Unsplash

NASHUA – A recent report from B2B Reviews ranked Nashua as the seventh best city in the nation for small businesses.

Nashua came in ahead of 229 other cities including Minneapolis, New York City, Boston and Denver. The city was recognized for its robust economy, its workforce and its overall appeal to residents and visitors.

According to the B2B report, the city’s average commercial rent is $16.54 per square foot, which sits well below the national average of $32.77. In addition to having no sales tax, Gate City consumers have significant spending power with a median household income of $95,112. This number exceeds the national median of $75,149.

Mayor James Donchess was pleased to see Nashua in the top tier.

“As mayor, I’m proud to see our city ranked among the top 10 best places in the nation for small businesses to thrive,” he said. “This recognition reflects our strong workforce, affordable commercial space, and commitment to fostering opportunity. We will continue advancing policies and partnerships that support entrepreneurs while strengthening our local economy.”

The report also showed that 40 percent of Nashuans have a Bachelor’s degree or higher, whereas the national average is 35 percent. In addition, 70 percent of the city’s residents are working, a figure that is seven percent higher than the U.S. average.

“This shows how well-run the city of Nashua is and has been run for a long time,” said Ward 8 Alderman Derek Thibeault. “Mayor Donchess and his economic and community development teams have built a culture where small businesses can thrive. We were able to survive COVID when other cities could not. We want to continue to be a place for all kinds of small businesses to thrive.”

Manchester was ranked first place on the list, followed by Lowell, Mass., Bellevue, Neb., South Portland, Maine and Olathe, Kan.