CNBC Releases Annual Ranking of Top States for Business–Who Is Number One?
- Posted on June 28, 2011 at 6:20pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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Virginia topped CNBC’s annual “America’s Top States For Business” report released this afternoon. The Old Dominion state was followed by Texas, with North Carolina, Georgia and Colorado rounding out the top 10. Poor little Rhode Island was ranked in 2011 as the worst state for business, followed by chilly Alaska and then sunny Hawaii.
CNBC explains their rating system:
“We scored all 50 states on 43 measures of competitiveness developed with input from business groups including the National Association of Manufacturers and the Council on Competitiveness. States received points based on their rankings in each metric. Then, we separated those metrics into ten 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.”
Texas and Virginia have gone back and forth between 1 and 2 every year since the list began in 2007. Ohio advanced 11 spots from last year’s list, ranking as the most improved state followed by Florida and Pennsylvania. Vermont took the biggest plunge to 44 after having been rated 30 just years ago in 2009.
Along political lines six of the top ten business friendly states are run by Republican governors. Of the recent former Republican governors considering making a run for President in 2012 Tim Pawlenty’s Minnesota (Governor 2003-2011) tops at 7 and Jon Huntsman’s Utah (Governor 2005-2009) came in at number 8. Potential candidate and current Gov. Rick Perry of Texas has guided his state to the 1 or 2 spot each of the last five years.
Despite ranking third to last for business, Hawaii was rated to have the highest quality of life with Louisiana ranking at the bottom. In the Technology and Innovation portion of the report California reigns champ followed by New York, Massachusetts, Texas and Washington. In 2011 New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Maryland made the top 10 for both Technology and Innovation as well as Education. In terms of cost of living Kentucky, Tennessee and Oklahoma in order topped the list for most affordable while Hawaii, Alaska, and California ranked as the most expensive.
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Gypsy123
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 9:26pmSince I don’t really trust CNBC I take this with a grain of salt
Report Post »Young_Conservative
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 4:01pmTexas has been in the 1 or 2 spot for the last 5 years….
That tells me 1 thing…. Run Rick Run!!!
Perry 2012
Report Post »Alfredo2131
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 3:06pmThe ‘57’ States: In addition to the “50”, perhaps President Obama was referring to the US Mandates in the Pacific Ocean such as the American Somoa, Guam, Northern Mariannas, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, & any disputed islands?
Report Post »stacybernardslay
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 4:32pmActually he was confusing the United States with the 57 States of Islam.
Report Post »Ballgame
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 12:17pmWell it isn’t Michigan. Blood sucking Libatards in Lansing and Detroit are killing this state. When can the UP secede from trolls below?
Report Post »Nobamazone
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 11:17pmI would vote for that ballgame, but only if the new boarder was along, say US10 and those of us in Northern lower pen. will go with you! Make sure GR and Dearborn are included in the ‘new” lower liberal Michigan and we will keep the good northern parts!
Report Post »cntrlfrk
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 11:28am”
“We also considered union membership. While organized labor contends that a union workforce is a quality workforce, that argument, more often than not, doesn’t resonate with business. ”
Duh.
On ‘Workforce’ ratings, Wisconsin was 47th, Ohio was 50th.
It’s not Rocket Surgery.
.
Report Post »WalterShumatelives
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 4:48amThe powers that be have us right were they want us. Like frogs in a boiling pot of water we sit and go about while the temperature slowly rises. The powers that be slowly place there pieces about the chess board. The powers know the problem with America is that its full of Americans. Like in the movie Braveheart “If we can’t get them out, we will breed them out”. An all out war with America would be long and take up valuable resources as well as risk its abundant real estate. Cut the throat of America and bleed out the freedom, the very essence of what it is to be an American, leaving the carcass to be consumed by its host. Strategically the powers infiltrate America’s infrastructure and like termites eat away from the inside out. America is now ripe for the picking with vultures like china and Russia circling over head waiting to feast. We Americans who are waking up to the fog of war are hesitant to engage are enemy, as they watch to gauge are reaction. What do we do?, who do we kill? And when do we strike. Do we wait for the invasion or the blue helmets before we get together and get to work?. Now is the time to react!. They started it but will we will finish it?.
Report Post »Crawfish Festival
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 1:06amAnd thanks to Obama and his ACTS of ECO-TERRORISM – the Gulf Coast States – are destroyed – as maliciously intended = Republican Governors.
Report Post »bloefeld
Posted on July 10, 2011 at 4:34pmWut a load y’all. I think one could point to an endless stream of government corruption at all levels in Louisiana and get a more accurate reason as to why the state scores so low.
Just driving in the state can get you into a load of trouble or at minimum a load of speeding tickets, imagine picking it as a place to invest and build plant and equipment. The only thing it has going for it is oil and gas, and that industry can afford to play with the corrupt officials and still get an OK return on investment.
Cheers,
Bloefeld
Report Post »BoilitDown
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 12:51amI haven’t reviewed the rest of the report, but I imagine Illinois (where I live) is ranked within the lowest 6 in most categories as usual. We are nothing if not consistent in this regard. We’ve got to be the most anti-small business States in the union.
Report Post »Teaparty-grammy
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 3:02amWell, see, Illinois can’t score well when it has Chicago around its neck like a giant millstone. Next to Washington D.C., Chicago is the political corruption capitol of the country! Home of Al Capone and ODumber.
Report Post »W@nd@
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 12:10amwhat works and what doesn’t
Report Post »any of the above shows how you run a country
through sound fiscal practices in a depressed economy
obama missed those opportunities…big time
if every state followed obamas example
the whole country would be sinking in a sea of red…
the dem states are faring generally the same as obamas marker!
no d.. good!
it is very evident that the dems model for a thriving economy
does not work on any level!
fastfacts
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 12:03amALASKA AND HAWAII ARE UNIQUE AND POOR FOR BUSINESS FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT THEY ARE FAR AWAY FROM THE LOWER 48, OR 57 IN THE CASE OF OBAMA
Virginia is great because of the closeness to DC and all the contractors that come with it, the political Silicone Valley of the East.
There is a great video on Economic Freedom and the Quality of Life at: http://tiny.cc/o005b
Report Post »Volfie
Posted on June 29, 2011 at 12:50pmActually, the Obama quote that is so misquoted is Obama saying that he has been to “57 states, one left to go” (adding up to 58) and Obama also said they won’t let him go to Alaska or Hawaii (adding up to 60). He somehow added an extra 10 states, but it sounds more random to claim he was suggesting 57 states comprised the U.S.A. It is still pretty sad to be running for President of the U.S.A. and mix up how many states the country has, but misquoting is still misquoting. Like Glenn Beck says: The truth has no agenda.
As for ranking states, remember that every list ranking anything reflects the biases of the people making the list. They say they are weighting the categories by how frequently the categories are mentioned in state economic development marketing materials. Is there really a direct correlation between what the state mentions in economic development marketing materials and what is good for business? I hope businesses do more research into a state before choosing to open their business in that state than whatever the state tries to sell in marketing materials.
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