CNBC Ranks The 50 States on Business Climate: North Dakota #12 Overall

CNBC ranks the 50 states based on business climate.

North Dakota is #12 overall.

I was surprised to see the discrepancy in cost of living between South Dakota (#5) and North Dakota (#17).  Texas is #8.  I guess that's what state income tax will do to one's cost of living.  Utility costs should be a wash: North and South Dakota have similar winters (although North Dakota is much colder); and the cold winters (heat) are offset by the hot summers (air conditioning) in Texas.  Neither Texas nor South Dakota have state income taxes. North Dakota does.

I was very, very surprised to see New York's economy ranked #2. Texas is #1; North Dakota, #3; South Dakota, 4; and, Minnesota, #5.

North Dakota does not stand out in any of the other categories, except for maybe "business friendliness," at #10.  But we could be doing a lot better if we wanted, I would think.  New York is #45 with regard to "business friendliness" but as noted its economy is #2.

With regard to cost of business, I was really, really surprised that the liberal bellwether state of Iowa was ranked #1 and North Dakota was #15. Our legislators really need to look at what Iowa is doing. Iowa was ranked #6 overall.

I was surprised by eduction ranking: New York, #2; and, North Dakota, #18. Also, Arizona (#45) and Mississippi (49) are practically tied. Something tells me the immigration story in Arizona is tied to the education story. Criteria with regard to education: traditional measures of K-12 education including test scores, class size and spending.