North Carolina Again Tops CNBC Business Rankings

North Carolina has reclaimed the top spot in CNBC's 2025 business rankings, marking its third win in four years and scoring highly in economy, workforce, and business friendliness, though it ranked lower in quality of life and cost of living. Recent expansions and projects have brought nearly $17 billion in private investment and over 20,000 jobs, contributing to more than 60,000 new jobs statewide last year. Governor Josh Stein credited the state's success to its skilled workforce, robust education, and targeted investments in workforce development and infrastructure, especially in eastern North Carolina and cities like Wilmington and Greenville. Virginia, the previous top state, fell to fourth place due to federal workforce layoffs, economic uncertainty, and changes in CNBC's ranking methodology, but still excels in education and infrastructure. Texas took second place, praised for its strong workforce but held back by lower scores in quality of life and infrastructure. The CNBC study, based on over 100 metrics in 10 categories, is widely regarded as a benchmark for state business climates.