Experts rank MS in top 10 states to grow and do business
A business publication ranked Mississippi as one of the best states to do business.
According to Area Development Magazine, Mississippi is the 10th best, outranking Louisiana, Florida, New York and Kentucky.
Area Development’s Top States report annually tasks a panel of expert consultants to identify and rank the best states to do business.
The publication looked at 13 categories to find the best places for businesses to start, grow and prosper. Mississippi ranked in the top 10 for five of the categories.
The state tied with Indiana for the overall cost of doing business. Factors like taxes and incentives determined rankings for the category.
Mississippi tied for eighth place with North Carolina for its business incentive programs.
The state also tied for eighth place for having a cooperative and responsive state government.
“This measure is a bit of an amalgam of various characteristics, some fairly easy to quantify, some that boil down to a more subjectively experienced, welcoming vibe,” according to Steve Kaelble, Area Development staff editor. “The various arms of state government can either make or break a location decision.”
Mississippi tied for 10th place in the favorable regulatory environment category. The state came in 5th for the speed of project permitting and for energy availability and costs.
The majority of the top places for businesses were in the South. Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina rounded out the top three. Texas, North Carolina and Alabama were also in the top 10.
