5 midsize U.S. cities driving small-business growth

A new report from BILL reveals that midsize cities are experiencing significantly faster business growth than large cities. The report analyzed business-to-business accounts payable spending for companies with two to two hundred employees across major U.S. cities. Over the year ending May 2025, midsize cities saw a 32% increase in payments per company, compared to an 11% rise in large cities. Since the pandemic began, midsize city payment growth has doubled that of large cities. Recently, midsize cities have outpaced large cities in payment growth by nearly three times. The five fastest-growing cities for payments are all midsize cities, including Mesquite, Texas, and El Monte, California. This trend is attributed to factors like a lower cost of living and increased remote work. The South and West regions of the U.S. are showing the fastest payment growth, aligning with population migration patterns. BILL's Chief Economist notes this strong growth and resilience in midsize cities as a key message. This payments data is considered a leading indicator of broader economic activity across the nation.