Still the One

July 17, 2023

by CLC Staff

North Carolina has been hailed once again as America’s Top State for Business by CNBC. This year’s Number One spot follows 2022’s first place win and a string of top-ten placements for all but one of the past 12 years. Fiscally conservative, pro-business and pro-growth reformers have led the General Assembly since 2011.

“With a world-class workforce and a booming economy, North Carolina repeats as America’s Top State for Business in 2023” announced CNBC’s July 11th headline. 2023 marks only the second time that a state has received consecutive wins, with the other being Virginia, which won the top spot in both 2019 and 2021. (Editor’s note: CNBC forwent its rankings in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.) They go on to say:

“At a time when companies are clamoring for workers while trying to navigate a treacherous economy, no state is meeting their needs more effectively than North Carolina. The Tar Heel State is America’s Top State for Business in CNBC’s annual competitiveness study. It is the second consecutive year at the top for North Carolina — a rare feat in the CNBC study, which launched in 2007. Business and the economy in the state have been on a tear since the pandemic, and the state has scarcely looked back…”

The survey singled out North Carolina’s best-in-the-nation workforce, our booming economy, strong career education, technology and innovation, and access to capital.

“Over the past year, this legislature has worked to keep North Carolina the best in the country for business,” commented Senate President Pro-Tem Phil Berger in a statement. “We’ve overcome partisan obstructionism, regional competition, and economic uncertainty, and have confirmed that our state’s reputation and economy are stronger than ever.” He went on to say that the conservative majorities in the House and Senate “had a vision and plan when we won control of the General Assembly back in 2010, and improving our state’s business climate was a big part of that. It’s rewarding to see North Carolina prevail over several other qualified contenders.”

Since 2007, the TV network — widely considered as a world leader in business news and real-time financial market coverage — has scored all 50 states on 88 different metrics in ten weighted categories of competitiveness to determine an overall ranking. This year, those included 1) the workforce (400 points or 16%), 2) infrastructure (390 points or 15.6%), 3) the state’s economy (360 points or 14.4%), 4) life, health, and inclusion (350 points or 14%), 5) the cost of doing business (290 points or 11.6%), 6) technology and Innovation (270 points or 10.8%), 7) business friendliness (215 points or 8.6%), 8) education (125 points or 5%), 9) access to capital (50 points or 2%), and 10) the cost of living (50 points or 2%).

The relative importance of any one category can change from year to year. Workforce, for example, was given the greatest weight in 2022 and 2023, but in 2021 it was only the fourth most important category. New metrics introduced last year include child-care resources as well as support for emerging industries like cryptocurrency and cannabis; “quality of life” as a category was replaced with “life, health, and inclusion” in 2021.

Click through the spreadsheets below for detailed rankings of all 50 states since 2011.

202320222021201920182017201620152014201320122011

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2023

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Life, Health, and Inclusion	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	North Carolina	1	16	3	34	18	6	10	7	6	27
2	Virginia	7	10	13	16	34	15	6	1	4	25
3	Tennessee	9	3	5	43	7	27	19	5	15	22
4	Georgia	8	1	4	39	27	19	35	21	23	14
5	Minnesota	17	3	24	4	39	4	30	13	20	17
6	Texas	2	24	2	50	16	8	25	35	1	22
7	Washington	5	23	17	7	37	3	22	32	17	44
8	Florida	15	14	1	41	26	20	26	36	16	36
9	Utah	6	29	6	38	22	23	7	44	23	39
10	Michigan	24	26	29	24	6	12	15	36	10	7
11	Colorado	9	10	32	8	38	10	18	21	12	35
12	Ohio	39	6	21	23	4	16	40	40	5	3
13	Indiana	35	5	9	44	5	22	22	45	13	3
14	Arizona	3	7	15	35	33	18	13	42	17	40
15	Massachusetts	13	34	26	8	49	1	19	3	3	47
15	Pennsylvania	24	17	18	27	24	11	31	13	6	16
17	Illinois	28	2	33	17	32	14	39	2	6	9
18	Delaware	4	19	10	21	42	24	26	46	27	30
19	New Jersey	16	21	19	3	44	21	48	4	11	30
20	New York	46	18	12	14	41	5	46	13	6	46
21	Oregon	14	32	26	6	31	9	43	30	20	48
22	Maryland	28	15	31	11	47	7	24	21	13	27
23	Iowa	23	26	42	13	20	27	33	26	35	1
23	Kansas	30	10	40	30	13	34	11	5	45	2
25	California	12	26	37	19	45	1	47	9	1	49
26	Idaho	20	38	8	33	21	25	14	47	30	40
27	South Carolina	31	8	7	46	13	37	32	27	41	21
28	Nebraska	36	35	34	22	19	33	8	20	40	12
29	Vermont	41	37	39	1	40	31	16	10	32	36
30	Nevada	11	9	11	31	30	47	9	50	25	36
31	Connecticut	21	33	42	10	43	13	16	13	27	34
32	Missouri	49	21	16	45	2	30	29	11	17	7
33	Wisconsin	38	39	20	36	17	17	33	13	35	20
34	South Dakota	47	31	28	31	11	42	2	27	37	27
35	Montana	42	40	23	28	22	35	4	13	41	45
36	North Dakota	43	25	46	18	29	44	1	21	41	17
37	Wyoming	18	36	35	25	28	50	2	11	30	22
38	Kentucky	33	29	25	36	10	41	40	36	45	17
39	Maine	22	50	38	2	34	40	26	19	48	32
40	New Hampshire	34	42	44	15	36	35	4	8	32	40
41	Oklahoma	36	20	30	49	3	38	21	48	25	5
42	Alabama	44	13	21	46	12	32	42	34	37	11
43	New Mexico	27	45	36	29	24	27	44	21	47	26
44	Arkansas	31	46	14	42	15	49	44	42	20	12
45	Rhode Island	19	44	48	12	46	25	37	41	29	43
46	West Virginia	50	41	48	26	1	47	49	32	39	5
47	Hawaii	40	43	41	5	50	39	36	36	50	50
48	Mississippi	45	48	47	39	9	46	50	27	41	9
49	Louisiana	48	46	45	48	7	45	37	30	32	14
50	Alaska	26	49	50	20	48	43	12	49	49	32

