(The Center Square) – Ohio is the top state in the nation for business, according to a new study by Consumer News and the network CNBC.
The study cited Ohio’s infrastructure, cost of doing business, quality of life and other factors in granting the coveted ranking. It cited Ohio’s low housing costs as well, making the state one of the most affordable in the U.S..
North Carolina was ranked second.
“This number one ranking proves that Ohio is the best place in America for business and all that comes along with it, including jobs, quality of life, and opportunities for everyone to live up to their God-given potential,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement.
“Abundant” electricity and “robust” inventory of shovel ready sites for industry were also cited as factors giving Ohio the top spot.
It’s the first time the state has landed at the top of this list.
“Ohio’s long-term strategy to make Ohio the go-to place for business is working,” DeWine said. “When I took office, I promised to ‘plant the seeds’ of long-term investments that will positively impact Ohio for years to come. Today’s announcement is proof that these seeds are growing, and Ohio has a bright future ahead.”
The state has spent millions to clean up contaminated properties, demolish contaminated properties and protect water, DeWine said.
“Since 2023, Ohio’s commitment to active budget management, maintaining reserves, and economic diversification led to Triple-A bond ratings from the nation’s three credit rating agencies – a first in Ohio history,” the governor said.
The ranking was praised by an Ohio-based think tank and research group, The Buckeye Institute.
“At The Buckeye Institute, we have long known that good public policies equal good results, and now we are seeing the fruits of those sound economic policies,” said Rea S. Hederman Jr., the institute’s vice president of policy and executive director of Buckeye’s Economic Research Center. “From tax cuts to eliminating unnecessary regulations to the best energy reforms in the country, Ohio and The Buckeye Institute are leading the way.”
Lately, Ohio has been a magnet for large data centers with the abundance of electric power cited as a factor.
The state has 226 data centers in 19 markets, according to Datacenter Map, which tracks the industry.
