Attracting young professionals to Birmingham has been a goal of business and city leaders for some time, and the efforts appear to be paying off.
A recent survey by Thumbtack ranked Birmingham in first place for its list of the Top 10 Cities for Millennial Entrepreneurs.
Birmingham has been a hotbed for startups in recent years, as business incubators like Innovation Depot work to cultivate the ideas of the city’s aspiring entrepreneurs.
This summer, Birmingham was able to join Venture For America, which pairs young entrepreneurs with local startups, and will host the largest cohort of recent graduates this year.
New housing developments in neighborhoods like Parkside and Avondale have served to raise the appeal of the city to millennial business owners, as new restaurants and startups locate to the area with increasing frequency.
The burgeoning craft beer scene in Birmingham has also played a pivotal role in changing the outside perception of the city, as the city’s multiple breweries have all expanded or announced plans to expand as the statewide market grows.
Railroad Park has also proven a successful addition to the Magic City. The BBJ last year conducted an extensive survey of millennials and Railroad Park was one of the most heavily cited factors that they loved about Birmingham.
Related: Five ways Railroad Park has transformed Birmingham
The green space in the area has made the city center attractive to millennials, and as a result, developers have started to build hundreds of apartment units to cater to this demographic. Regions Field provides a popular evening destination during the summer months, with the Barons breaking attendance records with each new season at its new downtown home.
If a drawback for millennials could be found in the city, it could be the lack of quality public transportation. However, that could soon change as the city seems to be on the cusp of a deal to allow ridesharing service Uber to operate in Birmingham.
The survey was based on a wide-range of factors, including local tax laws, licensing rules, regulatory environment, training opportunities and networking.
Millennials are a crucial draw, both for the workforce and the local economy. Thumbtack estimated that millennials contribute approximately $1.3 trillion toward consumer spending.
The Top 10 Cities for Millennial Entrepreneurs
(1). Birmingham, Ala.
(2). Boise, Id.
(3). Boulder, Co.
(4). Nashville, Tenn.
(5). Manchester, NH.
(6). Charleston, S.C.
(7). Knoxville, Tenn.
(8). Austin, Texas
(9). Durham, N.C.
(10). Richmond, Va.
September 30, 2015
By
