Starting your own business is quite a feat, and with the struggles that COVID brought to the economy over the past few years, that challenge is even greater.

But sometimes starting a business in a smaller metropolitan area can offer that community something unique. WalletHub has compared the markets in 1,300 smaller towns (cities with populations between 25,000 to 100,000) across the country and offered some interesting data. How difficult can it be to start your own business in certain Hudson Valley and New York state towns?

The state's economy, outside New York City, has had its uncertainties even before COVID. Now, the data has been analyzed and it brings some interesting figures up. The three major keys measured by this study were business environment, access to resources, and business costs. Poughkeepsie actually ranks the highest out of all smaller New York towns that were surveyed, coming in at #322. Newburgh was #372. Not bad at all compared to other areas of the state.

Other Hudson Valley Towns and Where They Rank

  • 774. White Plains
  • 811. New Rochelle
  • 1026.Ossining
  • 1028. Harrison
  • 1036. Mount Vernon
  • 1056. Middletown
  • 1066. Port Chester
  • 1078. Spring Valley
  • 1249. New City

New York State Towns Outside the Hudson Valley

  • 374. Albany
  • 494. Saratoga Springs
  • 505. Schenectady
  • 547. Troy
  • 606. Central Islip
  • 613. Uniondale
  • 618. Irondequoit
  • 681. North Tonawanda
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Does the State of New York Smell? 

Ugh, what's that smell? First impressions are huge and for those visiting a state for the first time, you don't want to have to cover your nose. Yet another group has thrown together yet another survey of the country's foulest states, and while the Empire State is not the worst, we could still do better. Everything from population density, to number of landfills, to air quality, to even dental health was considered. But with a state as big as New York, we can't all be that bad, can we? There's got to be somewhere to escape, right?

How Bad Are We? 

According to Zippia's latest findings, New York might need an air freshener. The survey says that we ranked #8 overall when it came to "smell". And while Zippia says that our air quality is average compared to other states, our high population density, and number of landfills drove us up (or down) the list. We ranked right behind our neighbors in New Jersey, who was #7, and ahead of Pennsylvania at #9. The number of industries and refineries we have across the area might not help either in some towns.

Is This a Fair Assessment? 

But does all the state really smell that bad outside of the big population areas? Having the nation's largest metro area doesn't help our overall score, so the further you travel from New York City and parts of Long Island, the better. A number of states in the Northeast with high population densities seemed to rank high when compares to other regions in the country. New York state has long been known for its diverse variety of natural beauty.

The Nation's Worst (and Best)?

Overall, Maryland, California, and Florida were the top three smelliest states, according to these numbers. The freshest states? North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Not a surprise, considering how sparsely populated those states are.

LOOK: Here are 25 ways you could start saving money today

These money-saving tips—from finding discounts to simple changes to your daily habits—can come in handy whether you have a specific savings goal, want to stash away cash for retirement, or just want to pinch pennies. It’s never too late to be more financially savvy. Read on to learn more about how you can start saving now. [From: 25 ways you could be saving money today]

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