Source: CNBC

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2022

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Life, Health, and Inclusion	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	North Carolina	12	17	1	28	26	5	22	14	2	22
2	Washington	4	29	3	6	33	2	31	17	20	38
3	Virginia	11	9	20	13	25	17	6	2	6	30
4	Colorado	1	16	11	12	36	9	16	11	22	34
5	Texas	2	14	8	49	12	4	34	21	3	14
6	Tennessee	15	8	2	42	8	28	23	11	22	5
7	Nebraska	32	22	13	7	16	24	12	24	32	19
8	Utah	8	32	6	29	17	26	10	41	12	25
9	Minnesota	21	4	16	5	41	6	32	15	13	26
10	Georgia	3	11	7	39	38	12	32	10	13	4
11	Florida	6	13	4	39	30	16	39	19	22	27
12	Iowa	20	37	17	10	19	18	28	24	29	7
13	North Dakota	31	21	37	4	21	35	1	26	34	24
14	Indiana	48	1	10	43	2	23	18	35	13	9
15	Ohio	41	2	27	29	4	11	43	22	3	12
15	Michigan	26	19	21	29	9	15	20	27	11	12
17	Pennsylvania	28	12	45	22	22	7	26	5	9	32
18	Oregon	9	33	15	8	34	13	46	32	26	46
19	Illinois	26	3	44	23	31	8	40	6	8	20
20	Idaho	40	42	5	20	15	34	3	48	34	31
21	Kansas	35	6	43	29	6	38	17	20	19	2
22	South Dakota	43	36	12	27	11	36	8	39	10	29
23	Wisconsin	37	15	30	35	13	19	38	15	32	23
23	Massachusetts	24	31	26	13	49	10	21	1	6	47
25	Missouri	49	10	17	46	1	19	36	27	29	6
26	Kentucky	17	18	34	36	6	22	42	39	38	17
27	Maryland	10	22	31	18	44	14	29	18	13	44
28	Delaware	5	20	22	24	37	32	26	42	13	36
29	California	16	25	17	26	48	1	48	11	1	48
30	Montana	33	45	9	24	27	46	5	33	38	28
31	Vermont	50	22	33	1	39	37	14	8	45	41
32	Wyoming	18	35	40	20	23	40	2	29	45	20
33	Alabama	13	38	27	38	24	21	25	34	34	3
34	Arizona	7	6	22	50	35	29	4	42	41	33
35	New Hampshire	22	47	29	15	32	39	8	6	48	37
36	New York	46	28	36	19	42	2	44	4	5	49
37	South Carolina	29	27	13	47	28	31	23	29	41	18
38	Oklahoma	35	26	34	48	2	30	14	47	22	14
39	Connecticut	14	39	47	17	45	25	11	8	26	43
40	Nevada	29	5	25	41	20	47	7	50	26	35
41	Arkansas	38	30	24	37	13	40	29	37	20	10
42	New Jersey	23	34	50	8	43	27	47	3	13	40
43	Maine	43	49	32	2	40	44	19	23	47	39
44	West Virginia	43	42	39	34	10	49	49	44	38	8
45	Rhode Island	39	44	41	16	47	33	36	29	29	42
46	Hawaii	19	39	48	3	50	40	35	38	49	50
47	New Mexico	25	39	42	44	29	43	44	45	41	11
48	Louisiana	42	48	45	45	5	45	41	35	37	16
49	Alaska	34	50	38	11	46	50	12	49	49	45
50	Mississippi	47	46	49	33	17	48	50	46	41	1

