North Carolina 27th in state competitiveness rankings
Triangle Business Journal
North Carolina does not rank among the top half of the 50 U.S. states when it comes to attracting and keeping businesses while providing high standards of living for workers, according to a report released Wednesday morning.
The eight annual state competitiveness report from the Boston-based Beacon Hill Institute placed North Carolina 27th on its list, which was headed by Massachusetts.
Researchers preparing the study evaluated the states in categories such as security, government and fiscal policy, environmental policy, human resources, technology and “business incubation.”
The strongest category for North Carolina in the survey was business incubation. The state scored ninth best in this segment, thanks in part to a No. 1 ranking for low union membership among the Tar Heel labor force.
North Carolina also did well in the government and fiscal policy portion of the rankings, coming in 15th. The state was No. 1 in bond ratings and No. 12 for a low budget deficit compared to gross state product. But the overall score was dragged down by a No. 32 ranking for North Carolina’s high number of state and local government employees and a No. 31 ranking for the state’s per-capita ratio of state and local taxes versus income.
The state’s weakest categories were environmental policy (42nd), security (41st) and human resources (39th). Factors in those poor scores included low rankings for air quality and the percentage of the population with health insurance. North Carolina also was hurt by a high unemployment rate, a high infant mortality rate and a high crime rate.
Overall, eight of last year’s top 10 states were in the top 10 again this year. Last place went to Mississippi.
To view the complete study, go to the BHI Web site.
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