A survey by Kosmont Companies and the Rose Institute ranked Santa Clarita among the best cities for doing business across Southern California.
The recent survey, titled “2018 Kosmont-Rose Institute Cost of Doing Business Survey,” recognized Santa Clarita as a “low-cost” city for its low property tax rates, no utility tax and several other business benefits in comparison to “high cost” neighboring cities such as Burbank, Glendale, Palmdale and Los Angeles.
Cities are selected for inclusion prior to data being collected for the survey and are ranked based on municipal and county taxes, fees and other demographics. The results are then sorted into five “Cost Ratings” groups: Very Low Cost, Low Cost, Average Cost, High Cost and Very High Cost.
From a broader perspective, the survey has shown over the years that L.A. County is “one of the most expensive areas in California and in the western United States in which to do business.”
The 2017 survey showed that 10 of the 20 most expensive cities surveyed in California are within L.A. County, but Santa Clarita, the third-largest city in the county, remained a “low cost” municipality.
The city, with a population of about 225,000, has been named among the most business-friendly cities in the past, including recognition from the L.A. Economic Development Corporation. Most recently, Santa Clarita has attracted new businesses such as Illumination Dynamics at The center at Needham Ranch, Laemmle Theaters in Old Town Newhall and Porsche at the Valencia Auto Center.
The survey is developed between Kosmont Companies, an L.A. business and real estate advisory group, and the Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College, which offers city governments an overview on where their municipality stands in relation to the surrounding area.
