Jul 17, 2025 - News
Washington slips in CNBC's top states for business rankings
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Washington is no longer among CNBC's top states for business, falling out of the top 10 in this year's rankings.
Why it matters: Our 14th-place finish is quite a shift from 2017, when the same rankings listed the Evergreen State as No. 1.
- It's also a notable drop from 2022, when we came in second, and last year, when we ranked 10th.
Zoom in: Washington got high marks again this year for technology and innovation, as well as for having a skilled workforce.
- But dragging us down are our cost of living — we ranked 39th — and the local costs of doing business, CNBC found.
- Those costs can include high worker wages and the price of renting office space, according to the study's methodology.
Zoom out: Topping CNBC's list of business-friendly states were North Carolina, Texas, Florida, Virginia and Ohio.