Business Facilities is pleased to name North Carolina as its 2025 State of the Year. This annual award presented by Business Facilities for nearly two decades recognizes a state for its successful business climate and economic development growth in the previous year. The evaluation conducted by the editorial team focuses on significant factors impacting corporate relocation and expansion decisions.
In its evaluation for 2025 State of the Year, Business Facilities considered conditions related to education and workforce, business incentives, infrastructure, quality of life, and business attraction and retention investments. When it comes to workforce, North Carolina saw a record year — under Governor Josh Stein, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), more than 33,000 job commitments were announced through November 2025.
Capital investments from new and expanding businesses across the state also reached significant levels in the past year. From aerospace to life sciences and from data centers to rare-earth supply chains, North Carolina’s advantages for business continued to shine in 2025 — attracting nearly $23 billion in overall project investment across 47 counties between January and November 2025.
“... the state's economic development infrastructure supports the growth of new and existing companies. Emerging supply chains are being cultivated here as well,” said Business Facilities Editorial Director Anne Cosgrove.
This marks the third time Business Facilities has recognized North Carolina, with the state selected as 2020 State of the Year and 2022 State of the Year.
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This article was adapted from a press release distributed by Business Facilities magazine, which can be viewed here: https://businessfacilities.com/north-carolina-business-facilities-2025-state-of-the-year