Source: CNBC

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2021

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Life, Health, and Inclusion	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	Virginia	3	24	13	11	26	16	11	2	9	32
2	North Carolina	6	21	4	37	15	10	9	17	8	23
3	Utah	17	7	37	27	22	19	10	26	17	26
4	Texas	1	13	35	49	10	12	32	33	3	13
5	Tennessee	25	4	36	46	8	32	20	23	14	8
6	Georgia	8	6	42	45	29	22	22	24	10	8
7	Minnesota	29	12	50	4	42	4	28	5	14	30
8	Colorado	2	22	24	14	38	6	29	30	16	34
9	Washington	7	29	33	7	36	4	39	14	11	38
10	Ohio	38	11	45	34	2	15	47	21	7	14
11	Michigan	28	18	23	28	16	6	25	42	20	11
12	Maryland	10	8	21	20	43	2	26	18	18	44
13	Nebraska	40	33	46	9	24	37	6	11	39	16
14	Massachusetts	9	29	37	8	49	2	32	1	6	46
15	Illinois	19	1	43	24	29	13	48	10	3	21
16	Idaho	30	37	29	21	13	31	2	46	45	19
17	Florida	12	5	18	40	32	28	37	27	5	28
18	North Dakota	38	17	27	3	18	42	3	13	47	25
19	Indiana	43	3	40	41	9	25	12	36	24	10
20	Iowa	37	35	29	5	13	23	34	20	36	12
21	Wisconsin	36	27	14	31	19	16	23	8	21	23
22	New York	19	13	17	18	41	9	49	8	2	49
23	Pennsylvania	22	13	43	33	28	14	39	5	12	33
24	Connecticut	15	18	8	24	45	8	8	11	18	43
25	Missouri	45	25	39	47	5	24	23	22	22	5
26	New Jersey	11	16	10	10	44	20	42	3	12	41
27	Delaware	14	8	32	35	34	20	13	39	38	35
28	Kansas	32	22	41	32	16	34	15	16	29	2
29	South Dakota	47	48	12	15	12	46	1	18	34	28
30	Arizona	5	8	31	50	37	27	7	41	26	31
31	Alabama	35	32	26	44	22	33	19	34	25	6
32	Oklahoma	32	34	21	36	1	45	18	50	27	3
33	California	4	27	34	26	47	1	50	36	1	48
34	Montana	48	43	11	17	20	35	5	28	41	27
35	Oregon	19	26	1	16	33	10	44	31	28	47
36	Wyoming	34	29	48	22	25	40	4	15	49	20
37	New Hampshire	30	45	28	11	35	18	13	4	40	36
38	New Mexico	13	47	7	30	11	30	38	48	31	7
39	South Carolina	16	36	20	39	31	36	27	36	30	22
40	Nevada	24	2	24	47	27	50	16	49	35	37
41	Kentucky	45	20	15	29	6	38	41	34	32	18
42	Vermont	50	46	16	1	38	26	31	5	49	40
43	Arkansas	42	43	9	43	4	42	34	43	37	4
44	Louisiana	25	40	18	42	3	47	45	40	23	17
45	Mississippi	41	38	6	37	7	48	43	43	32	1
46	Rhode Island	23	42	2	13	46	28	30	28	41	42
47	West Virginia	44	41	5	22	21	49	46	45	47	15
48	Maine	49	50	3	5	40	42	21	24	41	39
49	Hawaii	18	39	49	2	50	41	36	31	41	50
50	Alaska	27	49	47	19	48	39	16	47	46	45

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2019

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Quality of Life	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	Virginia	1	13	16	17	35	17	3	1	15	32
2	Texas	4	8	4	37	19	10	17	39	3	12
3	North Carolina	7	17	1	35	21	9	17	21	6	19
4	Utah	18	17	3	9	18	21	13	20	19	25
5	Washington	3	39	5	5	32	2	35	11	9	38
6	Georgia	11	5	15	25	28	16	16	23	10	11
7	Minnesota	13	9	23	3	39	7	28	3	17	31
8	Nebraska	26	22	9	15	5	33	10	6	41	17
9	Colorado	8	35	21	7	37	7	11	17	11	34
10	Ohio	17	4	30	34	8	13	32	11	13	15
11	Indiana	29	1	17	44	4	30	4	32	21	9
12	Florida	15	12	10	24	29	20	12	39	4	30
13	Tennessee	32	5	5	48	17	23	7	28	23	6
14	Massachusetts	5	48	18	10	47	3	14	1	6	47
15	Wisconsin	20	24	20	26	20	19	26	5	25	23
16	Iowa	34	32	13	13	10	26	24	17	32	13
17	North Dakota	24	21	31	4	25	42	5	9	47	29
18	Idaho	42	28	2	21	12	37	6	47	38	20
19	Kansas	21	3	32	35	23	31	8	21	28	8
20	Arizona	2	13	12	37	41	23	9	47	18	24
21	South Dakota	47	37	8	21	2	47	2	27	45	27
22	Oregon	19	22	7	16	31	12	43	36	23	45
23	Missouri	38	7	24	43	8	22	27	14	22	4
24	Michigan	23	33	24	31	27	6	22	43	16	5
25	New Hampshire	8	45	34	5	40	29	1	13	35	37
26	Wyoming	35	15	27	12	15	49	24	15	48	10
27	New York	29	44	14	13	42	4	49	7	2	48
28	Pennsylvania	31	24	39	32	30	13	29	9	6	28
29	Nevada	48	11	11	28	15	44	17	45	27	36
30	Illinois	12	16	45	33	34	11	40	33	5	22
31	Maryland	6	41	35	27	46	5	31	23	14	46
32	California	10	33	19	17	50	1	50	30	1	49
33	Montana	37	29	40	7	11	39	23	34	40	33
34	South Carolina	28	30	22	41	24	32	35	29	26	26
35	Connecticut	15	43	43	20	43	18	21	8	20	43
36	New Jersey	14	39	40	11	45	15	45	4	12	41
37	Alabama	35	10	27	49	22	34	37	37	30	6
38	Delaware	24	31	24	30	38	23	33	35	35	35
39	Kentucky	40	2	46	40	1	36	45	31	29	13
40	Vermont	50	24	44	2	36	27	34	15	45	40
41	New Mexico	21	24	27	44	26	37	44	45	35	15
42	Arkansas	39	20	36	50	3	44	37	41	33	3
43	Oklahoma	49	17	40	46	13	46	15	50	30	2
44	Maine	45	47	37	19	32	35	29	19	42	39
45	West Virginia	44	35	33	39	6	50	48	42	48	21
46	Louisiana	41	42	49	47	13	42	39	37	33	18
47	Alaska	27	46	38	23	48	41	20	49	50	44
48	Mississippi	42	38	50	42	6	48	47	44	42	1
49	Hawaii	46	49	47	1	49	40	42	26	44	50
50	Rhode Island	32	50	48	28	44	27	40	25	39	41

