Georgia retains No. 1 position as top state for doing business in 2026

by anthony_capkun_2 | 11 November 2026 9:55 am

[1]

Area Development, a publication covering corporate site selection, facility planning, and economic development, has released its 2026 Top States for Doing Business rankings, and Georgia has again earned the No. 1 position for the 13th consecutive year.

Texas ranked No. 2, followed by Tennessee at No. 3, North Carolina at No. 4, and Ohio at No. 5. South Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, Louisiana, and Michigan rounded out the top 10.

“The states at the top are building broad advantages across workforce, infrastructure, speed to market, energy availability, and the ability to execute complex projects,” said publisher Dennis Shea. “That combination is increasingly important as companies face tighter timelines and greater uncertainty around the resources their facilities need.”

Georgia and South Carolina stand out in government responsiveness and project execution, with Georgia ranking first for both cooperative and responsive state and local government, and overall speed to market.

Texas demonstrates particular strength in infrastructure and energy, ranking first for availability of industrial sites and buildings, energy availability and grid capacity, and logistics and transportation infrastructure.

Workforce leadership is more distributed, with Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia each leading individual talent-related categories.

Alabama ranks first for overall cost of doing business and property tax environment, while Texas leads in corporate tax structure and energy costs. Michigan ranks first for climate risk and resilience.

Top States for Doing Business, 2026

1. Georgia
2. Texas
3. Tennessee
4. North Carolina
5. Ohio
6. South Carolina
7. Alabama
8. Virginia
9. Louisiana
10. Michigan
11. Indiana
12. Mississippi
13. Kentucky
14. Oklahoma
15. Arizona
16. Arkansas
17. Missouri
18. Florida
19. Pennsylvania
20. Illinois

Read the complete 2026 Top States for Doing Business report at AreaDevelopment.com[2].

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/news/georgia-retains-no-1-position-as-top-state-for-doing-business-in-2026/

---