GoDaddy Ranks Entrepreneurial College Towns
Most Entrepreneurial College Towns ranked by GoDaddy include Stanford, Warrensburg and Newark, based on microbusiness growth.
By Academic Writing Club Newsroom
GoDaddy has ranked America’s Most Entrepreneurial College Towns, finding that 80% of the top communities lie beyond traditional startup hubs. Its GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab placed Stanford, California, first, with 20.2% year-over-year microbusiness growth. Warrensburg, Missouri, ranked second at 16.1%, followed by Newark, Delaware, at 16%. The ranking measures business growth in the area including each college, rather than the performance of the institutions or their entrepreneurship programs alone.
The Top Ten Communities
GoDaddy defines a microbusiness as a company that employs fewer than 10 people. Every town in the top 10 recorded double-digit growth: Stanford, CA, home to Stanford University, ranked first; Warrensburg, MO, home to the University of Central Missouri, ranked second; and Newark, DE, home to the University of Delaware, ranked third.
Elon, NC, home to Elon University, ranked fourth with 15.5% growth; Cortland, NY, home to SUNY Cortland, ranked fifth with 14.6%; Martin, TN, home to the University of Tennessee at Martin, ranked sixth with 14.3%; Morgantown, WV, home to West Virginia University, ranked seventh with 14.2%; Oneonta, NY, home to SUNY Oneonta, ranked eighth with 13.7%; Conway, SC, home to Coastal Carolina University, ranked ninth with 13.4%; and Jacksonville, AL, home to Jacksonville State University, ranked 10th with 13.3%.
Alexandra Rosen, small business economist at GoDaddy, said:
“When we think about college towns, we often focus on the schools exclusively, but there’s an entire small business economy anchored to the school. Entrepreneurship is accelerating across the country in communities of all sizes and demographics, and the microbusiness growth we’re seeing in college towns is a testament to that. With our Most Entrepreneurial College Towns ranking, we see this ecosystem come alive as students, university faculty, and local residents build alongside one another, driving positive economic impact for the whole community.”
Entrepreneurship Beyond Class
Several universities in the ranked communities offer students practical business experience while they are enrolled. At the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, students work with community partners to plan, launch and operate a small business as part of their degree requirements.
At the University of Delaware in Newark, the student-operated UDairy Creamery connects coursework with practical experience in product development, supply chain and storefront operations. Elon University in Elon incubates student-founded ventures into active local vendors through creativity and innovation centers.
Student Business Ambitions
The ranking arrives as Gen Z leads all generations in new business creation, up 66% year-over-year. Recent data found that 43% of current college-aged adults, Gen Z, plan to start or run a business before graduation.
GoDaddy’s ranking does not identify business owners by generation or student status. It does identify communities where students, faculty and residents can take part in local small-business activity while studying or working near campus.
A Broader Business Map
For students considering a venture, the results point to college towns as places where business ideas can be tested alongside degree study. GoDaddy’s research also gives local leaders and residents a reference point for conversations about supporting business owners on and off campus.
