CNBC's Top States For Business 2010—Top-Five
The odds are a lot better than any state lottery. One in 50 to win.
- Complete 2010 Rankings
And the smart money no doubt was on past winners Texas and Virginia.
No. 5—Massachusetts
The Bay State moves up from No. 8 in 2009. In piling up 1375 points this year, Massachusetts finished first in one category, second in another and third in yet one more. The state also just missed the top five in a fourth individual category. (Watch the video.)
No. 4—North Carolina
The Tar Heel State is arguably the most improved of the top-five states in 2010, moving from No. 9 to No. 4, with a total score of 1381 points.
The state has now made the top ten in each of CNBC's four America's Top States For Business surveys.
North Carolina made the top five in one individual category and the top ten in two others.
No 3—Colorado
The Centennial State takes the No. 3 spot for the second year in a row, and also improves its overall score by about 50 points (1456).
Colorado moved up from its 2009 rankings in six of the ten categories, including Workforce, Business Friendliness and Quality of Life.
The state, however slipped in the big-point category, Cost of Doing Business, as well as four others.
No. 2—Virginia
They'll be no repeat for Virginia; No. 2 will have to do.
Virginia finished with 1,477 out of a possible 2,439 points, about 30 points behind the winner (to be announced in about an hour's time on Closing Bell).
As usual, so we can no longer say oddly, Virginia failed to win any of the ten individual categories. Few states, however, can boast of making the top 15, never mind the top 10, in so many categories.
On the negative side, Virginia finished in the bottom half in two categories: Cost of Doing Business and Cost of Living.
No. 1—Texas
The Lone Star State is alone at the top again.
For the second time in three years, Texas edged out Virginia, with a total score of 1508.
Texas moved up in three of the ten categories, while finishing first in two of them, including an impressive 270 out of 314 possible points in the Economy one.
The state also captured the No. 1-spot in Transportation & Infrastructure.
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Complete Rankings: 2009 20082007
