DES MOINES, Iowa
Population: 209,220
Unemployment: 3.4 percent
Recent development: Convenience store giant Kum and Go relocated its headquarters
Fifty-six companies moved or expanded to Des Moines in 2013; 14 were attracted by the area’s affordability—cost of living is 10 percent lower than the rest of the nation. And there’s incentives such as the city’s economic development office, which has a MicroLoan Program that can provide up to $10,000 to businesses with five or fewer employees. Central Iowa SourceLink and the Business Innovation Zone connect companies with other owners and potential investors.