6. North Dakota

Despite falling oil prices, the booming Peace Garden State hasn’t gone quiet. An influx of workers offsets a lack of innovation.

Category
Score
2015 Rank
2014 Rank
Workforce 283 1 8
Cost of Doing Business 191 25 22
Infrastructure 222 8 10
Economy 224 13 7
Quality of Life 200 19 5
Technology & Innovation 76 41 (Tie) 49
Education 119 15 22
Business Friendliness 132 1 7
Cost of Living 33 29 12
Access to Capital 20 31 (Tie) 45
Overall 1500 6 10

Economic Profile

Governor: Jack Dalrymple, Republican

Population: 739,482

GDP growth: 6.3 percent

Unemployment rate (May 2015): 3.1 percent

Top corporate tax rate: 4.53 percent

Top individual income tax rate: 3.22 percent

Gasoline tax: 41 cents/gallon

Bond rating/outlook: Aa1/stable

Major private employer: Sanford-Health

Economic profile sources: Federation of Tax Administrators, American Petroleum Institute, Moody's Investor Service, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, North Dakota Workforce Intelligence Network

FULL LIST: 2015 TOP STATES FOR BUSINESS

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