Categories: 2014 Best & Worst States

Pennsylvania is the 42nd Best State for Business 2013

Previous State: Maryland Next State: Hawaii

No. 42Pennsylvania

Taxations & Regulations

Workforce Quality

Living Environment

Based on CEO Survey by ChiefExecutive.net

Key Metrics
State GDP % Growth ’10-’11: 1.2 % Growth ’10-’11 v. Nat’l Avg. (1.5%): -0.3 Unemployment Unemployment Rate Dec. 2012 %: 7.9 Comparison with Nat’l Rate (7.80%): 0.1 Domestic Migration Domestic Net Migration ’10-’11: -1,121 Rank: 31 State Government Debt per Capita Fiscal Year ’10 ($): 3,526 State & Local Gov’t Employees per 10k Residents: 478.4 State-Local Tax Burden Rate (%): 7.7 Compared to Nat’l Avg. (9.9%): -2.15

Key Metrics

State GDP

% Growth ’10-’11: 1.2
% Growth ’10-’11 v. Nat’l Avg. (1.5%): -0.3

Unemployment

Unemployment Rate Dec. 2012 %: 7.9
Comparison with Nat’l Rate (7.80%): 0.1

Domestic Migration

Domestic Net Migration ’10-’11: -1,121
Rank: 31

State Government

Debt per Capita Fiscal Year ’10 ($): 3,526
State & Local Gov’t Employees per 10k Residents: 478.4

State-Local Tax Burden

Rate (%): 7.7
Compared to Nat’l Avg. (9.9%): -2.15

Key Companies
AmerisourceBergen Sunoco Rite Aid CIGNA PNC Financial United States Steel H.J. Heinz

Development Trend Indicator: Positive
Gov. Corbett has resisted tax hikes and instituted some regulatory reforms.

CEO Comments
“God help anyone dealing with PA’s department of revenue.” “I consider [Pennsylvania] the ‘stupid state’ not because it is consistently bad, but rather is inconsistent, which is far worse to plan business.” “Pennsylvania is by far the highest taxed for corporations but our workforce and those available to do work (welders, fitters, etc.) are the highest skilled. We also have an excellent group of colleges and universities in our area to supply us with engineers and other college-degreed employees. All of the states we are in except Pennsylvania are ‘right to work’ states and we are a non union shop.” “Pennsylvania Environmental regulations and their bureaucracy make it difficult to plan and build new projects in a timely manner.”

CEO Comments

“God help anyone dealing with PA’s department of revenue.”

“I consider [Pennsylvania] the ‘stupid state’ not because it is consistently bad, but rather is inconsistent, which is far worse to plan business.”

“Pennsylvania is by far the highest taxed for corporations but our workforce and those available to do work (welders, fitters, etc.) are the highest skilled. We also have an excellent group of colleges and universities in our area to supply us with engineers and other college-degreed employees. All of the states we are in except Pennsylvania are ‘right to work’ states and we are a non union shop.”

“Pennsylvania Environmental regulations and their bureaucracy make it difficult to plan and build new projects in a timely manner.”

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

Previous State: #41 Maryland Next State: #43 Hawaii

J.P. Donlon

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