Charleston, South Carolina cited on two best cities lists

In this Iinternet, wireless, telecommuting world, shouldn’t entrepreneurs be able to live and work anywhere they choose? Not always, says David Birch, founder of Cognetics, Inc. and the author of a recent report that tracked fast-growth for 17 years. Location is often more important than you think. Access to key resources or lack thereof can be the deciding factor on whether a start-up becomes a Fortune 500 company.

Birch’s report lead to a ranking that listed Charleston among the 50 best cities for starting and growing a business. The reasons for Charleston’s top ranking – the area’s universities, a skilled workforce, good access to airports, inexpensive real estate, and a local culture and infrastructure that supports new businesses.

In addition, Places Rated Almanac ranked the Charleston/North Charleston area as one of the best places to live, above 300 other metropolitan areas. Based on criteria such as job market, cost of living, housing market, educational standards, health care and climate, Places Rated Almanac has been rating metro areas across the United States since 1980.