The economy may be booming, but the number of new businesses actually declined last year. Most likely because it's far less tempting to start your own business when the job market is so good. Also, the frenzy of investments in startups in Seattle and San Francisco is starting to bleed into Oregon as well, he says. In recent years, Hewlett-Packard, Micron Technology, and Jabil Circuit have opened offices in Idaho, Mahn says.
People live here because they want to live here.
Indeed, trends in business starts often move up and down with a region's population, says Joel Kotkin, a senior fellow at Pepperdine University's Institute for Public Policy. Immigrants also help spark new businesses, Kotkin says. That's more than 10 times the number of business starts in Oregon, the state with the highest percentage growth rate. Business Week Online may receive a share of any fees you pay for services. The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.