U.S. Regional Reports
Recent Features
Top States for Doing Business in 2024: A Continued Legacy of Excellence
Certain states just have the right ingredients for attracting and nurturing business growth. The 2024 Top States for Doing Business rankings are in, and guess what? The Southern states are shining bright once again.
The Newest Shovel Award—It's Green!
Louisiana leads with green, earning the first-ever Green Shovel for its commitment to renewable energy. The state's significant cleantech investments highlight a national shift toward sustainable development.
19th Annual Area Development Gold and Silver Shovel Awards
Economic growth shines at the Area Development Shovel Awards, with states like South Carolina and Louisiana leading the charge. Discover which regions are driving innovation and sustainability in industries from automotive to green technology.
2023's Leading Metro Locations: Hotspots of Economic Growth
The leading metro areas are those poised for long-term growth and are often hubs of high-tech industry, where workers may benefit from an affordable cost of living.
2023 Top States for Doing Business Meet the Needs of Site Selectors
The states considered the best locations for doing business according to an expert panel of location consultants are the highest performers in more than a dozen categories upon which companies make their site selection decisions.
EV and Semiconductor Projects Stand Out in States Receiving Area Development’s 18th Annual Shovel Awards
With concerns about climate change now supplanting pandemic fears, projects to produce EVs — and the semiconductors used by vehicles and other high-tech goods — come to the forefront in this year’s Shovel Awards report.
2022 Top States for Doing Business Provide an Environment for Business Growth
The "Top States" report looks at some of the places ripe for successfully growing and doing business based on the views of our expert panel of consultants.
Area Development’s 17th Annual Shovel Awards Recognize State and Local Economic Development Efforts — First Two Platinum Shovels Awarded
Area Development’s annual Shovel Awards highlight the nation’s swift post-pandemic economic recovery in 2021 with many projects being initiated that represent billions of dollars in investment and thousands of new jobs.
Louisiana: Global Challenges Create Opportunities
Louisiana has stepped up the development of environmentally friendly technologies, water management, and coastal protection, while also tapping its strong resources in healthcare, life sciences, aeronautics, and traditional economic sectors.
2021 Gold & Silver Shovel Awards Recognize State and Local Economic Development Efforts
Although 2020’s global pandemic resulted in some projects being stalled or canceled, the annual Shovel Awards recognize many other new and expanded facilities plans that are on track and expected to created thousands of jobs and billions in investment.
Regional Report: Southeast Ports Expand Capacity
Southeastern U.S. ports are pursuing aggressive infrastructure expansion projects to accommodate larger vessels and more cargo.
Another Look at Rural Economies
Some communities are doing well, some are turning things around, some still have an uphill battle ahead of them. And this points to perhaps the biggest problem with our approach to rural economies: we lump all rural places into the singular “rural America” bucket.
Rethinking Local Governments Through Consolidation and Choice
Voluntary regional consolidation can deliver what corporate project teams value most: predictability, speed and scale. Indiana’s experience and international models show how optional, capacity-building frameworks make regions more investable.
2023 Top States Workforce Development Programs
Having a workforce with the right skills is an integral part of being a Top State for Doing Business — that’s why training programs are so important.
2023 Top States Commentary: Southern and Midwest States Provide Businesses with Important Resources
Access to training programs as well as incentives for automation are helping companies meet their workforce needs in the top-ranked states.
2023 Top States Commentary: The Importance of Speed to Market
A balanced regulatory, permitting, and cost structure allows companies to get up and running and get their products to market quickly.
2023 Top States Commentary: A Sustained Focus on Positive Business Climate Makes the Difference
Multiple agencies in the top-ranked states have developed, implemented, and maintained programs facilitating capital investment and job creation.
2023 Top States Commentary: Top-20 States Demonstrate Success in Winning Projects
The top ranked states are leveraging their assets and positioning themselves for future economic development success.
2023 Top States Commentary: Site-Readiness Programs Position a State for Success
Significant due diligence gives site selectors the confidence to move forward on development.
2023 Top States Commentary: Top-Ranked States Have What It Takes to Win Mega Projects
Training programs, water and real estate availability, and competitive utility rates are among the factors helping the top states to land billion dollar EV and semiconductor projects.
Charging Up the Electric Vehicle and Battery Sector
More than half a dozen of this year’s Project of the Year awards are related to EVs or the batteries that will power them.
Boosting Semiconductor Manufacturing in America
Often referred to as “fabs,” the plants producing semiconductors are all big-money investments promising big job counts.
2022 Top States Workforce Development Programs
Companies across industry sectors are having trouble finding all the talent they need, which makes workforce development programs even more vital as a location factor.
2022 Top States Commentary: Site Selection – When You Are Good, You Win!
The states that consistently rank as “top states” understand what companies are looking for in a location and have a plan that responds to the economy of the future.
2022 Top States Commentary: Education, Training, and Quality of Life Reflected in State Rankings
It’s not surprising that states ranking in the top five spots have strong educational and workforce training systems as well as high quality of life.
2022 Top States Commentary: Georgia’s Logistics & Infrastructure Attributes Contribute to Its No. 1 Ranking
Its logistical strengths and supply-chain technology leadership are among the reasons consultants ranked Georgia as the No. 1 state for doing business.
2022 Top States Commentary: Responsiveness to Projects Big — and Small — Lands a Core Group of States on Top
States that embrace site-readiness initiatives and understand workforce training are among those considered top states for doing business.
The 2021 Top States for Doing Business Reflect Their Locational Advantages
Despite the economic uncertainty of the last year, plenty of companies continue to grow, and with growth comes the need to expand and explore new locations. The “Top States” in which to locate represent the general views of our expert panel of site consultants, with Georgia ranking #1 for the eighth year in a row.
2021 Top States Commentary: Pandemic Accelerates Pre-Existing State Trends
Pro-business tax structures, responsive state governments, workforce training programs, and site-readiness programs are allowing top-ranked states to hold their positions.
2021 Top States Commentary: Location Strategies Altered by the Pandemic, But Not Results
Although both the location advisors and economic developers have had limited project experiences during this past year, the 2021 results align with what we have seen in past years.
2021 Top States Commentary: Commonalities Shared by the Top-Ranked States
Responsive economic developers, clearly defined property solutions, and minimization of risk and cost put states on consultants’ top-10 list.
2021 Top States Commentary: A Look Behind the Rankings
While the top states overall remain consistent year-over-year, a deep dive into the data shows some interesting movement in the rankings.
2021 Top States Commentary: Auto Industry Projects Driving Top-Ranked States
Their pro-business environments — with skilled labor, top workforce training programs, competitive utility rates, fast permitting processes, and more — have propelled states across the South to be ranked highly for auto-related and other projects.
2021 Top States Commentary: Top Ranked States Hold Their Positions
Despite increasing competition between states because of rising wages and a lack of ready-to-go sites, the top ranked states have remained consistent year over year.
2020 Top States for Doing Business Showcase Their Pro-Business Environments
Despite changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the states across the South seem to have all their ducks in a row when it comes to attracting business.
2020 Top States Commentary: Best-in-Class Responsiveness
Effective collaboration with and responsiveness from state/regional/local economic developers is highly valued by consultants and business leaders alike.
