America's Top States For BusinessCNBC, a division of NBC Universal, has been ranking state business climates annually since 2007. According to information compiled by CNBC, both from private industrysources, as well as State and Federal agencies, there have been increases and decreases in many U.S State's economies. Specifically, there have been sizable changes in state population, state GDP per capita, unemployment rates, foreclosure rates, budget gaps, and corporate tax rates. CNBC's state rankings are based on 10 categories: Cost of Doing Business, Workforce, Quality of Life, Infrastructure, Economy, Education, Technology & Innovation, Business, Friendliness, Access to Capital, and Cost of Living. Virginia was ranked as No. 1 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".
Category
Score
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
196
21
26
227
12
9
192
26
18
217
10
12
186
8
11
177
6
13
172
11
10
184
2
2
82
10
9
27
24
27
1660
1
2
Previously in the 2010 report, Virginia was ranked as number 2 and in the 2009 report, Virginia was ranked as number 1. Virginia's current Governor is Bob McDonnell. The state's population is 8,001,024, with a GDP of $46,609. The unemployment rate as of May 2011 is 6.0 percent, the foreclosure rate as of May 2011 is one per 766 households, and the projected budget gap for 2012 is $2.0 billion. Also the corporate tax rate is 6.0 percent, and the largest employers are Northrop Grumman, Food Lion, and Booz Allen Hamilton. Texas was ranked as No. 2 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".
Category
Score
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
176
33
30
203
14
16
164
32
29
293
1
1
164
14
1
113
27
30
197
4
4
128
18
19
94
4
7
46
5
8
1578
2
1
North Carolina was ranked as No. 3 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".
Category
Score
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
238
8
15
261
3
3
163
33
32
234
3
10
84
41
37
125
18
26
171
12
11
154
12
13
80
22
10
29
22
23
1538
3
4
Georgia was ranked as No. 4 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".
Category
Score
2011 Rank
2010 Rank
208
18
20
259
4
2
140
38
35
273
2
2
107
35
37
118
22
28
156
17
17
134
16
17
76
13
13
42
9
9
1513
4
10
Colorado was ranked as No. 5 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".