Source: CNBC

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2018

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Quality of Life	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	Texas	7	1	1	31	18	9	21	37	3	11
2	Washington	2	31	4	5	33	6	32	12	11	37
3	Utah	11	10	2	12	23	19	12	34	18	22
4	Virginia	3	20	13	19	34	15	5	6	13	33
5	Colorado	5	29	8	9	37	7	17	11	11	34
6	Minnesota	16	6	18	3	38	5	28	5	17	29
7	Georgia	4	3	2	32	36	21	21	29	8	9
8	Massachusetts	1	42	14	10	43	2	18	1	7	48
9	North Carolina	9	21	6	28	16	11	23	37	9	18
10	Florida	27	8	9	23	31	7	16	36	4	26
11	Idaho	29	24	5	13	4	35	3	40	29	13
11	Michigan	10	18	16	33	19	3	25	28	15	4
13	Tennessee	27	5	7	47	15	30	8	33	23	5
14	Nebraska	22	29	37	11	2	31	12	3	33	15
15	Ohio	25	4	24	35	13	16	37	15	14	14
16	Indiana	40	2	20	46	5	28	4	35	24	10
17	Wisconsin	22	23	19	24	21	20	24	14	25	24
18	Iowa	39	24	34	7	6	26	15	13	36	12
19	Oregon	19	28	12	18	32	14	38	29	20	45
20	Arizona	8	16	10	36	39	23	11	48	20	20
20	South Dakota	30	38	27	16	9	41	2	16	45	27
22	Pennsylvania	13	37	41	34	25	13	31	7	6	32
23	Missouri	41	11	25	45	8	22	27	18	22	6
24	New Hampshire	19	49	22	5	40	26	1	2	41	39
25	California	12	24	11	21	48	1	50	32	1	49
26	Wyoming	22	12	30	20	20	49	10	21	47	20
27	New York	32	44	23	14	42	4	48	3	2	47
28	Illinois	25	22	42	30	29	12	47	17	4	25
29	North Dakota	30	14	44	4	29	42	6	23	46	29
30	South Carolina	21	35	17	42	17	31	28	26	28	27
31	Maryland	6	45	21	26	45	10	35	20	16	44
32	Vermont	46	32	29	1	35	25	33	10	49	40
33	Nevada	37	8	15	40	3	47	19	50	26	36
34	Montana	45	32	34	7	14	39	20	24	38	31
35	Kansas	38	14	48	28	27	29	9	18	40	7
36	New Jersey	18	43	31	16	50	18	44	7	9	41
37	Connecticut	16	47	45	22	46	17	26	9	18	43
38	Delaware	14	35	25	39	41	24	28	26	38	35
39	Oklahoma	43	27	32	44	12	40	7	48	35	3
40	Arkansas	43	12	39	50	1	47	40	42	36	2
41	Alabama	36	18	37	48	26	34	36	47	30	8
42	Kentucky	49	7	47	37	10	36	46	39	30	16
43	New Mexico	34	17	46	41	24	37	42	44	33	19
44	Louisiana	35	38	40	49	7	44	41	46	27	17
45	Maine	50	48	43	15	27	38	34	22	30	38
45	Rhode Island	15	50	28	27	44	33	38	25	43	42
47	Hawaii	48	40	33	2	49	42	43	31	42	50
48	West Virginia	47	45	36	37	11	50	49	41	47	23
49	Mississippi	41	41	49	42	22	46	45	43	43	1
50	Alaska	33	34	50	25	47	45	14	45	49	46

Source: CNBC

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2017

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Quality of Life	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	Washington	5	32	3	5	32	3	31	19	8	37
2	Georgia	3	4	1	28	26	23	19	33	9	14
3	Minnesota	16	10	6	3	36	5	33	2	16	31
4	Texas	1	1	25	37	15	11	24	34	3	9
5	North Carolina	7	20	15	28	9	6	8	32	9	19
6	Colorado	4	28	13	14	38	7	8	12	12	32
7	Virginia	2	25	20	17	35	16	7	13	13	28
8	Utah	18	9	4	20	24	18	16	34	18	17
9	Tennessee	19	2	5	42	6	30	4	37	23	7
10	Massachusetts	6	41	14	10	45	1	20	1	7	47
11	Michigan	13	19	9	33	24	9	25	23	17	3
12	Florida	22	7	2	24	30	28	17	40	4	27
13	Nebraska	20	26	27	10	13	33	6	5	41	13
14	Indiana	35	3	10	45	2	26	8	29	24	2
15	Iowa	42	23	21	9	10	25	11	9	30	15
16	Ohio	31	5	17	40	22	15	37	15	14	18
17	Oregon	30	20	10	12	28	14	41	27	22	39
18	New Hampshire	14	49	22	6	39	21	1	8	32	30
19	North Dakota	12	17	40	4	29	39	4	13	47	26
20	Idaho	33	32	8	18	11	36	3	44	41	6
21	Wisconsin	28	26	28	24	22	17	27	15	25	24
22	Missouri	43	11	18	46	17	22	23	15	20	11
23	Pennsylvania	21	38	34	30	34	10	28	10	5	34
24	South Dakota	39	37	22	14	14	41	2	25	34	34
25	Maryland	11	43	7	26	48	4	33	25	15	44
26	Arizona	7	14	19	31	37	24	14	49	18	25
27	Wyoming	17	14	43	16	26	40	13	11	50	15
28	California	10	22	22	21	49	2	50	28	1	48
29	South Carolina	23	30	15	36	16	35	29	40	28	29
30	Montana	44	30	35	8	11	37	26	22	35	30
31	Illinois	24	24	45	27	30	12	47	24	5	21
32	New Jersey	26	46	31	13	45	18	42	4	9	41
33	Connecticut	7	47	41	23	43	13	32	3	20	45
34	Kansas	33	12	46	35	21	31	15	18	36	8
35	Kentucky	47	6	29	41	3	38	44	30	27	10
35	Vermont	45	29	37	2	41	29	30	7	46	43
37	Alabama	36	18	26	50	7	31	33	47	29	12
38	New York	39	45	33	19	47	8	45	5	2	49
39	Nevada	41	8	10	34	18	50	18	50	26	36
40	Delaware	15	36	39	37	40	18	22	36	38	33
41	Arkansas	37	12	32	47	7	48	39	38	32	4
42	New Mexico	32	16	44	42	19	27	45	45	38	22
43	Oklahoma	38	32	42	48	20	44	12	43	36	5
44	Louisiana	28	39	49	49	4	47	40	48	31	20
45	Rhode Island	27	50	29	31	43	34	37	20	44	42
46	Maine	50	48	38	7	32	41	36	20	40	38
47	Alaska	25	35	48	22	42	41	20	42	49	46
48	Mississippi	46	41	47	44	1	46	43	46	44	1
49	Hawaii	48	40	35	1	50	45	47	30	41	50
50	West Virginia	49	44	50	39	4	49	49	39	47	22

