Many Americans pursue entrepreneurship as a way to make an income, become their boss, and even create a long legacy.
However, starting your company can have high starting costs, and not every country is just as ideal for business owners. A new report from Simplify LLC states by most and less expensive to start a business in 2025.
Why does it matter
Small business owners are facing increased pressure after President Donald Trump Levies fees for Canadian, Mexican and Chinese imports.
The tariffs that the Trump administration says aim to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking are likely to increase costs for small businesses owners especially, as they often work in thin limits.
What to know
More Americans are starting their businesses than ever, with the registration of the SH.BA registration
However, the affordability of your company’s starting can change dramatically based on location.
The 10 cheapest states to start your business were in the West or Midwest, as the region is less likely to have corporate income taxes for business owners. There are fewer rules and lower tariffs to start a LLC.
Utah occupied the number one place for the least expensive states to start a business. The rate of labor force participation was high at 68.3 percent (No. 4), and the income tax of its corporate was only 4.65 percent, or No. 14 in the country.
After Utah, the list of the five highest expensive states were South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.
The rest of the states in the first 10 countries included Idaho, Nebraska, Kansas, Nevada and North Dakota.
On the other hand, California was the most expensive state to start a business, as entrepreneurs face a 420,434, the highest in the country. Average wages are also high in $ 87,490, and corporate income tax is determined at 8.84 percent.
The next two most expensive countries to start a business were New York and Hawaii.
The study analyzed the full costs of starting a business taking into account corporate income tax rates and business submission fees, as well as the highest costs of work and availability throughout the state.
The average annual income can make the salaries and costs of workers increase for business owners. The average trading bill and rent can also create further financial difficulties if business owners choose to open a brick and mortar office or retail in that state.

Dominik Bindl/Getty Images
What are people saying
Alexe Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee in Martin, told Martin Newsweek: “I think the biggest surprises on the list come from the United States Southeast. States like Alabama, Tennessee, and Luiziana became more attractive to employers during the pandemia as countries for new facilities due to less restrictive policies, lower costs of living, and more opportunities for other taxes and other countries are still. To see, seeing it, so from a sequence, which is to be fast, seeing it, ranking, so from a order, which is to start, ranking, so, from a fast order, which is costly, while, while giving, being ranked, so from a order, which is fast.
Michael Ryan, a finance expert and founder of Michaelryanmoney.com, told him Newsweek: “The most affordable states like Utah, South Dakota and Colorado share some traits that make them friendly refuge for business. They have received a perfect mix of reasonable tax structures, strong SBA borrowing support and solid levels of work. UTAH particularly stands.”
What happens next
Electricity costs and lease prices will continue to make entrepreneurship more difficult in some high -cost countries, experts say.
“What should entrepreneurs be taken into account? It’s not just the visible things like fee and tax payment,” Ryan said. “It is those humiliating operating costs that are increasing day by day. Such as electricity, wages, rent. And each state has its own regulatory quarters.”