# CNBC’s America's Top States for Business 2016 # Last Modification Date: Mar 11, 2022 Jul 15, 2016 ![](https://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/sites/tradeandindustrydev.com/files/styles/details_page_image_style/public/2022-03/dreamstimesmall_30526065.jpg?itok=EsENMb3m "CNBC’s America's Top States for Business 2016") A scorecard on state economic climate We score all 50 states on more than 60 measures of competitiveness, developed with input from a broad and diverse array of business and policy experts, official government sources, the [**CNBC Global CFO Council**](http://www.cnbc.com/global-cfo-council/.md) and the states themselves. States receive points based on their rankings in each metric. Then we separate those metrics into 10 broad categories, weighted based on how frequently each is used as a selling point in state economic development marketing materials. That way, our study ranks the states based on the criteria they use to sell themselves. This year some states were tied. Learn more about our [**categories and methodology**](http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/23/americas-top-states-for-business-2016-our-methodology.html.md). VIEW RANKINGS: [**Data Table**](http://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/12/americas-top-states-for-business-2016-the-list-and-ranking.html.md) | [**Chart**](http://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/12/americas-top-states-for-business-2016-state-by-state-ranking.html.md) | [**Maps**](http://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/12/americas-top-states-for-business-2016-map-of-state-rankings.html.md) Overall State { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1763535035026-0'); }); Workforce Cost of Doing Business Infra-structure Economy Quality of Life Technology and Innovation Education Business Friendliness Cost of Living Access to Capital 1 [**Utah**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103601691.md) 12 19 13 3 13 16 23 10 22 24 2 [**Texas**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103354918.md) 8 23 2 1 37 10 40 18 21 7 3 [**Colorado**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103601750.md) 1 37 29 2 12 8 25 9 32 8 4 [**Minnesota**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103354867.md) 15 35 5 17 2 9 2 27 27 21 5 [**North Carolina**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602526.md) 9 18 30 11 30 7 28 15 18 2 6 [**Washington**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602519.md) 11 30 39 6 8 1 24 30 37 10 7 [**Michigan**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602679.md) 29 12 27 7 32 6 19 30 10 4 8 [**Georgia**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602429.md) 7 31 4 9 37 13 33 14 17 6 9 [**Iowa**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602537.md) 37 2 16 29 9 23 17 15 12 40 10 [**Florida**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602658.md) 14 32 10 4 26 17 26 22 28 14 11 [**Nebraska**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602509.md) 19 15 20 19 18 31 9 7 15 31 12 [**North Dakota**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602482.md) 4 29 6 26 7 44 14 4 26 33 13 [**Virginia**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602582.md) 3 36 32 30 16 15 5 3 30 15 13 [**Wyoming**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602664.md) 6 21 12 14 11 48 3 21 29 50 15 [**Idaho**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602641.md) 28 6 25 12 20 34 49 5 7 22 16 [**Indiana**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602608.md) 36 1 1 20 45 26 29 13 8 18 17 [**Oregon**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602673.md) 31 27 37 5 6 14 34 38 36 22 18 [**Tennessee**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602662.md) 22 10 2 21 46 24 40 6 5 17 19 [**South Dakota**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602541.md) 32 4 28 33 14 44 21 2 20 32 20 [**Massachusetts**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602670.md) 2 46 42 18 17 3 1 20 44 19 21 [**Ohio**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602683.md) 43 15 7 22 34 21 13 37 9 9 22 [**Montana**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602702.md) 45 8 24 13 10 40 27 23 24 40 23 [**Wisconsin**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602656.md) 26 28 19 31 15 19 11 36 23 13 24 [**Illinois**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602666.md) 16 24 16 34 35 11 4 48 34 1 25 [**Arizona**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103605990.md) 5 40 16 15 32 22 47 8 31 28 26 [**New Hampshire**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103605448.md) 26 39 49 16 4 29 11 1 42 43 27 [**South Carolina**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602771.md) 20 19 21 24 31 32 42 27 19 29 28 [**Kansas**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602688.md) 30 26 8 39 37 28 9 19 16 42 29 [**New York**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606430.md) 35 44 43 10 22 4 8 45 49 11 30 [**Maryland**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606530.md) 10 48 44 23 27 5 16 26 38 26 31 [**Missouri**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602695.md) 49 14 9 34 49 25 14 15 11 20 32 [**California**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602698.md) 21 49 33 8 23 2 38 50 47 2 33 [**Pennsylvania**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606594.md) 33 34 35 42 29 12 21 35 35 12 34 [**New Jersey**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606591.md) 16 42 44 36 19 17 6 44 41 5 35 [**Kentucky**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606444.md) 46 5 14 40 42 37 29 41 2 38 36 [**Vermont**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606603.md) 47 43 41 26 3 30 7 30 40 49 37 [**Delaware**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606535.md) 13 38 36 26 28 27 45 11 48 46 38 [**Alabama**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606598.md) 38 17 21 48 43 36 46 30 4 16 39 [**New Mexico**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103602690.md) 42 24 14 38 36 33 34 43 25 46 40 [**Nevada**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606638.md) 23 22 11 37 41 42 50 23 33 44 41 [**Arkansas**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103605783.md) 34 9 21 32 50 47 36 42 3 39 42 [**Oklahoma**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103605771.md) 41 13 26 44 48 43 44 12 6 35 43 [**Connecticut**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103605980.md) 18 47 47 43 25 19 18 29 46 25 44 [**Louisiana**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606656.md) 25 7 34 46 47 46 39 40 14 30 45 [**Alaska**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606700.md) 38 41 37 41 20 41 37 25 45 36 46 [**Maine**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606632.md) 50 33 48 49 5 39 31 34 39 27 47 [**Mississippi**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606625.md) 44 3 31 50 44 50 48 47 1 34 47 [**West Virginia**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606801.md) 40 11 39 47 40 49 32 49 13 48 49 [**Hawaii**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606823.md) 48 50 46 25 1 38 43 46 50 37 50 [**Rhode Island**](http://www.cnbc.com/id/103606704.md) 23 45 50 45 24 35 20 39 43 45 ## Video - [Port Tampa Bay Expansion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVc_UHtvS-s) ## Related Topics - [Midwest](https://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/listing/15/midwest.md), - [Southeast](https://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/listing/21/southeast.md), - [Mid-Atlantic](https://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/listing/26/mid-atlantic.md), - [Mountain](https://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/listing/30/mountain.md), - [Northeast](https://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/listing/39/northeast.md), - [Pacific](https://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/listing/46/pacific.md), - [Southwest](https://www.tradeandindustrydev.com/listing/72/southwest.md)