#307. Top States for Doing Business

Posted on November 30, 2010June 13, 2014 | The Agurban

Top States for Doing Business

Area Development Site and Facility Planning magazine published their Top States for Doing Business in September 2010. Industry consultants who work with a nationwide client base were asked to name their top-10 state choices for meeting eight site selection criteria, including 1) Lowest business costs; 2) Most business friendly; 3) Corporate tax environment; 4) Overall labor climate; 5) Work force development programs; 6) Fast-track permitting; 7) Rail and highway accessibility; and 8) Shove-ready sites.

The top ten states named most often by the consultants as meeting the eight criteria:

1. Tennessee

2. Texas

3. South Carolina

4. Alabama

5. Georgia

6. Indiana

7. Mississippi

8. North Carolina

9. Virginia

10. Oklahoma

The top state in each criterion includes:

· Lowest Business Costs – South Carolina

· Most Business Friendly – Alabama, Texas, Virginia

· Corporate Tax Environment – Texas

· Overall Labor Climate – North Carolina

· Work Force Development Programs – Georgia

· Fast-Track Permitting – Alabama, Tennessee

· Rail and Highway Accessibility – Illinois

· Shovel-Ready Sites – Tennessee

With most of the new manufacturing facilities being located in the South and Southeastern United States, it is easy to see why these states were consistently named at the top of each of these categories. We continue to see our business grow in these regions and expect that to continue into the foreseeable future.