CNBC’s best states for business
Based upon an analysis of 60 factors business leaders said were most important, CNBC rated the best states for business in 2017 as:
1 Washington – Rated high for quality workforce, technology and economy
2 Georgia* – Rated high for workforce, infrastructure and economy
3 Minnesota – Rated high in education, technology and economy
4 Texas – Rated high in infrastructure, access to capital and cost of living
5 North Carolina – Rated high in workforce, business friendliness and access to capital
6 Colorado – Rated high in workforce, technology and business friendliness
7 Virginia – Rated high in workforce, business friendliness and access to capital
8 Tennessee** – Rated high in infrastructure, business friendliness and economy
9 Massachusetts – Rated high in technology, education and workforce
10 Michigan – Rated high in cost of living, technology and economy
* Georgia had the third best workforce and the fourth best infrastructure, but ranked 33rd in education
** Tennessee ranked No. 2 in infrastructure and No. 4 in business friendliness, but education ranked 37th.
Source: CNBC “America’s Top States for Business, 2017.” Alabama ranked 37th.