*3.1. Data*

Data for this research have been collected from the Bureau of Economic Affairs' (BEA) Regional Economic Information System (1969–2016). This dataset has comprehensive information about local labor markets at the county level for key variables such as wage and salary employment, self-employment (both in farm and non-farm sectors), personal income, and population. Data for variables representing regional characteristics such as education level, homeownership, and median house values are collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, decennial census.

Data for the survival rates of establishments are taken from the National Establishment Time Series database of U.S. establishments. The survival rate of new businesses in the counties is the dependent variable. Metropolitan counties are those with core populations exceeding 50,000 residents, while micropolitan counties have core populations of between 10,000 and 50,000. Town counties are based on core urban areas of less than 10,000 residents. Non-metropolitan counties are defined as micropolitan counties plus town counties. Descriptive statistics are detailed in the Appendix A.
