CNBC released its 2026 America’s Top States for Business rankings on July 9, measuring all 50 states on 138 metrics—the most ever—across ten categories of competitiveness, with Ohio claiming the top spot for the first time in the study’s 20-year history.
Ohio’s ascent marks a dramatic turnaround for the Buckeye State. The state finished 30th in CNBC’s inaugural 2007 study, a position reflecting its identity as part of the Rust Belt. Today, Ohio ranks first in Infrastructure and first in Cost of Doing Business, the two categories that matter most to companies seeking locations for expansion.
More than 143 million people live within a day’s drive of Ohio, giving companies unparalleled access to markets, according to CNBC. The state has invested heavily in site readiness, earmarking $175 million for the effort last year—second only to California. As of July 2026, Ohio’s economic development agency, JobsOhio, lists 26 “SiteOhio Authenticated” sites ready for construction.
Ohio’s infrastructure advantage extends to data center development. The state ranks in the top 10 nationally with 224 data centers, according to Data Center Map. In March 2026, SoftBank and American Electric Power announced a $4.2 billion, 10-gigawatt data center facility on a federally owned site in Pike County, east of Cincinnati—one of the largest data centers planned worldwide.
Infrastructure Emerges as Top Priority
CNBC’s 2026 methodology reflects a shift in how companies evaluate states. Infrastructure became the top-weighted category for the first time, accounting for 440 of the study’s 2,500 possible points. The change reflects corporate demand for locations near transport hubs, utilities, fresh water access, and abundant energy for advanced manufacturing and data centers.
For the first time in 2026, CNBC factored ease of permitting into its rankings—a response to growing corporate frustration with regulatory delays. The study assigns weights to each category based on how frequently states cite them as selling points in pitches to business.
North Carolina finished second, down from first place in 2025, missing a repeat win by just nine points. The state ranks first in Economy this year, though it faces rising costs and quality-of-life challenges. Virginia placed third, sliding from fourth in 2025, as federal budget and personnel cuts hurt the Old Dominion’s economic ranking. Texas came in fourth, leading in Workforce and ranking second in both Economy and Access to Capital, though persistently high crime and poor healthcare push the state to 49th for Quality of Life.
Arkansas is the Most Improved State in 2026, rising 13 spots to 28th overall. The Natural State has benefited from an influx of workers to its northwest region, home to Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt Transport Services. The state jumped 23 places in the Workforce category to rank 13th nationally.
Hawaii ranks last among all 50 states, coming in last for Infrastructure and Cost of Doing Business. Even Hawaii’s legendary quality of life took a hit in 2026—childcare is more expensive there than in any other state, dropping the islands to 6th for Quality of Life.
Ohio’s Persistent Workforce Challenge
Despite its infrastructure strength, Ohio still faces considerable headwinds. The state ranks 23rd in Education and 35th in Workforce—its most glaring competitive weakness. Only about 19 percent of Ohio adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, and skilled workers are not staying in or moving to the state at sufficient rates, according to labor analytics firm Lightcast.
To address the skills gap, JobsOhio announced in June 2026 that it will invest $300 million over the next decade to recruit and train skilled workers. The agency estimates Ohio will need 540,000 workers in science, technology, engineering, and math occupations in the coming decade.
Ohio scored 1,623 of the 2,500 possible points to capture this year’s crown. The study’s methodology assigns a weight to each of the ten categories based on how frequently states cite them as selling points to business—a reflection of what corporate leaders actually prioritize when making site selection decisions.
Sources
- CNBC — Ohio’s 2026 ranking, infrastructure metrics, cost of doing business, site readiness investment, data center count, SoftBank facility announcement, and state investment in workforce training
- CNBC — 2026 methodology, category weights, 138 metrics, 20-year study history, permitting as new factor, and rankings for North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Arkansas, and Hawaii
- CNBC — Ohio’s ranking history from 2007 inaugural study to 2026, and comparison of Ohio’s 2025 fifth-place finish to 2026 first-place win
- Data Center Map — Ohio data center count of 224 facilities
- Labor analytics firm Lightcast — Data on skilled worker retention and migration in Ohio
