News Summary
Virginia has dropped to fourth place in CNBC’s latest ranking of America’s Top States for Business, with North Carolina taking the lead. This change comes after Virginia previously held the top position last year. The rankings were revealed during a ceremony on the Battleship North Carolina and assessed 50 states based on 135 metrics. Despite its decline, Virginia maintained strong performance in education and infrastructure.
Wilmington, North Carolina –
Virginia has fallen to fourth place in CNBC’s newly released ranking of America’s Top States for Business for 2025, with North Carolina claiming the top position. This marks a significant shift from the previous year when Virginia narrowly secured first place over North Carolina, which now takes the lead following this year’s evaluations.
The rankings were announced in a ceremony held aboard the historic Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington. CNBC’s annual report assesses all 50 states using 135 metrics categorized into ten competitive categories, helping to provide a comprehensive view of the business climate across the nation.
Virginia received a total of 1,578 points out of a possible 2,500. Despite the drop in overall ranking, the state excelled in several areas, particularly in education, where it was ranked No. 1 in the nation. Virginia also ranked No. 2 for infrastructure, an essential aspect for businesses and economic development.
Performance Highlights
In addition to its top rankings, Virginia also made significant strides in quality of life, technology and innovation, business friendliness, and access to capital, placing within the top 10 in each of these categories. However, the state’s economy faced challenges this year, resulting in a drop to No. 14 in economic performance. Factors contributing to this decline included budget cuts and tariffs that negatively affected the overall score.
This year’s ranking is particularly noteworthy as it represents Virginia’s worst showing since 2018. Virginia has been recognized as a top contender in business rankings historically, having secured the number one spot six times since the inception of the CNBC ranking project in 2007.
State Rankings Overview
Virginia’s departure from the top position has opened the door for new leadership in the rankings. Following North Carolina in first place, Texas claimed the No. 2 position, while Florida and Ohio rounded out the top five at No. 3 and No. 5, respectively. The competition among these states underscores the shifting dynamics of business environments across the United States.
Virginia’s ranking decline reflects a broader trend of competition among states to attract both businesses and skilled labor. The evaluation criteria provided by CNBC emphasize not just economic indicators but also the quality of services each state offers to its residents and businesses.
Future Implications
As the business landscape continues to evolve, the implications for Virginia could be profound. Business leaders and policymakers will likely need to analyze the current shortcomings that contributed to this year’s drop and reassess strategies to regain a leading position in the future. As highlighted in these rankings, areas such as education and infrastructure dominate the factors that can make or break a state’s business climate.
The full list of rankings for all 50 states is accessible on the CNBC website at topstates.cnbc.com, providing further insights into which states are performing well and where others might need improvement.
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Additional Resources
- Pilot Online: Virginia CNBC Business Ranking
- Business Insider: Capitol Building of Every State
- Virginia Dogwood: VA Capital Newsletter
- Washington Post: Richmond Water Outage
- Google Search: Virginia CNBC Business Ranking
Author: STAFF HERE VIRGINIA BEACH WRITER
VIRGINIA BEACH STAFF WRITER The VIRGINIA BEACH STAFF WRITER represents the seasoned team at HEREVirginiaBeach.com, your trusted source for actionable local news and information in Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach City, and beyond, delivering "news you can use" with comprehensive coverage of product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news impacting the region—supported by years of expert reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates, while offering top reporting on high-profile events like the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, East Coast Surfing Championship, and military homecoming celebrations, alongside key organizations such as the Virginia Aquarium, Virginia Beach Convention Center, and Oceana Naval Air Station, plus leading businesses in tourism and defense like Busch Gardens and Northrop Grumman, and as part of the broader HERE network including HEREWilliamsburg.com, providing credible, in-depth insights into Virginia's vibrant landscape. HERE Virginia Beach HERE Williamsburg
