GoDaddy Reveals 2026 Most Entrepreneurial Cities; Zillow Spotlights the Real Estate Trends Fueling Their Growth

 San Antonio Tops List, Sun Belt Represents Half of the Ranked Cities

TEMPE, Ariz., June 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) today revealed its 2026 list of America's Most Entrepreneurial Cities, with San Antonio, Texas, claiming the top spot. For the first time since launching the annual list, GoDaddy partnered with Zillow (Nasdaq: Z, ZG) to spotlight housing data for each market.

The rankings reveal a continued shift: small business growth isn't concentrated in a handful of expected hubs. It's taking hold in cities of every size, from major metros to places that rarely make these lists. Building on last year's finding that size doesn't determine entrepreneurial success, the 2026 data shows that pattern deepening, with an even more geographically diverse mix rising to prominence. Factors driving entrepreneurship often include real estate costs, talent migration, tax incentives, and remote work flexibility.

"The footprint of American entrepreneurship is shifting deeper into non-traditional places," said Alexandra Rosen, GoDaddy's small business economist. "The idea that you need to be in a major coastal city to build something has evolved. Whether it's a traditional storefront with a digital presence or an online side hustle, entrepreneurs are sustaining momentum and showing there's growing opportunity in every part of the country."

What Zillow's Housing Insights Say About the Most Entrepreneurial Cities
The GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab created the 2026 list by determining the cities with the highest rate of business growth during the previous calendar year.

Zillow's data, including this year's home values, rent prices, and Market Heat Index, adds housing-market context for each breakout hub. For every Most Entrepreneurial City, Zillow details whether home values and rents sit above or below national averages, and whether a market favors buyers or sellers via the Market Heat Index.

"A thriving local economy and a thriving housing market tend to go hand in hand," says Zillow Chief Economist Mischa Fisher, "When housing is attainable and plentiful, entrepreneurs feel more confident putting down roots and businesses find it easier to attract and keep talent. The pandemic fundamentally changed where people want to live and work, and new energy flowed to markets outside of the traditional hotspots. The map of economic opportunity has been redrawn along with it."