Georgia’s “pro-business” environment is the result of state statutes and sound economic development practices. For example, Georgia was the first southeastern state to pass single-factor corporate tax apportionment. This legislation applies the 6 percent corporate tax rate only to the portion of income earned inside the state. Georgia also consistently maintains one of the nation’s lowest debt-per-capita levels.

A modern and extensive transportation and logistical infrastructure allows Georgia to compete effectively in a global marketplace. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the world’s busiest passenger airport and 10th-largest in the nation for cargo. Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals are a major reason Georgia now ranks second nationally in exports. Atlanta is also the rail center of the South, with nearly 5,000 miles of railroad track and the largest intermodal facility on the East Coast. 

Quality and cost of labor is a key driver in every location decision. Georgia’s Quick Start work force development program is one of the best in the nation and provides customized training at no cost to qualified companies in an array of industries. Nearly one million workers at 6,200 companies of all sizes have benefited from Quick Start. 

Georgia’s pro-business policies continue to attract new business investment. Thirty Fortune 1000 companies have headquarters in Georgia. General Motors, Hitachi, and Greenway Medical Technologies are just some of the companies that continue to invest and expand in Georgia. AT&T recently announced plans to build a research center in Atlanta to develop the company’s latest technologies and applications. “AT&T has been investing and innovating in Georgia since 1879,” comments Sylvia Russell, President of AT&T Georgia. “Our decision to locate this unique facility in Atlanta is recognition of the hard work Georgia has done to create a welcoming environment for businesses to invest, innovate, and create jobs.”

As the economy improves and states continue to vie for new investment and jobs, they also seek the attention of site consultants who help companies make their new facility and expansion decisions. With that in mind, Area Development’s fourth annual Top States for Doing Business survey of site consultants ranks the states based on their number of mentions in 17 categories (scores were weighted based on position in each category and then overall).

States were ranked on factors in the following categories: Business Environment (costs, taxes and regulations, incentives, etc.), Labor Climate (diversity, costs, development programs, etc.); and Infrastructure and Global Access (rail/highway access, shovel-ready sites, utility rates, logistics access). Following is more detailed information on the attributes of the top-10 states that provides insight into the rankings. Additionally, several site consultants who participated in the survey offer their comments.