Kansas and Missouri fall in business rankings

How it works: CNBC scores all 50 states on 138 measures across 10 weighted categories, including infrastructure, economy, workforce, education, quality of life and the costs of living and doing business, for up to 2,500 points.

• Kansas (No. 37) totaled 1,233 points and Missouri (No. 38) 1,229.
• Infrastructure carried the most weight this year, reflecting companies' interest in being close to transport hubs, utilities and data centers.

Zoom in: Kansas fell from 20th to 31st in infrastructure even as the KC area fields at least 50 data center projects. The state's access to capital also slid from 22nd to 34th.

• Missouri ranked 49th of 50 in workforce, even as Gov. Mike Kehoe's budget puts $11 million toward career and technical education centers and $10 million into child care grants.

Yes, but: Both states scored well on costs. Kansas ranked third in business friendliness and sixth in cost of living, while Missouri ranked fifth in cost of doing business and holds the top bond rating from Moody's and S&P.

Zoom out: Ohio claimed No. 1 for the first time in the study's 20-year history with the nation's best scores in infrastructure and cost of doing business, dropping 2025 winner North Carolina to No. 2.

The bottom line: The categories dragging Missouri and Kansas down are the ones their newest investments are meant to fix.