Grand Junction ranks among the top 50 small cities in the United States for starting small businesses, according to the latest results of an annual assessment.

Grand Junction placed first in Colorado and 46th nationwide in the report from VerizonSpecials.com, an online retailer of Verizon. The report evaluated more than 300 cities with populations between 50,000 and 75,000.

The analysis took into account six factors:

• Proportion of residents over 25 years old with at least a bachelor’s degree.
• Average travel time from home to work.
• Per capita income as a measure of labor costs with lower incomes equating to lower operating costs.
• Proportion of homes with access to broadband internet services.
• Availability of small business financing as measured by the loans per business.
• Tax environment as assessed by the Tax Foundation State Business Tax Climate Index.

Grand Junction received a score of 60. Scores for the top 50 small cities ranged from 86 to 59.

Cheyenne, Wyo., finished first in the assessment. The capital of Wyoming had the top tax score and an average commute of 20 minutes.

Missoula, Mont., was second with a top-five tax score. More than 92 percent of households there have broadband access.

Ames, Iowa, was third, followed by Shawnee, Kan., in fourth and Lafayette, Ind., in fifth.

The top 10 small cities also included Ankeny, Iowa; Tamarac, Fla.; Bismarck, N.D.; Novi, Mich.; and Eagan, Minn.

For more information about the VerizonSpecials.com report on the best small cities in which to start small businesses, visit www.verizonspecials.com/resources/the-best-small-cities-to-start-a-small-business.