Brigadier General James Monroe Williams

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America's Top States For Business CNBC, a division of NBC Universal, has been ranking state business climates annually since 2007. According to information compiled by CNBC, both from private industry sources, as well as State and Federal agencies, there have been increases and decreases in many U.S State's economies. Specifically, there have been sizable changes in state population, state GDP per capita, unemployment rates, foreclosure rates, budget gaps, and corporate tax rates. CNBC's state rankings are based on 10 categories: Cost of Doing Business, Workforce, Quality of Life, Infrastructure, Economy, Education, Technology & Innovation, Business, Friendliness, Access to Capital, and Cost of Living.

Virginia was ranked as No. 1 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".

Category Score 2011 Rank 2010 Rank
Cost of Doing Business 196 21 26
Workforce 227 12 9
Quality of Life 192 26 18
Infrastructure & Transportation 217 10 12
Economy 186 8 11
Education 177 6 13
Technology & Innovation 172 11 10
Business Friendliness 184 2 2
Access to Capital 82 10 9
Cost of Living 27 24 27
OVERALL 1660 1 2

CNBC: "America's Top States For Business 2011"

Previously in the 2010 report, Virginia was ranked as number 2 and in the 2009 report, Virginia was ranked as number 1. Virginia's current Governor is Bob McDonnell (R). The state's population is 8,001,024, with a GDP (2009 per capita) of $46,609. The unemployment rate as of May 2011 is 6.0 percent, the foreclosure rate as of May 2011 is one per 766 households, and the projected budget gap for 2012 is $2.0 billion. Also the corporate tax rate is 6.0 percent, and the largest employers are Northrop Grumman, Food Lion, and Booz Allen Hamilton.

Texas was ranked as No. 2 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".

Category Score 2011 Rank 2010 Rank
Cost of Doing Business 176 33 30
Workforce 203 14 16
Quality of Life 164 32 29
Infrastructure & Transportation 293 1 1
Economy 164 14 1
Education 113 27 30
Technology & Innovation 197 4 4
Business Friendliness 128 18 19
Access to Capital 94 4 7
Cost of Living 46 5 8
OVERALL 1578 2 1

CNBC: "America's Top States For Business 2011"

North Carolina was ranked as No. 3 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".

Category Score 2011 Rank 2010 Rank
Cost of Doing Business 238 8 15
Workforce 261 3 3
Quality of Life 163 33 32
Infrastructure & Transportation 234 3 10
Economy 84 41 37
Education 125 18 26
Technology & Innovation 171 12 11
Business Friendliness 154 12 13
Access to Capital 80 22 10
Cost of Living 29 22 23
OVERALL 1538 3 4

CNBC: "America's Top States For Business 2011"

Georgia was ranked as No. 4 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".

Category Score 2011 Rank 2010 Rank
Cost of Doing Business 208 18 20
Workforce 259 4 2
Quality of Life 140 38 35
Infrastructure & Transportation 273 2 2
Economy 107 35 37
Education 118 22 28
Technology & Innovation 156 17 17
Business Friendliness 134 16 17
Access to Capital 76 13 13
Cost of Living 42 9 9
OVERALL 1513 4 10

CNBC: "America's Top States For Business 2011"

Colorado was ranked as No. 5 on CNBC's "America's Top States For Business 2011".

Category Score 2011 Rank 2010 Rank
Cost of Doing Business 179 30 25
Workforce 243 7 10
Quality of Life 257 7 2
Infrastructure & Transportation 176 26 36
Economy 128 26 8
Education 106 30 29
Technology & Innovation 169 14 12
Business Friendliness 164 6 9
Access to Capital 72 15 15
Cost of Living 18 33 35
OVERALL 1512 5 3

CNBC: "America's Top States For Business 2011"

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