Americas Top States for Business 2012 Montana and surrounding states

Americas Top States for Business 2012Montana and surrounding states

OVERALL RANKING

All 50 states were scored on 51 measures of competitiveness developed with input from business groups including the National Association of Manufacturers and the Council on Competitiveness. States received points based on their rankings in each metric. Then, the metrics were separated into ten broad categories, weighting the categories based on how frequently they are cited in state economic development marketing materials. That way, the study ranks the states based on the criteria they use to sell themselves.

*Information provided by cnbc.com Americas Top States for Business 2012

10 CATEGORIES CONSIDERED WHEN RANKING

• Cost of Doing Business• Workforce• Quality of Life• Infrastructure & Transportation• Economy• Education• Technology & Innovation• Business Friendliness• Access to Capital• Cost of Living

*Information provided by cnbc.com Americas Top States for Business

MONTANA RANKING COMPARED TO COMPETING STATES

Cost of Doing BusinessCost is a major consideration when a company chooses a state. The study looked at the tax burden, including individual income and property taxes, as well as business taxes, particularly as they apply to new investments. Utility costs can add up to a huge expense for business, and they vary widely by state. The cost of wages, as well as rental costs for office and industrial space (rental cost information furnished by CoStar Group) were also considered.

State Cost of BusinessSouth Dakota 3Idaho 7Montana 7Wyoming 10Utah 11North Dakota 16Oregon 23Minnesota 25Washington 37Colorado 40


MONTANA RANKING COMPARED TO COMPETING STATES

WorkforceMany states point with great pride to the quality and availability of their workers, as well as government-sponsored programs to train them. States were rated based on the education level of their workforce, as well as the numbers of available workers. Union membership is also considered. While a union workforce is a quality workforce, it does not reflect favorably for states in this study. The relative success of each state’s worker training programs in placing their participants in jobs were also compared.

State WorkforceColorado 5Idaho 5Utah 9North Dakota 10South Dakota 14Wyoming 20Washington 21Minnesota 31Oregon 34Montana 47



Quality of LifeThe best places to do business are also the best places to live. The states were scored on several factors, including local attractions, the crime rate, health care, as well as air and water quality.

State Quality of LifeNorth Dakota 5Minnesota 5South Dakota 7Colorado 8Wyoming 9Utah 10Washington 15Oregon 17Montana 18Idaho 22



Infrastructure & Transportation

Access to transportation in all its modes is key to getting your products to market and your people on the move. The vitality of each state’s transportation system were measured by the value of goods shipped by air, land and water. The availability of air travel in each state, and the quality of the roads were factors considered as well.

StateInfastructure & Transportation

Minnesota 2Utah 8Montana 14North Dakota 15Oregon 16Colorado 23Idaho 23Wyoming 26South Dakota 27Washington 36



EconomyA solid economy is good for business. So is a diverse economy, with access to the biggest players in a variety of industries. Basic indicators of economic health and growth were compared.

State EconomyWyoming 1North Dakota 2Utah 7South Dakota 12Minnesota 16Montana 18Idaho 23Colorado 33Oregon 37Washington 45


10 CATEGORIES CONSIDERED WHEN RANKINGEducation

Education and business go hand in hand. Not only do companies want to draw from an educated pool of workers, they want to offer their employees a great place to raise a family. Higher education institutions offer companies a source to recruit new talent, as well as a partner in research and development. Looked at were traditional measures of K-12 education including test scores, class size and spending. The number of higher education institutions in each state were also considered.

State EducationWyoming 11Minnesota 11Washington 13Montana 16North Dakota 19South Dakota 22Colorado 27Oregon 40Utah 45Idaho 48



Technology & InnovationSucceeding in the new economy or any economy takes innovation. The top states for business prize innovation, nurture new ideas, and have the infrastructure to support them. The states were evaluated on their support for innovation, the number of patents issued to their residents, and the deployment of broadband services. Federal health and science research grants to the states were also considered.

StateTechnology & Innovation

Washington 5Colorado 8Oregon 15Minnesota 18Utah 24Idaho 38Montana 39South Dakota 46North Dakota 47Wyoming 48



Business FriendlinessRegulation and litigation are the bane of business. Sure, some of each is inevitable. The states were graded on the perceived “friendliness” of their legal and regulatory frameworks to business.

StateBusiness Friendliness

South Dakota 1North Dakota 4Colorado 8Utah 10Idaho 12Oregon 17Wyoming 20Minnesota 23Washington 36Montana 41



Access to CapitalCompanies go where the money is, and venture capital flows to some states more than others. State Access to Capital

Washington 3Colorado 4Utah 13Oregon 13Minnesota 15Idaho 32Wyoming 35Montana 42North Dakota 43South Dakota 48



Cost of LivingThe cost of living helps drive the cost of doing business. From housing to food and energy, wages go further when the cost of living is low.

State Cost of LivingUtah 6Idaho 9Wyoming 27North Dakota 28South Dakota 30Montana 31Colorado 33Minnesota 35Washington 36Oregon 38


TOTAL OVERALL RANKING MONTANA AND SURROUNDING STATES

Overall State2 Utah5 North Dakota7 South Dakota8 Colorado

10 Wyoming11 Minnesota13 Idaho18 Oregon21 Washington24 Montana


MONTANA RANKED 24TH BEST STATE FOR BUSINESS OVERALL

1 Texas2 Utah3 Virginia4 North Carolina5 North Dakota6 Nebraska7 South Dakota8 Colorado9 Georgia

10 Wyoming11 Minnesota12 Iowa13 Idaho14 Indiana15 Kansas16 Tennessee17 Wisconsin18 Oregon19 New Hampshire20 Arkansas21 Washington22 Arizona23 Oklahoma24 Montana25 Ohio

26 Illinois27 Missouri28 Massachusetts29 Florida30 Pennsylvania31 Maryland32 South Carolina33 Michigan34 New York35 Maine

36 (tie) New Mexico36 (tie) Kentucky

38 Alabama39 Vermont40 California41 New Jersey42 Louisiana43 Delaware44 Connecticut45 Nevada46 Mississippi47 Alaska48 West Virginia49 Hawaii50 Rhode Island

*Information provided by cnbc.com and forbes.com

* In 2011 Montana was ranked 38th overall by cnbc.com and 24th by Forbes.com (2012 results for Forbes have not been released)

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Americas Top States for Business 2012 Montana and surrounding states