Texas, Florida and Tennessee Top Chief Executive's 2021 Best & Worst States for Business Ranking

Annual survey of CEOs also finds growing number open to relocation post-Covid; North Carolina and Indiana Round out top 5 in this year's list

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Chief Executive Group

May 05, 2021, 08:38 ET

STAMFORD, Conn., May 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid one of the most tumultuous, disruptive years for society and business in modern history, CEOs named Texas, Florida and Tennessee as the top 3 states on Chief Executive's annual ranking of the Best and Worst States for Business, parent company Chief Executive Group announced.

It was the 17^th year in a row the nation's CEOs picked Texas as number one in our annual survey—the state has been the top-ranked in our poll every year—and its widespread blackouts did little to damage its standing among CEOs. "People know one-off events occur," Governor Greg Abbott told Chief Executive, "and what matters most is what our response is. Texas is responding very aggressively and strongly and will ensure a stable power-grid system that will be the most robust in the United States."

Rounding out the top fifteen on the list: #4 North Carolina (+2 on the list since last year), #5 Indiana (unchanged), #6 South Carolina (+2), #7 Ohio (+3), #8 Nevada (down 5), #9 Georgia (+2), #10 Arizona (down 3), #11 Utah (down 1), #12 South Dakota (+12), #13 Virginia (+3), #14 Delaware (+5) and #15 Michigan (down 2).

At the bottom of the list were #46 Washington State (down 2), #47 New Jersey, #48 Illinois, #49 New York and #50 California. The last four were unchanged from previous years.

The full report is available here: chiefexecutive.net/best-worst-states-business/

Perhaps most interesting this year, our survey—of 383 CEOs, fielded in March 2021—finds the nation's business leaders increasingly restless thanks to Covid. Forty-four percent of those we surveyed report that they're "more open than before to examining new locations" for their business, while 34 percent said they're "considering shifting [or] opening significant operations [or] facilities in a new state."

"CEOs had their eyes opened by what was possible during Covid," said Dan Bigman, editor of Chief Executive. "This year's survey found they're now far more willing to think about new ways—and new places—for doing business."

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SOURCE Chief Executive Group