Republican-led tax, education reform continues to pay dividends for North Carolina's business climate

Best workforce, third-best economy in the nation

Raleigh, N.C. – For the second year in a row, North Carolina earned the No. 1 position in CNBC's annual "America’s Top States for Business" rankings. Securing the top spot two years in a row is evidence that the pro-business and pro-growth reforms created and enacted by the Republican-led state legislature are working.

Since 2007, CNBC has ranked all 50 states across several categories to determine which state is the best for business. North Carolina was named No. 1 for the first time in 2022 and retained the top position this year, with CNBC citing North Carolina's best-in-the-nation workforce, booming economy, and strong career education.

"Over the past year, this legislature has worked to keep North Carolina the best in the country for business. We've overcome partisan obstructionism, regional competition, and economic uncertainty, and have confirmed that our state's reputation and economy are stronger than ever," Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said. "Republicans had a vision and plan when we won control of the General Assembly back in 2010, and improving our state's business climate was a big part of that. It's rewarding to see North Carolina prevail over several other qualified contenders."

Sen. Berger continued, "Efforts by partisan voices to highlight policy disagreements to score cheap political points and create negative impressions have failed. The good work put in by the people and businesses here in North Carolina overcame those efforts."

"We should all celebrate that North Carolina's business climate continues to be the best in the nation, notwithstanding the Governor's obstructionism and vetoes of business-friendly legislation. His actions have done nothing to slow our momentum."

CNBC notes that winning consecutively is a rare feat in the study and that in 2023 North Carolina "has amassed a trophy case full of economic development wins." Among the categories measured by CNBC, North Carolina scored first in Workforce, third in Economy, seventh in Education, and tenth in Business Friendliness.