Virginia received an “A” for the second year in a row from Thumbtack.com’s Small Business Friendliness Survey.

The Commonwealth also improved its rank to No. 6 in the annual study. The Kauffman Foundation and Thumbtack.com surveyed more than 7,700 small business owners nationwide to obtain the results.

Virginia outshined its competition in the mid-Atlantic. In the category of overall friendliness, Virginia received an “A” while Maryland received a “C,” North Carolina received a “B+” and Tennessee received a “B+.”

Virginia also received “A’s” for its ease in starting a business, regulations, and training and networking programs.

“For the second year, Virginia set an outstanding example of providing a supportive environment for small business,” said Sander Daniels, co-founder of Thumbtack.com. “Our research with thousands of small businesses points to the importance of clear and consistent regulations and relevant training programs, and these are exactly the areas where Virginia excels.”

Another bright spot for the Commonwealth is Virginia Beach, which received an “A+” and was ranked the No. 2 city for overall friendliness and No. 1 city for ease in starting a business.

Entrepreneurs continue to start their businesses in the Commonwealth because Virginia offers an innovative environment combined with the right resources. To learn more about starting a business in Virginia click here.

Virginia was ranked the No. 7 Friendliest State by more than 6,000 small businesses surveyed by Thumbtack.com and the Kauffman Foundation in the recently published Thumbtack.com Small Business Survey.

Virginia was in the top ten nationwide in the following categories: lowest cost to hire a new employee, business-friendly labor and hiring regulations, strong training programs, and networking events geared towards small businesses.

The Commonwealth was also the No. 1 state in the Mid-Atlantic region in the categories of overall small business friendliness, lowest cost of hiring a new employee, and ease of starting a small business.

Small businesses and entrepreneurs are at the heart of economic growth, providing 65 percent of net new jobs nationwide between 1993 and 2009, according to the Thumbtack.com Small Business Survey.

Governor McDonnell’s recent announcement of new legislature to encourage investment in small business further illustrates Virginia’s intent to attract and assist small businesses. Senate Bill 344 and House Bill 585 created the Small Business Investment Grant Fund which offers a grant equal to 10 percent of the qualified investment.

To learn why Virginia is a great place to start a business and read more about the extensive resources available to entrepreneurs, click here.