The Best and Worst U.S. Cities for Paying Invoices on Time [2025 Study]

Methodology: This study surveyed 3,013 U.S. small business owners to identify which cities, in their experience, are the best and worst at paying invoices on time. The online panel included a balanced representation of industries, company sizes, and regions, with results weighted to reflect national benchmarks for small and medium-sized enterprises. Participants were asked to share their experiences with client payment habits and to select from a list of major U.S. cities based on their timeliness and reliability in settling invoices. Responses were aggregated and analyzed to reveal the cities with the strongest—and weakest—payment reputations. Conducted October 2025.

Image Credits:
 1.⁠ ⁠By GatewayPolitics – Own work, CC0
 2.⁠ ⁠By Quintin Soloviev – Own work, CC BY 4.0
 3.⁠ ⁠By Spicypepper999 – Own work, CC0
 4.⁠ ⁠By Cityofop – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
 5.⁠ ⁠By Zajohnso – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
 6.⁠ ⁠By M.O. Stevens – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
 7.⁠ ⁠By Quintin Soloviev – Own work, CC BY 4.0
 8.⁠ ⁠By WeaponizingArchitecture – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
 9.⁠ ⁠By Smash the Iron Cage – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
10.⁠ ⁠By Jsayre64, CC BY-SA 3.0

Key Findings

3 Tennessee cities land in the top 15.

While Clarksville emerged in first place for business confidence, it was followed by Chattanooga (#8) and Knoxville (#14). 

Consistency suggests Tennessee is a state where local businesses thrive in a trusting culture, where local businesses value relationships.

No singular business culture exists in California.

Despite Glendale emerging in 2nd place nationally, the Golden State also fills nearly the entire bottom tier. Los Angeles (#249) and San Francisco (#206) are among America’s slowest payers, while Riverside, Oakland, and Stockton all rank below 200. 

The data suggests scale and sprawl may dilute accountability – big networks, but slower checks.

Oregon businesses are among the most trustworthy.

Two Oregon cities – Salem (#6) and Eugene (#10) were included in the top 10. 

This correlated to the Beaver State’s reputation for civic order and strong small-business ecosystems –  where local partnerships still matter.

North Carolina’s well-regulated business climate.

Three Carolinas cities (Cary (#5), Charlotte (#21), and Raleigh (#22)) landed in the top 25, suggesting that the state’s steady, well-regulated business climate translates into punctual payments.

Texas shows scale, but not speed.

Texas dominates the overall list numerically – with more than a dozen cities represented – but most of them fall in the bottom half. 

Austin (#39) is the best performer, while major markets like Houston (#118), Dallas (#113), and San Antonio (#41) land solidly mid-pack. 

At the tail end, cities like Abilene (#176) and Waco (#231) slide toward the “slow payer” zone, suggesting local bottlenecks and cashflow lag even in business-friendly regions.

Northeast coastal caution.

Providence (#7) is a rare standout, but further north, cities like New York (#250), Boston (#63), and Philadelphia (#165) underperform. 

It may come down to bureaucracy – larger firms, complex systems, and more layers of approval before anyone hits “send payment.”

Small-city reputations are firm.

There is a strong correlation showing that cities with populations under 200,000 tend to perform far better than large ones. 

It seems that community reputation means businesses are held accountable – everyone knows everyone, and that social visibility drives reliability.

Final Thoughts

America’s invoice habits mirror its geography. The closer the ties between businesses and communities, the faster the payments. 

In smaller cities like Clarksville, Cary, or Salem, trust remains currency – reputations matter, and people still pick up the phone. In sprawling metros, anonymity breeds delay: more layers, more systems, more excuses.

Ultimately, being a “good payer” isn’t just about cash flow – it’s about culture. The cities that rank highest aren’t necessarily the richest; they’re the most accountable. 

And in the long run, that reliability may be the most underrated competitive edge a business can have.