The Metroplex is a great place to start a business — in fact, it’s one of the best places in the country for fledgling companies, according to a report from CommercialCafe.

Dallas ranked as the No. 3 large city — defined as those with populations over one million — while Fort Worth ranked No 4.

Nearly 11% of all businesses in Dallas and Fort Worth are less than one year old, which indicates a welcoming environment for startups. That proportion has skyrocketed over the past five years: Young businesses have increased by 19.7% in both cities since 2019. More importantly, though, 64.9% of those new businesses survived.

The metro also has the workforce to back up those new businesses. Populations of freelance workers increased 13.9% from 2019 to 2023; meanwhile, the college-educated population rose 20.7% and 14.2% in Fort Worth and Dallas, respectively, accounting for about one quarter of all residents.

Furthermore, the Metroplex has a regional price parity of 103.3 out of 100, meaning business operating costs are only slightly less affordable than the national average.