Story perspectives

Ohio Tops CNBC 2026 Business Ranking, Creates 159 k Jobs

7/10/2026

Summary

Ohio Tops Business

Ohio was named the #1 state for business in CNBC’s 2026 ranking on July 9, 2026.
Ohio earned 1,623 of 2,500 points, topped infrastructure (17.6% weight) and cost-of-doing-business grades, and doubled its Commercial Activity Tax exclusion to $6 million in 2025 while having no corporate income tax.
Gov. Mike DeWine highlighted WorkOhio and JobsOhio’s Experiential Learning Initiative, and JobsOhio reported 3,117 projects from 2019-2025 created 159,000 jobs and attracted over $99 billion in capital.

Summary

Ohio Drives Growth

New apartments, a hospital tower and a two-mile downtown Columbus walkway are slated for central Ohio in 2026.
Anduril, Intel, L-G Battery and Vertiv are expanding in Columbus, fueling regional growth.
The Ohio Chamber’s 2026 Blueprint cites low rents and a central location within a day’s drive of 143 million people as business draws.
Ohio’s workforce ranked 34th nationally and the state placed 23rd in education, reflecting slow population growth, weaker attainment and funding shortfalls.

History

Historical Context

Ohio’s business climate has long been shaped by low-tax policies; a 2014 Ernst & Young/COST study placed the state third nationally with a 4.4 % effective tax rate on new investment. Coupled with a $822.7 billion GDP in 2022—the 7th-largest in the U.S.—the environment sustains large manufacturers and draws firms such as Anduril and Intel.

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Ohio Tops Business

Ohio was named the #1 state for business in CNBC’s 2026 ranking on July 9, 2026.
Ohio earned 1,623 of 2,500 points, topped infrastructure (17.6% weight) and cost-of-doing-business grades, and doubled its Commercial Activity Tax exclusion to $6 million in 2025 while having no corporate income tax.
Gov. Mike DeWine highlighted WorkOhio and JobsOhio’s Experiential Learning Initiative, and JobsOhio reported 3,117 projects from 2019-2025 created 159,000 jobs and attracted over $99 billion in capital.

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