Source: CNBC

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2016

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Quality of Life	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	Utah	12	13	3	13	19	16	10	23	24	22
2	Texas	8	2	1	37	23	10	18	40	7	21
3	Colorado	1	29	2	12	37	8	9	25	8	32
4	Minnesota	15	5	17	2	35	9	27	2	21	27
5	North Carolina	9	30	11	30	18	7	15	28	2	18
6	Washington	11	39	6	8	30	1	30	24	10	37
7	Michigan	29	27	7	32	12	6	30	19	4	10
8	Georgia	7	4	9	37	31	13	14	33	6	17
9	Iowa	37	16	29	9	2	23	15	17	40	12
10	Florida	14	10	4	26	32	17	22	26	14	28
11	Nebraska	19	20	19	18	15	31	7	9	31	15
12	North Dakota	4	6	26	7	29	44	4	14	33	26
13	Virginia	3	32	30	16	36	15	3	5	15	30
13	Wyoming	6	12	14	11	21	48	21	3	50	29
15	Idaho	28	25	12	20	6	34	5	49	22	7
16	Indiana	36	1	20	45	1	26	13	29	18	8
17	Oregon	31	37	5	6	27	14	38	34	22	36
18	Tennessee	22	2	21	46	10	24	6	40	17	5
19	South Dakota	32	28	33	14	4	44	2	21	32	20
20	Massachusetts	2	42	18	17	46	3	20	1	19	44
21	Ohio	43	7	22	34	15	21	37	13	9	9
22	Montana	45	24	13	10	8	40	23	27	40	24
23	Wisconsin	26	19	31	15	28	19	36	11	13	23
24	Illinois	16	16	34	35	24	11	48	4	1	34
25	Arizona	5	16	15	32	40	22	8	47	28	31
26	New Hampshire	26	49	16	4	39	29	1	11	43	42
27	South Carolina	20	21	24	31	19	32	27	42	29	19
28	Kansas	30	8	39	37	26	28	19	9	42	16
29	New York	35	43	10	22	44	4	45	8	11	49
30	Maryland	10	44	23	27	48	5	26	16	26	38
31	Missouri	49	9	34	49	14	25	15	14	20	11
32	California	21	33	8	23	49	2	50	38	2	47
33	Pennsylvania	33	35	42	29	34	12	35	21	12	35
34	New Jersey	16	44	36	19	42	17	44	6	5	41
35	Kentucky	46	14	40	42	5	37	41	29	38	2
36	Vermont	47	41	26	3	43	30	30	7	49	40
37	Delaware	13	36	26	28	38	27	11	45	46	48
38	Alabama	38	21	48	43	17	36	30	46	16	4
39	New Mexico	42	14	38	36	24	33	43	34	46	25
40	Nevada	23	11	37	41	22	42	23	50	44	33
41	Arkansas	34	21	32	50	9	47	42	36	39	3
42	Oklahoma	41	26	44	48	13	43	12	44	35	6
43	Connecticut	18	47	43	25	47	19	29	18	25	46
44	Louisiana	25	34	46	47	7	46	40	39	30	14
45	Alaska	38	37	41	20	41	41	25	37	36	45
46	Maine	50	48	49	5	33	39	34	31	27	39
47	Mississippi	44	31	50	44	3	50	47	48	34	1
47	West Virginia	40	39	47	40	11	49	49	32	48	13
49	Hawaii	48	46	25	1	50	38	46	43	37	50
50	Rhode Island	23	50	45	24	45	35	39	20	45	43

