Full Breakdown
Ohio Tops CNBC’s 2026 America’s Top States for Business
7/10/2026, 1:48:28 PM
Historical Rise in the CNBC Study
Since the CNBC “America’s Top States for Business” study began in 2007, Ohio had never placed higher than 30th. The state entered the top five for the first time in 2025 and, on July 9 2026, claimed the No. 1 spot—the first Midwestern leader since Minnesota in 2015. The ranking evaluates all 50 states across 138 metrics in ten categories, assigning weight each year based on the states’ own business-attraction pitches.
Scorecard and Key Metrics
Ohio earned 1,623 of a possible 2,500 points, beating runner-up North Carolina by nine points. The heaviest-weighted category in 2026 was Infrastructure (17.6 % of the total score), where Ohio received an A+ grade and a No. 1 rank. Its transportation assets include the fourth-largest interstate highway system, the fourth-largest freight-rail network, and the fifth-highest warehousing capacity, placing more than 143 million people within a one-day drive.
In Cost of Doing Business (11.4 % of the score), Ohio also ranked No. 1 with an A+ grade, highlighted by the absence of a corporate income tax and a doubled Commercial Activity Tax exclusion to $6 million—covering roughly 90 % of Ohio-based firms. The state placed in the top ten for Economy, Access to Capital, Cost of Living, and Technology & Innovation. Additional data points include a Triple-A bond rating, a 7th-national rank in industrial diversity, $99 billion in capital investment (a 117 % increase since 2019), and 159,000 net new direct jobs created between 2019 and 2025.
Economic Implications
Analysts note that the 2026 weighting rewards states that can deliver “shovel-ready” sites, reliable power, and rapid permitting—attributes Ohio has cultivated through programs such as the Brownfield Remediation Program, JobsOhio’s Ohio Site Inventory, and the $100 million Energy Opportunity Initiative. The ranking signals to manufacturers, data-center operators, battery producers, and semiconductor firms that Ohio now offers a competitive mix of low costs, extensive logistics, and ready-to-build infrastructure, potentially attracting further multi-billion-dollar projects.
Official Statements & Responses
Governor Mike DeWine framed the result as validation of the state’s long-term workforce and economic-development strategy, emphasizing collaboration among the governor’s office, the General Assembly, and private partners. Lt. Governor Jim Tressel highlighted workforce-development programs such as WorkOhio and JobsOhio’s Experiential Learning Initiative as key drivers. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce, represented by President Steve Stivers, called the ranking “a testament to years of thoughtful leadership and collaboration,” while cautioning that “rankings aren’t permanent— they’re earned every year.” JobsOhio President J.P. Nauseef attributed the achievement to coordinated efforts among state agencies, regional partners, higher-education institutions, and local communities.
Criticism & Ongoing Challenges
Despite the top ranking, the study placed Ohio’s workforce at 34th nationally, citing limited population growth, weaker educational attainment, and lagging productivity. The education category ranked 23rd, reflecting large public-school class sizes and higher-education funding shortfalls. JobsOhio estimates a need for 540,000 STEM workers over the next decade, underscoring a gap between infrastructure strength and labor-market readiness.
Conflicting Reports & Data Gaps
Publicly available coverage confirms Ohio’s No. 1 position and the 1,623-point total, but the complete 1-to-50 state table has not yet been verified. Consequently, exact rankings for several lower-placed states remain unconfirmed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Ohio’s long-term workforce and economic development strategy is working.” — Mike DeWine, Governor of Ohio
- “1 state for business, and it should come as no surprise.” — Jim Tressel, Lieutenant Governor of Ohio
- “Today's competitive landscape plays to Ohio's strengths, including its infrastructure, low costs, and a regulatory regime that is increasingly business friendly,” — Scott Cohn, CNBC Special Correspondent
- “Ohio succeeds because the state government, JobsOhio, the Ohio Department of Development, the JobsOhio Network Partners, regional economic development organizations, higher education, employers, workforce partners, Ohio business advocates, and local communities all work toward the same goal.” — J.P. Nauseef, President and CEO, JobsOhio
