Texas, Florida Are Once Again Top States for Business in Chief Executive Magazine's Annual CEO Ranking of 'Best & Worst States for Business'

California, New York, Illinois Ranked Last Again; Rhode Island, Michigan Made Biggest Gains

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May 02, 2018, 10:00 ET

STAMFORD, Conn., May 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Low taxes, light regulatory burdens, high-quality workforces and healthy lifestyles continue to attract business investment and jobs. For the sixth straight year, Texas and Florida sit atop the list of the best states for business in Chief Executive magazine's 14^th annual Best & Worst States for Business survey, which was released today. North Carolina and South Carolina were tied at No. 3 on the list, with Indiana coming in at No. 5 for the third straight year. The Chief Executive rankings reflect CEO perceptions of best and worst states based on Taxes & Regulation, Workforce Quality and Living Environment. Rhode Island was the biggest gainer in 2018, moving up 10 places to No. 32.

The five worst states for business according to CEOs are California (No. 50), New York (No. 49), Illinois (No. 48), New Jersey (No. 47), and Connecticut (No. 46).

Chief Executive Best & Worst States for Business
Best 5 States	Worst 5 States
1. Texas	50. California
2. Florida	49. New York
3. North Carolina	48. Illinois
4. South Carolina	47. New Jersey
5. Indiana	46. Connecticut

Source: ChiefExecutive.net

The Best & Worst States for Business survey captures the perceptions of CEOs on a range of important issues. These rankings are crucial, as CEO perception drives investments in offices, factories and other facilities that bring jobs and investment to a region. This year, 300 CEOs across industries participated in the survey.

In addition to the overall state rankings, Chief Executive's 2018 Best & Worst States for Business survey also presents individual category rankings, including workforce, taxes/regulation and living environment.

Full results and additional information can be found on ChiefExecutive.net, and in the May/June issue of Chief Executive magazine.

"CEOs are the key decision-makers that decide when and where companies create jobs," said Chris Chalk, publisher of Chief Executive magazine and ChiefExecutive.net. "This year's survey shows that business-friendly policies have a direct impact on the reputation of each state, ultimately determining which states thrive."

Rankings in key categories include:

Workforce quality: 1. Iowa 2. Utah 3. Delaware
Taxes and Regulation: 1. South Dakota 2. Wyoming 3. Texas
Living Environment: 1. Colorado 2. Utah 3. New Hampshire

Other findings from the 2018 Best & Worst States for Business survey include:

Texas topped the list for the 14^th straight year, while Florida was runner-up for the sixth consecutive year.
The same states have held the top five spots for seven years running, with some shuffling in numbers 2-5.
Michigan rose nine spots in the ranking to No. 27, New Hampshire gained seven spots to No. 24 and Kansas moved up eight spots to No. 19.
Idaho saw the biggest drop, falling 10 spots to No. 28, and Alaska slipped nine places to No. 43.

Contact:
Marshall Cooper
[email protected]
203-930-2703

About Chief Executive Group

Chief Executive Group, the leading community for business leaders worldwide, publishes Chief Executive magazine (since 1977), ChiefExecutive.net, Corporate Board Member magazine and BoardMember.com, as well as conferences and roundtables that enable CEOs to discuss key subjects and share their experiences with their peers. The Group also runs the Chief Executive Network, the leading CEO membership organization arranged by industry, and facilitates the annual "CEO of the Year," a prestigious honor bestowed upon an outstanding corporate leader, nominated and selected by a group of peers. Visit www.ChiefExecutive.net and www.BoardMember.com for more information.

SOURCE Chief Executive Group