Source: CNBC

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2015

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Quality of Life	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	Minnesota	13	9	5	3	35	6	23	2	23	32
2	Texas	20	1	2	33	21	11	14	28	6	15
3	Utah	29	30	1	20	13	15	5	31	21	11
4	Colorado	16	14	3	9	36	5	18	24	8	31
5	Georgia	3	2	4	36	32	16	11	29	5	16
6	North Dakota	1	8	13	19	25	41	1	15	31	29
7	Nebraska	11	21	20	15	15	32	5	16	36	8
8	Washington	27	33	11	7	28	1	24	18	10	36
9	North Carolina	16	23	6	33	17	10	17	30	1	23
10	Iowa	44	28	10	9	8	24	19	18	39	14
11	South Dakota	35	19	8	17	5	44	2	23	27	35
12	Virginia	6	25	36	25	37	14	3	6	12	25
13	Indiana	42	22	8	46	1	26	9	26	16	4
14	Idaho	32	27	19	22	6	33	11	47	19	3
15	Wisconsin	31	5	30	23	26	20	28	14	14	26
16	Florida	19	16	11	32	31	17	27	26	15	27
17	Tennessee	8	3	31	50	12	27	8	42	18	2
18	Wyoming	34	4	23	17	20	49	19	8	50	18
19	Illinois	23	12	41	26	29	9	45	12	3	22
20	Massachusetts	7	47	28	8	46	3	22	1	17	43
21	Oregon	37	37	22	6	27	13	26	40	22	44
22	Michigan	25	26	29	48	17	8	36	25	4	7
23	Ohio	43	11	15	43	13	21	37	20	7	19
24	Kansas	10	7	44	35	30	30	16	10	46	8
24	New Mexico	16	5	24	24	23	38	41	40	42	13
26	Missouri	38	18	33	47	11	23	15	20	24	17
27	California	26	28	7	15	49	2	50	32	1	46
28	Montana	48	12	16	13	16	41	30	32	39	30
29	South Carolina	22	14	18	38	22	35	34	39	31	21
30	New Hampshire	38	43	24	4	38	29	7	9	48	39
31	Oklahoma	41	17	14	49	9	43	21	44	33	5
32	Arkansas	12	35	16	44	4	46	37	35	38	11
33	Connecticut	4	46	26	11	47	19	32	11	30	49
34	Arizona	14	9	36	31	40	24	13	49	25	28
35	New York	29	39	31	20	44	4	43	3	13	48
36	Kentucky	49	19	21	41	2	39	40	36	41	6
36	Maryland	2	45	35	29	48	7	32	6	29	40
38	Delaware	14	39	26	30	38	22	4	38	47	37
39	New Jersey	5	48	40	13	43	18	47	5	8	45
40	Pennsylvania	40	35	46	36	33	11	35	16	11	34
41	Alabama	32	31	44	42	19	30	28	46	20	10
42	Vermont	47	44	33	2	42	28	42	3	48	41
43	Mississippi	21	23	50	39	2	48	48	47	33	1
44	Maine	50	41	42	5	34	36	39	20	26	38
45	Nevada	27	33	47	27	24	45	24	50	43	33
46	Louisiana	36	32	48	45	10	40	31	42	28	20
47	Alaska	9	38	49	27	41	47	10	36	35	47
48	Rhode Island	24	50	39	12	44	33	45	13	43	42
49	West Virginia	44	42	36	40	7	50	48	34	45	24
50	Hawaii	46	49	42	1	50	36	44	45	37	50

Source: CNBC

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2014

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Quality of Life	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	Georgia	1	1	3	32	20	16	14	32	11	22
2	Texas	11	1	1	37	23	2	20	27	5	18
3	Utah	12	28	6	15	16	18	4	46	1	20
4	Nebraska	16	18	11	8	10	40	3	19	35	21
5	North Carolina	4	21	4	34	23	12	19	33	17	14
6	Minnesota	30	5	5	4	38	11	15	12	11	28
7	Washington	24	17	2	6	34	4	23	25	9	38
8	Colorado	5	29	8	12	35	9	16	28	1	34
8	Virginia	10	19	29	22	30	10	5	9	19	32
10	North Dakota	8	10	7	5	22	49	7	22	45	12
11	South Dakota	6	31	20	10	6	50	2	30	26	16
12	Iowa	37	25	18	20	7	29	9	22	49	12
13	Arizona	2	8	15	27	28	19	16	50	5	27
14	Tennessee	6	4	14	50	13	28	18	39	33	9
15	Kansas	13	8	31	25	26	27	11	14	41	24
16	Idaho	8	34	42	16	8	41	6	45	21	11
17	Wisconsin	40	10	22	24	26	20	25	10	37	23
18	Ohio	46	6	15	43	15	17	33	15	29	15
19	Indiana	27	7	30	44	21	25	11	15	37	7
20	Florida	3	27	11	28	37	12	35	38	7	31
21	Wyoming	18	12	41	16	18	46	8	12	35	33
22	Oregon	39	23	10	13	33	22	26	39	15	37
23	Missouri	44	13	15	48	11	24	29	20	39	18
24	South Carolina	25	14	13	40	9	30	34	43	41	10
25	Massachusetts	20	45	19	7	46	5	21	3	9	45
26	Michigan	15	16	28	45	31	14	32	34	23	17
27	Illinois	32	3	36	30	40	5	41	15	14	29
28	Oklahoma	35	33	26	49	1	39	27	41	41	3
29	Nevada	14	19	21	35	25	35	22	49	15	30
30	Arkansas	19	35	25	41	2	44	45	37	39	2
30	New Hampshire	41	48	33	3	32	26	13	10	19	43
32	California	36	24	9	23	48	1	48	26	1	47
33	Montana	46	25	38	11	12	45	42	21	27	25
34	Alabama	20	21	40	46	4	31	38	47	45	7
35	Maryland	20	39	24	26	45	7	42	7	27	41
36	Mississippi	17	31	26	38	4	47	49	48	31	6
37	New Mexico	30	15	43	33	17	32	47	36	23	26
38	Delaware	34	44	32	29	36	23	1	24	44	36
39	Kentucky	29	29	46	42	14	37	36	35	47	1
40	Louisiana	26	36	44	47	3	36	39	44	47	4
40	New York	43	38	34	21	50	3	29	1	4	50
42	Vermont	50	49	23	2	41	37	31	2	31	40
43	New Jersey	23	47	47	18	43	15	37	4	11	44
44	Pennsylvania	48	37	37	35	42	8	39	6	17	35
45	Maine	41	46	48	8	29	43	28	8	29	38
46	Connecticut	32	42	49	14	47	21	24	5	7	48
47	Alaska	27	41	50	30	39	42	10	30	21	46
48	West Virginia	44	40	39	39	18	48	50	28	49	5
49	Hawaii	49	43	34	1	49	33	44	42	33	49
50	Rhode Island	38	50	44	19	43	34	45	18	23	42

