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America's Top States For Business 2010

Top States 2010: Overall Rankings

We scored all 50 states—using publicly available data—on 40 different measures of competitiveness. States received points based on their rankings in each metric. Then, we separated those metrics into the ten broad categories, with input from business groups including the National Association of Manufacturers. We weighted the categories based on how frequently each is cited in state economic development marketing materials.

Overall State Cost of Business Workforce Quality of Life Economy Transportation Technology & Innovation Education Business Friendliness Access to Capital Cost of Living
1 Texas 30 16 29 1 1 4 30 19 7 8
2 Virginia 26 9 18 11 12 10 13 2 9 27
3 Colorado 25 10 2 8 36 12 29 4 15 35
4 North Carolina 15 3 32 37 10 11 26 13 10 23
5 Massachusetts 39 23 6 17 39 3 1 14 2 41
6 Iowa 1 20 17 10 32 29 16 12 36 17
7 South Dakota 4 15 11 4 27 49 21 3 40 5
8 (tie) Minnesota 31 34 12 5 11 16 9 20 19 15
8 (tie) Utah 7 7 5 23 32 25 48 10 39 17
10 Georgia 20 3 35 37 2 17 28 17 13 9
11 Kansas 22 13 27 7 8 31 11 18 33 5
12 North Dakota 15 23 13 3 20 47 18 10 40 17
13 Nebraska 18 18 21 14 18 37 22 8 40 5
14 Wyoming 13 12 10 9 24 50 22 20 27 27
15 Washington 33 30 8 18 35 5 22 34 5 35
16 Tennessee 10 5 49 36 4 23 41 6 35 1
17 Missouri 5 29 39 29 7 24 15 25 20 9
18 Arizona 23 2 29 41 23 19 45 5 25 34
19 New Hampshire 34 38 4 12 47 27 6 9 16 39
20 Pennsylvania 40 42 25 15 16 6 4 32 11 30
21 Indiana 9 42 44 41 6 22 16 6 26 13
22 New Jersey 44 32 14 28 32 9 2 35 4 47
23 Oregon 19 33 22 33 15 20 38 28 14 37
24 New York 50 49 18 2 22 2 2 45 3 43
25 Oklahoma 3 22 41 6 41 36 40 25 32 1
26 Idaho 8 8 18 39 29 39 47 22 28 11
27 Maryland 43 36 28 18 43 8 10 16 12 45
28 Florida 41 1 31 48 21 13 35 23 17 30
29 Wisconsin 24 46 23 31 14 21 12 27 30 17
30 Illinois 35 39 24 29 12 14 26 39 6 17
31 South Carolina 6 5 45 46 8 26 43 30 34 24
32 (tie) Arkansas 2 11 43 27 36 44 33 39 40 3
32 (tie) California 48 31 15 18 16 1 31 49 1 49
34 Ohio 29 48 38 34 2 15 18 38 24 15
35 Connecticut 47 40 9 32 40 17 8 23 8 45
36 Montana 26 28 15 15 24 44 18 42 36 32
37 Vermont 42 36 3 12 46 40 4 37 40 43
38 New Mexico 26 27 34 21 18 31 44 45 28 29
39 Maine 38 47 6 25 41 41 7 28 40 39
40 Kentucky 12 25 46 44 4 35 37 39 38 3
41 Michigan 32 41 36 47 24 7 35 35 18 24
42 Delaware 36 17 47 45 44 33 25 1 20 32
43 Alabama 14 14 48 40 27 30 42 32 40 11
44 Louisiana 21 34 50 25 30 34 32 31 22 24
45 Mississippi 11 21 42 35 45 46 49 47 40 13
46 West Virginia 15 44 40 24 38 48 34 50 40 17
47 Nevada 37 19 37 49 31 37 50 15 40 37
48 Hawaii 49 50 1 22 49 43 38 42 31 49
49 Rhode Island 45 25 33 49 48 28 14 48 23 41
50 Alaska 46 45 26 41 50 41 45 44 40 47
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