Top States for Business 2021

31. Alabama

Costs are low, but poor health care and non-inclusive state laws are part of the bargain.

AlexeyGorka | iStock | Getty Images

Alabama Score and Ranking

Category 2021 Score 2021 Rank 2019 Rank 2021 Grade
Cost of Doing Business2322222B
Infrastructure1803210C
Life, Health & Inclusion12344—F
Workforce1553535D+
Economy1362927C+
Business Friendliness1231937B-
Access to Capital922530C
Technology & Innovation813334C-
Education703437C-
Cost of Living6868A
Overall12603137—

Economic Profile

Governor: Kay Ivey, Republican

Population: 4,921,532

GDP growth (Q1 2021): 6.8%

Unemployment rate (May 2021): 3.4%

Top corporate tax rate: 6.5%

Top individual income tax rate: 5%

Gasoline tax: 29.21 cents/gallon

Bond rating: (Moody's/S&P): Aa1, stable/AA, stable

Major private employers: Wal-Mart, Regions Bank, Vulcan Materials Company

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

America's Top States for Business 2021
Shoppers load up their vehicle outside a HomeGoods store in South Bend, Indiana, on Monday, Nov. 16, 2020.
These are America's 10 cheapest states to live in for 2021
People line up to vote at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds on October 30, 2020 in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
These 10 states are America's worst places to live in 2021
These are America's 10 worst states for remote work