Source: CNBC

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2013

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Quality of Life	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	South Dakota	11	19	6	7	1	48	2	30	39	26
2	Texas	11	1	1	41	35	2	20	10	3	9
3	North Dakota	8	2	2	5	12	46	6	36	29	30
4	Nebraska	23	16	4	4	10	36	3	30	39	5
5	Utah	19	21	10	21	21	23	4	39	7	11
5	Virginia	6	21	10	18	38	12	6	8	13	20
7	Colorado	10	23	7	15	37	8	17	15	11	32
8	Georgia	1	18	19	32	28	17	14	8	5	14
9	Wyoming	16	9	15	11	9	47	8	20	39	27
10	Idaho	14	20	31	16	7	37	5	33	39	3
11	Iowa	40	28	5	14	13	30	9	15	31	16
12	North Carolina	3	31	13	30	32	10	18	15	15	20
13	Tennessee	5	2	9	49	14	25	18	45	27	2
14	Kansas	17	4	21	24	27	29	12	15	35	7
15	Minnesota	32	8	10	3	39	18	15	23	17	34
16	Massachusetts	28	40	3	13	47	7	21	7	1	43
17	Oregon	39	13	16	8	36	14	25	26	11	38
18	Indiana	27	5	32	39	26	24	10	13	25	6
19	Montana	34	12	19	12	5	40	43	23	39	30
20	Arizona	2	10	43	29	31	19	16	49	33	35
21	Washington	24	31	24	10	44	4	23	28	7	36
22	Wisconsin	40	17	34	19	28	19	24	13	21	28
23	South Carolina	9	15	35	41	8	26	34	36	19	19
24	Arkansas	7	34	18	40	4	38	43	15	37	7
25	Oklahoma	25	25	24	45	2	35	28	48	37	1
26	Missouri	48	5	17	47	19	22	29	20	23	11
27	New Hampshire	33	45	43	9	18	27	13	2	15	40
28	Ohio	47	11	22	44	23	16	33	12	17	14
29	Michigan	15	25	26	43	33	12	32	32	23	18
30	Florida	4	29	38	28	40	11	35	28	27	29
31	Delaware	30	39	27	34	24	39	1	34	14	37
32	Vermont	49	48	8	2	22	40	31	11	31	41
33	Alabama	25	27	40	45	6	34	37	36	39	13
33	New Mexico	38	23	30	26	15	32	47	46	29	25
35	New York	45	42	14	22	49	1	30	2	3	47
36	Kentucky	31	14	42	38	17	31	37	43	39	3
37	Illinois	29	5	45	30	44	5	36	22	25	23
38	Maine	43	44	46	5	16	32	27	27	33	39
39	Pennsylvania	44	33	29	33	44	5	41	6	5	33
40	Maryland	20	46	33	25	41	9	45	2	9	42
41	Mississippi	18	36	47	37	3	44	49	47	39	10
42	New Jersey	21	43	48	23	42	15	41	1	9	46
43	Louisiana	22	41	35	50	10	28	39	40	35	20
44	Alaska	36	38	23	35	25	50	10	35	39	49
45	Connecticut	37	49	39	17	43	21	26	5	19	48
46	Nevada	13	30	50	47	30	42	22	50	39	17
47	California	34	34	35	27	50	2	48	43	1	45
48	West Virginia	50	37	27	36	19	49	50	42	39	24
49	Rhode Island	42	47	49	20	34	42	46	23	21	44
50	Hawaii	45	50	41	1	48	45	40	40	39	50

