Pexels.com
Pexels.com
Illinois finished third from the bottom, just above New York and California, in a new study by the Chief Executive website ranking the best and worst states for business
Illinois has been in the ranking’s cellar throughout most of the ranking’s existence, the study said. The report is based on surveys and interviews with chief executives across the nation and reflects the places where they like and dislike to do business.
Topping the list for the 17th straight year was Texas, even in spite of the collapse of the state’s power grid in February. And Florida finished second on the list, scoring high marks for its low taxes, less burdensome regulatory environment and talent pool, the study found.
More and more chief executive officers are now open to rethinking where new operations or support facilities should be located in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the analysis said. This is due to the increasing availability of remote work and shifting markets, according to Chief Executive.
The website surveyed 383 CEOs in March for the annual ranking. Some states, such as South Dakota, saw their position on the list shoot up sharply after they prioritized the reopening of their economies as the pandemic wore on, the study said.
---
2021’s Best and Worst States to Do Business In
| State | 2021 Rank | 2020 Rank | Change |
| Texas | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Florida | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Tennessee | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| Indiana | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| South Carolina | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| Ohio | 7 | 9 | 2 |
| Nevada | 8 | 3 | -5 |
| Georgia | 9 | 11 | 2 |
| Arizona | 10 | 7 | -3 |
| Utah | 11 | 10 | -1 |
| South Dakota | 12 | 24 | 12 |
| Virginia | 13 | 16 | 3 |
| Delaware | 14 | 19 | 5 |
| Michigan | 15 | 13 | -2 |
| Wyoming | 16 | 12 | -4 |
| Iowa | 17 | 21 | 4 |
| Missouri | 18 | 20 | 2 |
| Louisiana | 19 | 23 | 4 |
| Colorado | 20 | 17 | -3 |
| Idaho | 21 | 14 | -7 |
| Wisconsin | 22 | 15 | -7 |
| Kentucky | 23 | 27 | 4 |
| New Hampshire | 24 | 30 | 6 |
| Montana | 25 | 26 | 1 |
| Nebraska | 26 | 28 | 2 |
| Kansas | 27 | 31 | 4 |
| Oklahoma | 28 | 18 | -10 |
| North Dakota | 29 | 29 | 0 |
| Alabama | 30 | 25 | -5 |
| Arkansas | 31 | 22 | -9 |
| Mississippi | 32 | 36 | 4 |
| Alaska | 33 | 25 | -8 |
| West Virginia | 34 | 37 | 3 |
| New Mexico | 35 | 39 | 4 |
| Maine | 36 | 32 | -4 |
| Rhode Island | 37 | 40 | 3 |
| Maryland | 38 | 35 | -3 |
| Vermont | 39 | 34 | -5 |
| Minnesota | 40 | 33 | -7 |
| Pennsylvania | 41 | 38 | -3 |
| Hawaii | 42 | 42 | 0 |
| Connecticut | 43 | 46 | 3 |
| Oregon | 44 | 43 | -1 |
| Massachusetts | 45 | 45 | 0 |
| Washington | 46 | 44 | -2 |
| New Jersey | 47 | 47 | 0 |
| Illinois | 48 | 48 | 0 |
| New York | 49 | 49 | 0 |
| California | 50 | 50 | 0 |
Alerts Sign-up