• Overall Rankings 2011 Wednesday, 16 May 2012 | 7:51 AM ET

  

2011 Results

• Virginia is Victorious — Again — In CNBC's Top States For Business

  By: Scott Cohn

  Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 | 4:36 PM ET

  

  The Old Dominion State returns as America’s Top State for Business in 2011, and we’re starting to detect a pattern here.

FEATURED STORIES

• Top States For Business Fine-Tunes Ranking System To Reflect Fiscal Crisis

  By: Scott Cohn

  Monday, 27 Jun 2011 | 2:27 PM ET

  

  For the first time in our five-year old study, states are de-emphasizing their cost of doing business—including taxes and utility rates—while placing more emphasis on quality of life and transportation/infrastructure.  So we're adjusting our weightings and point system.

• Moving Up The Rankings of Top States For Business Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 | 4:37 PM ET

  

  Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania can all make a good case for most-improved status, but, as usual, it depends on what metric you value the most.

• The Worst States For Business Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 | 4:38 PM ET

  

  The 50th state no longer ranks 50th in CNBC's Top States For Business rankings.

• Best Quality of Life in CNBC's Top States For Business 2011 Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 | 4:40 PM ET

  

  Businesses in Hawaii, New Hampshire, and Vermont can rest easy knowing their workers enjoy the best quality of life.  Not so for Delaware, Louisiana, and Alabama, which ranked last this year.

• Best Cost of Living in CNBC's Top States For Business 2011 Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 | 4:41 PM ET

  

  For Cost of Living, Southern states offer the best bang for your buck in CNBC’s Top States for Business 2011 study.

• Tech Titans In CNBC's Top States For Business 2011 Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 | 4:39 PM ET

  

  Ranking  No. 1 for the 5th year running, California surpassed even its own 2010 performance. Yet, tech-savvy runners-up to the Silicon Valley state aren’t that far behind.

• Midwest Is Best Region In CNBC's Top States For Business 2011 Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 | 4:41 PM ET

  

  Three states made the top ten (Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska), while seven made the top 15 (add Kansas, Indiana, North and South Dakota). So much for the Sunbelt.

• Top States Quiz Monday, 27 Jun 2011 | 10:50 AM ET

  

  Which states are best for business? Test your knowledge.

• CNBC Poll —Top States For Business 2011 Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 | 7:02 AM ET

  

  tell us what you think are the most important considerations in dedicing where to start or relocate a busines.

SLIDESHOWS

• Homes of Governors Monday, 27 Jun 2011 | 4:29 PM ET

  

  What happens to the homes of heads of states when governors move on from their governor's mansions? Click to find out!

• Biggest Jobless Rate Declines Monday, 27 Jun 2011 | 4:26 PM ET

  

  There’s growing impatience about subpar job creation as well as stubbornly high unemployment. Here are the ten biggest annual declines and the states in which they took place.

• The Most Expensive States To Live In 2011

  By: Paul Toscano

  Tuesday, 28 Jun 2011 | 3:02 PM ET

  

  So, which states have the highest cost of living? You won’t get more for your money in these ten states.