There are many factors that go into a successfulbusiness. One of the most important factors is where thecompany is located. Cities like New York City and LosAngeles often attract many prospective businesses due to theirsize and economic strength, but success isn't guaranteed in suchcrowded markets.

Insurance industry professionals can easily cite successfulindependent agencies that are located in lesser-known areas.Small businesses, like insurance agencies, can often capitalize onsuch locations because consumers in the area may have fewer optionsto choose from; those same businesses, in turn, can allocate moreattention to potential customers.

Location does matter, but it will never define a company'ssuccess. For businesses willing to be headquartered outsidethe “mainstream cities”, there are a number of up-and-coming citiesworth exploring. So where should businesses look to be locatedin the future going forward?

To determine the best small cities to start a business,WalletHub compared the business-friendliness of more than 1,200small-sized cities with a population of between 25,000 and 100,000residents. The data set of 18 key metrics ranges from averagegrowth in number of small businesses to investor access to laborcosts. The main findings and methodology can be found on WalletHub's website.

Today marks the start of National Small Business Week. With thisin mind, here are the 10 best cities to start a business in2018.

Related: Top 15 best states for retirement:2018