Nebraska is the 21st Best State for Business 2014

Taxations & Regulations

Workforce Quality

Living Environment

Key Metrics
State GDP % Growth ’12-’13: 3.0 % Growth ’11-’12 v. Nat’l Avg. (2.5%): -1 Unemployment Unemployment Rate Dec. 2013 %: 3.6 Comparison with Nat’l Rate (6.70%): -3.1 Domestic Migration Domestic Net Migration 2013: -695 Rank: 23 State Government State Debt per Capita Fiscal Year ’13 ($): 1,306 State & Local Gov’t Employees per 10k Residents: 642 State-Local Tax Burden Rate (%): 9.7% Compared to Nat’l Avg. (9.9%): -0.17%

Key Metrics

State GDP

Unemployment

Domestic Migration

State Government

State-Local Tax Burden

Key Companies
Berkshire Hathaway ConAgra Union Pacific Railway TD Ameritrade

Development Trend Indicator: Neutral
Sadly, Gov. Heineman punted on chance to eliminate personal income tax.

CEO Comments
“The cost of doing business on the east coast vs. Midwest is dramatically different. I continue to move jobs out of PA and into other operations in KS, NE and ND as the costs (healthcare, workers comp) are significantly higher and worker productivity levels are significantly lower. East Coast employees have learned how to game the system and the elected officials appear to be OK with this.”

Based on CEO Survey by ChiefExecutive.net

Sources:
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Bureau of Labor Statistics
NewGeography.com
The Tax Foundation

J.P. Donlon

J.P. Donlon is Editor Emeritus of Chief Executive magazine.