15 Worst States in America To Start A New Business

5. Maine

This state has the 9th smallest population and is the northernmost point in the New England region. It has a rocky coastline and has a heavily forested region in its interior parts. The territory which is now known as main was inhabited by indigenous people for thousands of years. In 1604, the area saw its first European settlers. These came from France and they settled in Saint Croix island.

The harsh geographical climate along with various skirmishes with the indigenous inhabitants meant that many of the later British colonies did not survive long. By the time the 18th century rolled along, only a few European settlements were left. Maine only became a separate state in 1820, when it left Massachusetts.

In 2007, Maine had a rather low personal income-per-capita and only ranked in at number 34. Its agricultural exports are varied and quite large in parts. These outputs are cattle, maple syrup, maple sugar, apples, dairy products, eggs, poultry, and blueberries. In 2012 Maine was named by the USDA as the largest blueberry producing state. These blueberries are primarily low-bush berries and amounted to 91 100 000 pounds. There is also a steady commercial fishing industry in Maine, but it is outdoor recreation and tourism which is proving to be increasingly more prominent.

There is a substantially large amount of small businesses in Maine. They employ 57.5% of the population, but these numbers do not necessarily guarantee the survival of small businesses. The cost of living and the current tax climate that businesses are facing, put Maine at number 46 on the small business survival index. These conditions have been improving since 2016 but the state is still largely an unfriendly place for new small businesses.