America's Top States For Business 2014

We score all 50 states on 56 measures of competitiveness, developed using input from business groups, economic development experts, companies and the states themselves. States receive points based on their rankings in each metric. We then separate those metrics into 10 broad categories, weighting the categories based on how frequently they are cited in state economic development marketing materials. That way, our study ranks the states based on the criteria they use to sell themselves. (Check out our methodology in scoring the states.)

VIEW RANKINGS: Data Table | Chart | Maps

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

1. Georgia

2. Texas

3. Utah

4. Nebraska

5. North Carolina

6. Minnesota

7. Washington

8. Colorado

8. Virginia

10. North Dakota

11. South Dakota

12. Iowa

13. Arizona

14. Tennessee

15. Kansas

16. Idaho

17. Wisconsin

18. Ohio

19. Indiana

20. Florida

21. Wyoming

22. Oregon

23. Missouri

24. South Carolina

25. Massachusetts

26. Michigan

27. Illinois

28. Oklahoma

29. Nevada

30. Arkansas

30. New Hampshire

32. California

33. Montana

34. Alabama

35. Maryland

36. Mississippi

37. New Mexico

38. Delaware

39. Kentucky

40. Louisiana

40. New York

42. Vermont

43. New Jersey

44. Pennsylvania

45. Maine

46. Connecticut

47. Alaska

48. West Virginia

49. Hawaii

50. Rhode Island


Note: Detailed 2014 rankings are viewable at http://topstates.cnbc.com.

Top States for Business

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