America's Top States For Business CNBC, a division of NBC Universal, has been ranking state business climates annually since 2007. According to information compiled by CNBC, both from private industry sources, as well as State and Federal agencies, there have been increases and decreases in many U.S State's economies. Specifically, there have been sizable changes in state population, state GDP per capita, unemployment rates, foreclosure rates, budget gaps, and corporate tax rates. CNBC's state rankings are based on 10 categories: Cost of Doing Business, Workforce, Quality of Life, Infrastructure, Economy, Education, Technology & Innovation, Business, Friendliness, Access to Capital, and Cost of Living.
Virginia was ranked as No. 1 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".
Category Score 2011 Rank 2010 RankCost of Doing Business 196 21 26 Workforce 227 12 9 Quality of Life 192 26 18 Infrastructure & Transportation 217 10 12 Economy 186 8 11 Education 177 6 13 Technology & Innovation 172 11 10 Business Friendliness 184 2 2 Access to Capital 82 10 9 Cost of Living 27 24 27 OVERALL 1660 1 2
CNBC: "America's Top States For Business 2011"
Previously in the 2010 report, Virginia was ranked as number 2 and in the 2009 report, Virginia was ranked as number 1. Virginia's current Governor is Bob McDonnell (R). The state's population is 8,001,024, with a GDP (2009 per capita) of $46,609. The unemployment rate as of May 2011 is 6.0 percent, the foreclosure rate as of May 2011 is one per 766 households, and the projected budget gap for 2012 is $2.0 billion. Also the corporate tax rate is 6.0 percent, and the largest employers are Northrop Grumman, Food Lion, and Booz Allen Hamilton.
Texas was ranked as No. 2 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".
Category Score 2011 Rank 2010 RankCost of Doing Business 176 33 30 Workforce 203 14 16 Quality of Life 164 32 29 Infrastructure & Transportation 293 1 1 Economy 164 14 1 Education 113 27 30 Technology & Innovation 197 4 4 Business Friendliness 128 18 19 Access to Capital 94 4 7 Cost of Living 46 5 8 OVERALL 1578 2 1
CNBC: "America's Top States For Business 2011"
North Carolina was ranked as No. 3 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".
Category Score 2011 Rank 2010 RankCost of Doing Business 238 8 15 Workforce 261 3 3 Quality of Life 163 33 32 Infrastructure & Transportation 234 3 10 Economy 84 41 37 Education 125 18 26 Technology & Innovation 171 12 11 Business Friendliness 154 12 13 Access to Capital 80 22 10 Cost of Living 29 22 23 OVERALL 1538 3 4
Georgia was ranked as No. 4 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".
Category Score 2011 Rank 2010 RankCost of Doing Business 208 18 20 Workforce 259 4 2 Quality of Life 140 38 35 Infrastructure & Transportation 273 2 2 Economy 107 35 37 Education 118 22 28 Technology & Innovation 156 17 17 Business Friendliness 134 16 17 Access to Capital 76 13 13 Cost of Living 42 9 9 OVERALL 1513 4 10
CNBC: "America's Top States For Business 2011"
Colorado was ranked as No. 5 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".
Category Score 2011 Rank 2010 RankCost of Doing Business 179 30 25 Workforce 243 7 10 Quality of Life 257 7 2 Infrastructure & Transportation 176 26 36 Economy 128 26 8 Education 106 30 29 Technology & Innovation 169 14 12 Business Friendliness 164 6 9 Access to Capital 72 15 15 Cost of Living 18 33 35 OVERALL 1512 5 3
References
U.S. Government Internal Revenue Service RealtyTrac Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Federation of Tax Administrators CNBC: America's Top States for Business
External links