Top States 2017: Overall Ranking

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5. North Carolina

Technology and innovation abound in the Tar Heel State, but non-inclusive policies make quality of life sticky.

CNBC.com staff | @CNBC

Published 4:42 PM ET Tue, 11 July 2017 Updated 8:10 AM ET Wed, 13 June 2018 CNBC.com

George Kavallines | CNBC

Category	Score	2017 Rank	2016 Rank
Workforce	335	7 (Tie)	9
Infrastructure	184	20 (Tie)	30
Cost of Doing Business	231	9	18
Economy	191	15 (Tie)	11
Quality of Life	146	28 (Tie)	30
Technology & Innovation	168	6	7
Education	86	32	28
Business Friendliness	114	8 (Tie)	15 (Tie)
Access to Capital	81	9 (Tie)	2 (Tie)
Cost of Living	32	19	18
Overall	1568	5	5

Economic Profile

Governor: Roy Cooper, Democrat

Population: 10,146,788

GDP growth (Q4 2016): 1.7 percent

Unemployment rate (May 2017): 4.5 percent

Top corporate tax rate: 3 percent

Top individual income tax rate: 5.499 percent

Gasoline tax: 34.55 cents/gallon

Bond rating/outlook (Moody's, S&P): Aaa, AAA stable

Major private employers: Wal-Mart, Bank of America

Economic profile sources: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federation of Tax Administrators, American Petroleum Institute (excluding 18.40 cent/gallon federal tax), Moody's Investor Service, S&P Global Market Intelligence

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