Lake Mary, Florida named as Money Magazine's Best Places to Live 2009 Lake Mary, FL
Top 100 rank: 96
Population: 15,100 Nicknamed "the Little Silicon Valley," Lake Mary is home to an industrial park of computer software companies. The town is full of commuters on weekdays. On weekends, Lake Mary keeps residents together with community activities such as farmers markets, local artists' booths, and a 24-screen theater. This area was hammered by the housing downturn -- home prices have dropped some 30% from their highs. High costs have derailed proposals for a rapid rail system to Orlando for now. --R.G.
The 7 Best States to Start a Business When it comes to starting a business, the question of "where" can be just as important as "what," "why," and "how." Some states offer better business climates for entrepreneurs than others. And in today's economy, entrepreneurs need all the help they can get when launching a new business. The problem is that there's no one measure for evaluating a state's businesses environment. Do you look at the education of the workforce? The amount of regulations? The current level of economic growth? The best method might be to combine as many factors as possible. U.S. News decided to look at two comprehensive studies that take completely different approaches to measuring the friendliness of the 50 states to entrepreneurs: the 2008 New State Economy Index, by the Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, and the Small Business Survival Index 2008, by the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. We combined the rankings of these two studies to help come up with our list of the top seven states for starting a business. Here is what we found: 7. Florida. The Sunshine State's economy has been hit hard by the housing crisis, more than almost any other state. But Florida's economy has some fundamental advantages that are not going away simply because of a recession. Its low corporate and unemployment taxes and nonexistent individual taxes attract business people. Additionally, Florida has done a good job adjusting to new economic and technological trends: It ranks ninth in the nation in the export focus of its manufacturing sector and eighth in the number of Internet domain names created per firm.
Oviedo - Winter Springs Named "Best Place to Live in Central Florida" The Orlando Sentinel's "101 Best of Orlando" for 2008 has recognized Oviedo-Winter Springs as the "Best Place to Live in Central Florida."
"This recognition of our two cities is well deserved. The area is the 'best of both worlds.' We have wonderful parks and expanding recreational facilities, an A-rated school system and a hometown atmosphere. At the same time, this is a location that is conducive to growing business," said Cory Skeates, Executive Director of the Oviedo-Winter Springs Regional Chamber of Commerce.
"The synergy between our cities is clearly recognized and facilitate through our Chamber, which bears the names of both cities. Our area is ideal for those who want to reside in a truly 'live, work, and play environment.'"
Money Magazine’s 100 Best Places to Live and Launch 2008 Orlando, FL: #73
Population: 204,524
Pro: Theme parks help diversified economy thwart downturns Cons: If gas prices keep rising, tourists may stay away Entrepreneurial zeal runs strong in Orlando: A "loan day" event last year bringing borrowers and lenders together spawned 39 business loans totaling $750,000. Greater Orlando is relatively insulated from Florida's real-estate crash. It has a broad mix of financial services and manufacturing companies, along with businesses catering to the 40 million tourists a year who throng to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and other area theme-park attractions. NASA's nearby Kennedy Space Center is a linchpin of the small-biz ecosystem. Other active players in cultivating startups include the University of Central Florida and the Disney Entrepreneur Center, a public-private collaboration offering counseling and other services. Orlando's thriving tourism business brings residents a wealth of local amenities - though it also represents an Achilles' Heel. If gas prices keep skyrocketing and the economy remains shaky, Orlando's economy is likely to suffer from the tremors. -Peter Galuszka |