America's Top States for Business 2009
Virginia is back on top, squeaking past 2008's winner, Texas, by just four points. Texas remains a business powerhouse, but the Old Dominion State, always a solid performer, improved just enough in the right areas to regain the title it won in 2007.
Top States 2009 Overall Rankings
| Overall | State | Cost of Business | Workforce | Quality of Life | Economy | Transportation | Technology & Innovation | Education | Business Friendliness | Access to Capital | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 26 | 8 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 27 |
| 2 | Texas | 33 | 14 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 20 | 4 | 7 |
| 3 | Colorado | 22 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 36 | 11 | 33 | 5 | 9 | 32 |
| 4 | Iowa | 1 | 21 | 20 | 4 | 31 | 24 | 14 | 11 | 34 | 15 |
| 5 | Utah | 7 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 34 | 26 | 29 | 7 | 23 | 21 |
| 6 | Minnesota | 30 | 28 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 18 | 19 | 32 |
| 7 | Kansas | 23 | 10 | 28 | 6 | 9 | 27 | 11 | 12 | 24 | 5 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 40 | 26 | 6 | 12 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 36 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 16 | 2 | 31 | 42 | 8 | 13 | 24 | 12 | 36 | 19 |
| 10 | Georgia | 17 | 1 | 42 | 38 | 3 | 17 | 27 | 15 | 15 | 3 |
| 11 | Nebraska | 12 | 24 | 15 | 7 | 17 | 32 | 19 | 6 | 36 | 11 |
| 12 | South Dakota | 2 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 21 | 48 | 27 | 3 | 36 | 7 |
| 13 | Wyoming | 14 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 27 | 50 | 16 | 25 | 36 | 25 |
| 14 | Missouri | 4 | 34 | 41 | 25 | 6 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 26 | 5 |
| 15 | Indiana | 13 | 31 | 32 | 46 | 4 | 23 | 21 | 4 | 36 | 13 |
| 16(tie) | North Dakota | 6 | 27 | 14 | 28 | 19 | 47 | 24 | 12 | 11 | 17 |
| 16(tie) | Washington | 32 | 35 | 11 | 18 | 30 | 6 | 18 | 37 | 5 | 34 |
| 18(tie) | Arizona | 23 | 4 | 35 | 33 | 25 | 20 | 45 | 7 | 22 | 34 |
| 18(tie) | Oregon | 20 | 13 | 22 | 39 | 14 | 19 | 37 | 26 | 16 | 38 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 19 | 4 | 49 | 39 | 6 | 25 | 44 | 10 | 20 | 3 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | 34 | 30 | 1 | 14 | 47 | 31 | 5 | 9 | 30 | 40 |
| 22 | Idaho | 11 | 7 | 17 | 30 | 28 | 37 | 47 | 29 | 36 | 13 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | 9 | 29 | 37 | 3 | 42 | 36 | 46 | 16 | 27 | 1 |
| 24 | New Jersey | 44 | 38 | 9 | 21 | 34 | 15 | 3 | 39 | 6 | 45 |
| 25 | Illinois | 38 | 41 | 25 | 21 | 12 | 4 | 19 | 43 | 13 | 23 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | 27 | 44 | 23 | 36 | 11 | 18 | 11 | 30 | 32 | 21 |
| 27 | Maryland | 42 | 35 | 29 | 14 | 36 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 8 | 45 |
| 28 | Florida | 43 | 3 | 27 | 43 | 18 | 15 | 40 | 26 | 12 | 40 |
| 29 | Ohio | 29 | 46 | 36 | 33 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 43 | 14 | 17 |
| 30 | Vermont | 35 | 32 | 2 | 17 | 46 | 39 | 4 | 26 | 36 | 43 |
| 31 | Arkansas | 3 | 11 | 44 | 19 | 33 | 44 | 32 | 32 | 36 | 1 |
| 32 | California | 49 | 23 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 1 | 31 | 49 | 1 | 49 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | 41 | 43 | 26 | 37 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 36 | 7 | 27 |
| 34 | Kentucky | 8 | 19 | 46 | 44 | 4 | 32 | 35 | 31 | 33 | 9 |
| 35 | Connecticut | 47 | 42 | 2 | 30 | 43 | 22 | 9 | 20 | 17 | 43 |
| 36 | New York | 50 | 50 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 42 | 3 | 47 |
| 37 | South Carolina | 5 | 6 | 48 | 47 | 41 | 29 | 39 | 35 | 36 | 19 |
| 38 | Montana | 27 | 40 | 21 | 9 | 24 | 45 | 17 | 41 | 36 | 31 |
| 39 | Alabama | 18 | 14 | 47 | 33 | 26 | 30 | 37 | 34 | 31 | 9 |
| 40 | Maine | 39 | 45 | 8 | 26 | 36 | 41 | 8 | 24 | 29 | 38 |
| 41 | Michigan | 31 | 39 | 40 | 45 | 20 | 7 | 34 | 39 | 10 | 23 |
| 42 | Delaware | 37 | 19 | 45 | 41 | 45 | 32 | 21 | 1 | 35 | 29 |
| 43 | New Mexico | 25 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 21 | 32 | 48 | 45 | 21 | 29 |
| 44 | Louisiana | 21 | 35 | 50 | 21 | 40 | 37 | 40 | 32 | 25 | 25 |
| 45 | Mississippi | 14 | 22 | 43 | 27 | 43 | 43 | 50 | 46 | 36 | 11 |
| 46 | West Virginia | 10 | 48 | 39 | 11 | 39 | 49 | 35 | 50 | 36 | 15 |
| 47 | Nevada | 36 | 18 | 34 | 49 | 29 | 40 | 49 | 20 | 36 | 36 |
| 48 | Rhode Island | 46 | 25 | 24 | 50 | 48 | 28 | 26 | 47 | 36 | 40 |
| 49 | Hawaii | 48 | 47 | 4 | 24 | 49 | 42 | 40 | 48 | 28 | 49 |
| 50 | Alaska | 44 | 49 | 38 | 47 | 50 | 46 | 43 | 37 | 36 | 47 |