Source: CNBC

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2012

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Quality of Life	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	Texas	7	1	5	35	28	2	12	26	8	3
2	Utah	9	8	7	10	11	24	10	45	13	6
3	Virginia	8	33	10	16	32	14	3	13	9	20
4	North Carolina	3	11	31	26	21	9	8	13	18	21
5	North Dakota	10	15	2	5	16	47	4	19	43	28
6	Nebraska	19	19	9	13	13	34	6	18	32	11
7	South Dakota	14	27	12	7	3	46	1	22	48	30
8	Colorado	5	23	33	8	40	8	8	27	4	33
9	Georgia	1	3	30	36	14	17	15	34	20	16
10	Wyoming	20	26	1	9	10	48	20	11	35	27
11	Minnesota	31	2	16	5	25	18	23	11	15	35
12	Iowa	37	31	3	19	5	28	10	30	28	19
13	Idaho	5	23	23	22	7	38	12	48	32	9
14	Indiana	26	18	11	40	16	23	5	25	37	7
15	Kansas	18	6	14	24	35	30	16	21	25	10
16	Tennessee	11	4	12	48	27	25	6	41	29	2
17	Wisconsin	43	6	34	14	15	20	27	10	27	23
18	Oregon	34	16	37	17	23	15	17	40	13	38
19	New Hampshire	44	46	34	1	35	26	2	8	19	40
20	Arkansas	11	31	20	43	2	41	32	28	40	5
21	Washington	21	36	45	15	37	5	36	13	3	36
22	Arizona	2	9	44	32	34	21	14	49	22	34
23	Oklahoma	21	37	17	37	4	32	22	37	35	1
24	Montana	47	14	18	18	7	39	41	16	42	31
25	Ohio	49	10	31	44	6	16	37	23	17	15
26	Illinois	32	16	45	31	26	4	46	17	11	18
27	Missouri	38	20	29	37	12	21	25	20	37	14
28	Massachusetts	32	45	21	11	49	7	29	3	1	41
29	Florida	3	11	47	30	39	11	27	42	24	25
30	Pennsylvania	48	35	26	33	41	5	30	7	6	32
31	Maryland	24	43	24	29	42	10	24	9	7	43
32	South Carolina	15	21	25	41	22	26	35	46	30	24
33	Michigan	38	25	28	34	29	12	34	38	21	12
34	New York	41	39	22	28	47	1	50	1	5	47
35	Maine	45	42	42	4	19	35	21	6	46	39
36	New Mexico	25	13	15	24	31	32	47	46	26	29
36	Kentucky	29	22	38	45	1	31	41	35	45	4
38	Alabama	26	29	6	47	20	35	30	43	41	13
39	Vermont	41	48	27	3	38	43	25	4	23	42
40	California	23	30	43	20	48	3	43	33	1	46
41	New Jersey	28	41	39	20	43	13	48	4	11	45
42	Louisiana	16	40	36	50	9	28	40	35	43	17
43	Delaware	36	27	19	49	32	40	19	31	30	37
44	Connecticut	40	43	40	12	46	18	33	2	15	48
45	Nevada	13	5	50	46	30	44	18	50	34	22
46	Mississippi	17	34	48	41	18	42	44	44	48	8
47	Alaska	30	37	4	26	44	50	39	32	48	49
48	West Virginia	50	47	7	39	24	49	44	29	46	26
49	Hawaii	35	49	41	2	50	45	37	39	39	50
50	Rhode Island	46	50	49	23	45	37	49	23	10	44

Source: CNBC

CNBC’s Top States for Business in 2011

Overall Rank	State	Workforce	Infra- structure	Economy	Quality of Life	Cost of Doing Business	Technology and Innovation	Business Friendliness	Education	Access to Capital	Cost of Living
1	Virginia	12	10	8	26	21	11	2	6	10	24
2	Texas	14	1	14	32	33	4	18	27	4	5
3	North Carolina	3	3	41	33	9	12	11	18	11	22
4	Georgia	4	2	35	38	18	17	16	22	13	9
5	Colorado	7	26	26	7	30	14	6	30	15	33
6	Massachusetts	31	29	15	10	41	3	15	4	2	41
7	Minnesota	36	15	27	8	23	16	20	10	16	33
8	Utah	8	33	16	14	12	25	4	46	23	17
9	Iowa	21	37	5	18	1	28	11	15	35	14
10	Nebraska	17	31	5	12	17	35	5	20	35	6
11	Kansas	13	19	16	26	27	30	14	24	28	7
12	Pennsylvania	43	13	19	29	27	7	33	8	7	31
13	North Dakota	24	28	1	9	20	48	9	23	35	19
13	South Dakota	15	42	11	5	7	49	3	20	35	26
15	Indiana	41	21	30	40	8	22	10	12	14	15
16	Missouri	33	9	29	34	3	23	25	17	22	8
17	New Hampshire	40	45	10	2	37	29	6	7	20	40
18	Florida	2	8	47	31	40	13	26	35	9	25
18	Tennessee	9	5	46	47	19	24	8	43	26	2
20	Washington	26	18	32	13	43	5	31	14	8	37
21	Wyoming	11	38	2	4	34	50	21	18	35	27
22	Illinois	45	6	32	28	24	6	36	29	5	20
23	Ohio	50	4	24	42	5	15	42	13	21	13
24	Arizona	1	10	44	35	38	18	13	49	18	36
25	Wisconsin	46	22	22	19	13	21	28	15	27	23
26	New York	49	14	20	23	48	2	36	1	3	45
27	Oregon	33	16	48	20	9	20	23	37	19	38
28	Oklahoma	22	35	4	37	6	37	24	42	24	3
29	Maryland	38	39	12	30	39	10	18	11	12	44
30	New Jersey	32	23	42	16	43	8	41	2	6	46
31	Idaho	5	36	38	16	11	39	22	45	35	12
32	California	29	7	30	22	47	1	50	36	1	48
32	Arkansas	10	40	9	45	1	44	44	31	35	4
34	Michigan	41	10	36	35	27	8	36	34	31	18
35	Kentucky	22	16	36	46	4	36	36	32	34	1
36	Delaware	19	40	22	48	31	32	1	26	35	35
37	South Carolina	6	19	49	42	14	26	29	46	35	28
38	Montana	30	34	7	15	25	46	46	28	35	30
39	Connecticut	33	43	44	11	45	19	40	3	17	47
40	Maine	44	48	34	6	26	40	32	9	30	39
41	Alabama	16	24	39	49	16	33	29	44	35	11
42	Louisiana	25	26	28	50	22	34	26	33	35	21
43	New Mexico	28	30	25	24	36	31	46	39	25	29
44	Vermont	37	49	21	3	42	40	34	4	32	42
45	Nevada	18	25	50	44	35	37	17	50	29	32
46	West Virginia	39	44	13	38	15	47	49	38	35	16
47	Mississippi	20	32	39	41	31	45	45	48	35	10
48	Hawaii	47	46	16	1	50	42	43	40	33	50
49	Alaska	48	47	3	21	49	43	34	41	35	49
50	Rhode Island	26	49	42	24	46	27	48	24	35	43

Source: CNBC

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