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Business Climate

One of the most important factors considered when evaluating a market to move a company to, or to expand in, is how much it’s going to cost to operate a business there. Not only is the cost of living in Tampa Bay lower than most major metros, but the cost of doing business is also lower as well. And without sacrificing quality.
Tampa Bay MSA is among the most affordable places to do business in the United States. According to KPMG ratings, we earned the #6 spot for Most Cost-Friendly Business Locations Among Large U.S. Cities, outranking Dallas, Cleveland, and Boston. KPMG also noted that Tampa Bay MSA has the third lowest labor cost in the U.S. Cost factors considered during KPMG’s ranking process included local facilities (both industrial and office), labor costs such as wages, salaries and benefits, utilities, and federal, regional, and local taxes.

Our community offers many appealing attributes for business:

  • Non-stop air service to more than 80 domestic and international destinations
  • 33 million consumers within an 8-hour drive
  • Closest deep-water port to the Panama Canal and post-Panamax ready
  • Extensive and flexible Foreign Trade Zone network
  • Easy access to Latin America
  • Located on the I-4 warehouse and distribution logistics corridor
3 Million
Total MSA Population
1.5 Million
Total MSA Labor Force
17th Largest
Metropolitan Area in the U.S.