BOISE — Idaho was ranked number one by small business owners in a recent survey conducted by Thumbtack.com, in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, with regards to business start-up opportunities.

    This is the second year in a row that Idaho has earned the A+ ranking, according to a news release. Such a ranking applied to the following categories in 2013: OVerall friendliness, ease of starting a business, regulations, health and safety, employement, labor and hiring, tax code, licensing, as well as training and networking programs.

    “Idaho is pro-business and a great state for having a small business,”  said Sander Daniels, co-founder of Thumbtack.com. “There are not a ton of rules and regulations. There is plenty of opportunity, and the economy is improving and bouncing back faster than in other areas of the country.”

    The Thumbtack.com “Small Business Friendliness Survey” is the only survey to obtain data from an extensive, nationwide universe of job creators and entrepreneurs in order to determine the most business-friendly locations. While there are various “business climate rankings” that rate locations as good or bad for business, there are no others that draw upon considerable data from small business owners themselves.

    “In surveying thousands of small businesses across America, we found that clear and consistent regulations and relevant training programs are among the most important things a state can provide,” Daniels said. “Idaho's consistent attention to these factors allows the state to provide an environment in which businesses can succeed making it no surprise that the state earned an 'A+' again this year.”

    Idaho also scored an “A” with regards to ease of hiring and an “A-” in the categories of environmental and zoning.

    “It is critical to the economic health of every city and state to create an entrepreneur-friendly environment,” said Dane Stangler, director of Research and Policy at the Kauffman Foundation. “Policymakers put themselves in the best position to encourage sustainable growth and long-term prosperity by listening to the voices of small business owners themselves.”

    To view Idaho's results in full visit www.thumbtack.com/id.

    Thumbtack is a place where you can hire help locally. More than 275,000 small businesses and freelancers have listed their services on Thumbtack nationwide.