No. 6Indiana
Pressed its case as the most business-friendly state in the Midwest by trimming several more types of taxes. Meanwhile, its 2012 flip to right-to-work makes Indiana attractive to manufacturers.
Governor: Mitch Pence (Republican)
Tax Foundation rank: 10
ALEC-Laffer Economic Outlook rank: 14
Kauffman Foundation Index of Entrepreneurial Activity (2012) rank: 32
Total Nonfarm Employment Percentage Growth (2013): 12
Economic-development contact: Indiana Economic Development Corp., 800/463-8081, www.iedc.in.gov; Victor Smith, Secretary of Commerce