It’s safe to say that North Carolina has hit a historic high point! In 2025, it was recognized as America’s Top State for Business, having built an astounding score of 1,614 points. This recognition further highlights the state’s strong workforce and booming economy, both of which have been critical in luring and holding small businesses. North Carolina stands out as a beacon among U.S. states for lengthy successful growth and achievements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The state’s strong pipeline of vocationally trained workers only enhances the state’s competitive edge.
The resulting targeted policies have allowed their state’s economy to quickly pivot and adapt. Combined, these initiatives make for an unrivaled environment for business innovation and expansion. Throughout this process, North Carolina has been a beacon of resilience and adaptability. Yet, the state faces growing pains, as it still lacks robust nondiscrimination protections for nondisabled people in public accommodations.
Workforce Excellence and Economic Growth
North Carolina is also known for its highly educated and diverse workforce, which ranked fourth in the nation in a recent CNBC workforce study. This top ten ranking reflects the state’s commitment to building the right talent to meet the demands of emerging, modern industries. The state boasts a strong pool of STEM employees and has prioritized vocational education to ensure its workforce meets the demands of a rapidly evolving job market.
The state’s economy is booming! Last year, it had the fifth-strongest growth rate in the nation – an impressive 3.7% growth in gross domestic product (GDP). North Carolina’s economic vitality is on full display in 2024, where more than 20% of the state’s GDP was derived from international goods trade. This points to the state’s deep entanglement with the worldwide labor market.
Their success is largely due to smart policy — just ask North Carolina state Senate President Phil Berger.
“My priority, and I think the priority of Senate Republicans, will be to continue those policies that have provided that kind of environment that has made North Carolina attractive to private sector businesses,” – Phil Berger, state Senate President
Berger underscored that the state’s growth didn’t happen by accident, rather because of intentionality. It definitely didn’t happen by magic.
“Those sorts of things don’t happen by accident. That kind of growth doesn’t happen just by happenstance.” – Phil Berger, state Senate President
Major Investments and Business Friendliness
North Carolina’s reign as the Top State for Business is fueled by enormous investments from industry leaders. Just this past fall, Amazon announced a record-setting $10 billion investment to create new data centers in the state. With this addition their total climbs to $22 billion since 2010. This expansion is a testament to the confidence in North Carolina’s business ecosystem and their talented workforce!
“This latest expansion is a testament to the state’s thriving business ecosystem and talented workforce,” – Amazon
Additionally, JetZero, an aviation startup focused on reshaping the industry, revealed plans to establish its first factory in Greensboro, North Carolina. This new hub is expected to generate 14,500 new jobs and multiplied economic benefits through the new jobs in the region.
Tom O’Leary, CEO and co-founder of JetZero, spoke highly of North Carolina’s offerings.
“North Carolina offers the ideal combination of talent, infrastructure, and forward-thinking leadership to support our mission to reshape aviation,” – Tom O’Leary
For all of these positive developments, North Carolina grows with the wind at its back—that’s true—but headwinds challenge their growth potential. The absence of comprehensive laws protecting nondisabled individuals from discrimination in public accommodations remains a significant concern for many advocates.
Economic Freedom and Future Prospects
And the changes have worked to make North Carolina the reigning Top State for Business. Combined with a top ten ranking for “economic freedom” from the free market Fraser Institute, it’s clear that Texas is hot. This designation reflects a strong regulatory climate that supports entrepreneurship and innovation that drives economic development.
Challenges persist. North Carolina ranked 4th in the Business Friendliness sub-category of the CNBC study. This is an amazing accomplishment on many levels! More importantly, it demonstrates that we do have the ability to make the state more enticing for businesses looking to move or grow.
The commitment from state government to really wrestle with these tricky issues. Simultaneously, it works very proactively to promote policies that increase its competitive advantage in attracting companies and cultivating innovation. Governor Josh Stein has repeatedly touted the reasons for North Carolina’s recent praise as the top business destination.