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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.

Q3 2021
Looking at the 10+/- states which top this list, I have to say there is not too much that I find surprising. While I cannot claim to have recent (within the past 12–18 months) experience working projects within all the states that rank highest overall on this list, I do have enough familiarity to note the following state-level factors I think most have in common and which have likely driven a favorable rating by those of us who responded to the survey:
  • A state level economic development team, who is visible and accessible to the site selection community, is able to share valuable insight in addition to raw data, and can help match project and new investment opportunities with appropriate locations — This includes senior leadership who are willing to meaningfully engage with consultants and their clients in situations where final opinions are being formed.
  • A robust choice of clearly defined property solutions in more densely populated metro areas, lower cost rural areas, and intermediate locations, which can result in acceptable compromise on some mix of these types of locations.
  • A mix of programs that can demonstrate a clear ability to minimize the risk and cost associated with delivering and operating a new facility — Such programs relate to workforce recruiting and training, one time and recurring tax minimization, property related due diligence, and infrastructure and supply chain resources that support target industry.

TOP STATES FOR DOING BUSINESS 2021

  1. 1. Georgia
  2. 2. Texas
  3. 3. Tennessee
  4. 4. South Carolina
  5. 5. North Carolina
  6. 6. Alabama
  7. 7. Indiana
  8. 8. Virginia
  9. 9. Ohio
  10. 10. Florida
  11. 11. Arizona
  12. 12. Mississippi
  13. 13. Louisiana
  14. 14. California
  15. 15. Nevada
  16. 16. Kentucky
  17. 17. Utah
  18. 18. Oklahoma
  19. 19. New York
  20. 20. Kansas

Individual Categories

Overall Cost of Doing Business

  1. 1. Georgia
  2. 2T. North Carolina
  3. 2T. Alabama
  4. 4T. Texas
  5. 4T. Tennessee
  6. 4T. South Carolina
  7. 7. Mississippi
  8. 8. Indiana
  9. 9T. Florida
  10. 9T. Arizona

Business Incentives Programs

  1. 1. South Carolina
  2. 2. Georgia
  3. 3. Alabama
  4. 4. Tennessee
  5. 5T. Indiana
  6. 5T. Mississippi
  7. 7T. North Carolina
  8. 7T. Virginia
  9. 7T. Louisiana
  10. 10. Texas

Access to Capital & Project Funding

  1. 1. California
  2. 2. Texas
  3. 3. New York
  4. 4. Massachusetts
  5. 5. Georgia
  6. 6. North Carolina
  7. 7. Illinois
  8. 8. Florida
  9. 9T. Tennessee
  10. 9T. Arizona

Competitive Labor Environment

  1. 1T. Georgia
  2. 1T. Texas
  3. 3. North Carolina
  4. 4. Florida
  5. 5T. Tennessee
  6. 5T. Virginia
  7. 5T. Arizona
  8. 8. Indiana
  9. 9T. South Carolina
  10. 9T. Alabama

Workforce Development Programs

  1. 1. Georgia
  2. 2T. Virginia
  3. 2T. Louisiana
  4. 4. South Carolina
  5. 5. Alabama
  6. 6T. North Carolina
  7. 6T. Tennessee
  8. 8T. Arizona
  9. 8T. Ohio
  10. 10T. Texas
  11. 10T. Florida
  12. 10T. California

Energy Availability & Costs

  1. 1. Tennessee
  2. 2. Georgia
  3. 3. Texas
  4. 4. North Carolina
  5. 5.
  6. 6T. South Carolina
  7. 6T. Kentucky
  8. 8T. Arizona
  9. 8T. Alabama
  10. 10. Oklahoma

Logistics & Infrastructure

  1. 1. Texas
  2. 2. Georgia
  3. 3T. Tennessee
  4. 3T. Indiana
  5. 5T. Virginia
  6. 5T. South Carolina
  7. 7. Ohio
  8. 8. California
  9. 9. North Carolina
  10. 10T. Kentucky
  11. 10T. Illinois

Site-Readiness Programs

  1. 1. Tennessee
  2. 2. Georgia
  3. 3. North Carolina
  4. 4T. South Carolina
  5. 4T. Ohio
  6. 6T. Virginia
  7. 6T. Indiana
  8. 8. Alabama
  9. 9T. Texas
  10. 9T. Arizona
  11. 9T. Kentucky

Available Real Estate

  1. 1T. Texas
  2. 1T. Georgia
  3. 3. North Carolina
  4. 4T. Ohio
  5. 4T. South Carolina
  6. 6. Tennessee
  7. 7T. Arizona
  8. 7T. Alabama
  9. 9. Indiana
  10. 10. Florida

Cooperative & Responsive State Government

  1. 1. Georgia
  2. 2. Tennessee
  3. 3. Indiana
  4. 4. South Carolina
  5. 5. North Carolina
  6. 6T. Alabama
  7. 6T. Virginia
  8. 8. Mississippi
  9. 9. Arizona
  10. 10T. Texas
  11. 10T. Ohio

Corporate Tax Environment

  1. 1. Texas
  2. 2. Florida
  3. 3T. Nevada
  4. 3T. North Carolina
  5. 5. Tennessee
  6. 6. Ohio
  7. 7T. Indiana
  8. 7T. South Dakota
  9. 9. Georgia
  10. 10T. Utah
  11. 10T. Wyoming

Favorable Regulatory Environment

  1. 1. South Carolina
  2. 2. Texas
  3. 3T. Georgia
  4. 3T. Alabama
  5. 5. Indiana
  6. 6. Tennessee
  7. 7. Mississippi
  8. 8T. Arizona
  9. 8T. Nevada
  10. 10T. North Carolina
  11. 10T. Florida
  12. 10T. Utah

Speed of Permitting

  1. 1. Alabama
  2. 2. South Carolina
  3. 3. Georgia
  4. 4. Mississippi
  5. 5. Texas
  6. 6. Tennessee
  7. 7. Virginia
  8. 8. North Carolina
  9. 9T. Arizona
  10. 9T. Louisiana
  11. 9T. Indiana

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