Here’s how Pennsylvania ranked on a national best-states-for-business list

A national ranking of the best states to do business puts Pennsylvania in the top 20 in the same spot as it was before, while neighboring and rivaling Ohio has leaped into the top five for the first time.

CNBC’s “America’s Top States for Business 2025” puts North Carolina at the top of the heap with metrics that rank each state’s economic, business climate, infrastructure, workforce, friendliness to business and what it costs for businesses to operate. It also ranks quality of life. North Carolina regained its No. 1 spot after Virginia was tops in 2024.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ranked No. 17 in this year’s CNBC rankings, the same as 2024 but down two spots from 2023’s list. CNBC put Pennsylvania close to that same ranking in economy and infrastructure but much worse in workforce (37) and business friendliness (40).

Pennsylvania’s only top-10 ranking was in quality of life. Ohio’s No. 5 overall spot was behind only North Carolina, Texas, Florida and Virginia. It received the top ranking in infrastructure and second in the cost of doing business. West Virginia was No. 40 and New York was No. 23.

Click here to read more from our partners at the Pittsburgh Business Times.

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