States that consistently rank at the top for business performance know what it takes to be successful — an attractive business environment (taxes, incentives, permitting), labor pool (cost, availability, education, skill level, training), and infrastructure/global access (transportation infrastructure, energy costs, intermodal capabilities, certified sites). When combined with a creative and proactive state economic development team, these advantages can seem irresistible to companies that are looking to locate or expand their operations. Companies want a quick, seamless startup. With an ever-widening global market, they need a well-integrated, modern transportation infrastructure to be competitive in these markets. Also, top-performing states know how to deal with tough times — something many CEOs still have in the back of their minds.
With that in mind, Area Development is publishing our sixth annual Top States for Doing Business survey of site consultants, ranking the states based on their number of mentions by the consultants in three overall categories and 18 subcategories, Business Environment, Labor Climate and Infrastructure and Global Access:
Full Analysis
With that in mind, Area Development is publishing our sixth annual Top States for Doing Business survey of site consultants, ranking the states based on their number of mentions by the consultants in three overall categories and 18 subcategories, Business Environment, Labor Climate and Infrastructure and Global Access:
Top States For Doing Business 2015
- 1.Georgia
- 2.Texas
- 3.South Carolina
- 4.Tennessee
- 5.Alabama
- 5T.Florida
- 6.Indiana
- 7.North Carolina
- 8.Louisiana
- 9.Ohio
- 10.Kentucky
Consultant's Commentary
Les J. Cranmer, Senior Managing Director; and Art M. Wegfahrt, Corporate Managing Director; Savills-Studley, Inc. T. Bradley Fulkerson III, CCIM, Managing Director, Transwestern Lawrence Moretti, Lfm Corporate Location Solutions Phil Schneider, President, Schneider Consulting LLCBusiness Environment
Overall Rank
- 1.Texas
- 2.South Carolina
- 3.Georgia
- 4.Louisiana
- 5.Tennessee
Overall Cost of Doing Business
- 1.South Carolina
- 2.Texas
- 3.Georgia
Incentives Programs
- 1.tGeorgia
- 1.tSouth Carolina
- 2.Louisiana
- 3.Texas
Corporate Tax Environment
- 1.Texas
- 2.Florida
- 3.Nevada
Cooperative State Government
- 1.Georgia
- 1.tSouth Carolina
- 2.Alabama
- 3.Louisiana
- 3.tTennessee
Access to Capital & Project Funding
- 1.Texas
- 2.tCalifornia
- 2.tFlorida
- 2.tNew York
- 3.Georgia
Speed of Permitting
- 1.South Carolina
- 2.Georgia
- 3.tAlabama
- 3.tLouisiana
- 3.tTexas
Most Favorable Regulatory Environment
- 1.tArizona
- 1.tGeorgia
- 1.tTexas
- 2.Alabama
- 2.tSouth Carolina
- 3.Tennessee
Labor Climate
Overall Rank
- 1.Georgia
- 2.South Carolina
- 3.Texas
- 4.North Carolina
- 5.Alabama
Availability of Skilled Labor
- 1.Texas
- 2.tGeorgia
- 2.tIndiana
- 3.tCalifornia
- 3.tFlorida
- 3.tMichigan
- 3.tNorth Carolina
Competitive Labor Costs
- 1.Alabama
- 2.Georgia
- 3.tMississippi
- 3.tSouth Carolina
Labor Climate (Right-to-Work States)
- 1.Georgia
- 2.South Carolina
- 3.Texas
Labor Climate (Non-Right-to-Work States)
- 1.Kentucky
- 2.Ohio
- 3.tColorado
- 3.tMissouri
Leading Work Force Development Programs
- 1.Georgia
- 2.Louisiana
- 3.South Carolina
- 4.Alabama
Educational Resources
- 1.California
- 2.North Carolina
- 3.New York
Quality of Life
- 1.Colorado
- 2.Florida
- 3.North Carolina
Overall Infrastructure & Global Access
Overall Rank
- 1.Tennessee
- 2.Georgia
- 3.Texas
- 4.Indiana
- 5.Illinois
Distribution/Supply Chain Hubs
- 1.Georgia
- 2.Illinois
- 3.California
Highway Accessibility
- 1.Indiana
- 2.Ohio
- 3.Tennessee
Rail Accessibility
- 1.Illinois
- 2.Texas
- 3.Georgia
Certified Sites/Shovel-Ready Program
- 1.Tennessee
- 2.South Carolina
- 3.Georgia
Competitive Utility Rates
- 1.Tennessee
- 2.Georgia
- 3.Washington
Energy Reliability / Smart Grid Deployment
- 1.Texas
- 2.tNorth Carolina
- 2.tTennessee
- 3.Georgia
Water Outlook (Availability & Cost)
- 1.Michigan
- 2.Ohio
- 3.Wisconsin