TEXAS, USA — This story was originally published by our content partners at the Dallas Business Journal. Read the original version here.
Texas was again recognized for having the nation’s best business climate in a recent ranking by Site Selection magazine.
Site Selection is an Atlanta-based magazine that covers global corporate real estate strategy and economic development. Conway Data Inc. publishes the magazine.
Site Selection published this year's state-based rankings for "Top Business Climate" in its November print issue and online Nov. 1. Texas snagged the No. 1 spot, followed by Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and Florida.
Site Selection creates the ranking using a 14-metric index, which includes a survey of corporate real estate executives and site selectors, criteria created using corporate facility investment data in the Conway Projects Database and more. The index also considers taxation, infrastructure, tech employment and the startup ecosystem.
Texas also took the No. 1 spot in the executive survey portion of this year’s ranking, followed by North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia. The executive survey asks corporate location decision-makers to rank their top state business climates.
The ranking also incorporates a survey asking "What Matters Most" for site selectors. The No. 1 factor was the availability, cost and reliability of utilities.
Workforce skills ranked No. 2, and land and building prices and supply took the No. 3 spot.
"The blend of factors making Texas and our other leading states attractive for companies large and small starts with supportive policies from the governor’s office, counties, cities and higher education institutions," stated Adam Bruns, editor-in-chief at Site Selection. "As the companies and talent keep flowing to these states, they create a positive feedback loop backed by attention to infrastructure and workforce development."
Site Selection introduced Inc. 5000 data into the 14-metric index of this year’s ranking. The Conway Projects Database also tracks major facility projects from mostly major-sized companies, and this information was considered in the ranking.
The latest issue also included a ranking of the top U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones and top states for FTZ economic impact. Texas led the list of top 10 states by FTZ impact, with five zones among the top 20 in the country.
The Port Arthur’s FTZ 116 in southeastern Texas ranked No. 3 in the individual category, and the Port of South Louisiana’s FTZ 124 in Gramercy ranked No. 1.
