NASHVILLE (AP) - Nashville and Chattanooga have been ranked the two best cities in the country for women-owned businesses, and Memphis comes in at No. 4 in a nationwide analysis released Monday. The rankings come from financial website WalletHub, which looked at the business climate for female-led firms in the 100 most-populated areas in the country.

The Nashville Davidson County Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the cities of Franklin and Murfreesboro, topped the list as the overall best place for a woman to start a business. The survey didn't say why Tennessee's cities fared so well in the analysis. Knoxville and its surrounding area also came in at No. 15.

A recent study by American Express showed there are an estimated 9.4 million female-owned business in the country.