North Carolina – Karen's Perspective

North Carolina Ranked #1 for Business

North Carolina’s business climate ranks first in the nation according to Site Selection Magazine.

Our state received the honor for the fifth consecutive year!

“The concentration of brainpower and research and development activity in North Carolina cuts across many disciplines, territories and institutions,” says Adam Bruns, managing editor of Site Selection. “Research parks, schools, companies and communities in the state have developed a real knack for working across boundaries, and it continues to pay off.”

The business-climate ranking is based on the number of new and expanded business facilities in each state as well a poll of corporate site selectors nationwide.

Site Selection’s survey of corporate real estate executives asked which factors are most important when making a location decision. Here were their top 10 responses:

Online Sales Tax – Will it Stop you from Buying Online?

New York, Rhode Island, and North Carolina have enacted laws forcing retailers to collect state sales taxes on internet purchases. These new laws are here just in time for the holidays!

States are trying to boost tax revenues which have been on a steady and often rapid decline. These so called “Amazon Laws” are having interesting, and controversial, effects.

Amazon.com, for example, has pulled out of North Carolina as it ended partnerships with scores of small business entrepreneurs in the state. Amazon maintains that the new sales tax laws are unconstitutional.

North Carolina #5 on Forbes list of “Best Places for Business”

I moved my family to North Carolina in 1985 after reading Chamber of Commerce surveys on top areas in the country to live. 24 years later, Raleigh is still a top area in the country to live.

North Carolina ranks number 5 in Forbes magazine’s 11th annual ranking of the Best Places for Business and Careers.

Forbes bases its rankings on costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life.

North Carolina rates high for costs (No. 3), regulatory environment (No. 4) and quality of life (No. 3). It ranks No. 15 for labor, No. 16 for economic climate and No. 33 for growth prospects.

Raleigh grabbed the top spot for a third straight year on the strength of strong job growth (both past and projected), low business costs and a highly educated workforce.

Helping fuel Raleigh’s strong economy is the Research Triangle Park, one of the oldest and largest science parks in North America. RTP is located between Raleigh and Durham and is home to 170 companies employing 42,000 people.

One of the original 13 colonies is still one of the best places to live in the United States. Congratulations North Carolina!