Tennessee is the 4th Best State for Business 2013

Previous State: North Carolina Next State: Indiana

No. 4Tennessee

Taxations & Regulations

Workforce Quality

Living Environment

Based on CEO Survey by ChiefExecutive.net

Key Metrics
State GDP 
  • % Growth ’10-’11: 1.9
  • % Growth ’10-’11 v. Nat’l Avg. (1.5%): 0.4

Unemployment

  • Unemployment Rate Dec. 2012 %: 7.6
  • Comparison with Nat’l Rate (7.80%): -2.0

Domestic Migration

  • Domestic Net Migration ’10-’11: 20,328
  • Rank: 7

State Government

  • Debt per Capita Fiscal Year ’10 ($): 922
  • State & Local Gov’t Employees per 10k Residents: 527.8

State-Local Tax Burden

  • Rate (%): 10.0
  • Compared to Nat’l Avg. (9.9%): 0.16
Key Companies
  • FedEx Services
  • International Paper Company
  • Dollar General
  • Unum Group
  • Autozone
Development Trend Indicator: Positive
Prospect of worker’s compensation reform makes it shine even brighter.
CEO Comments
“We find several states today as ‘real comers.’ This is especially true with Kentucky, Louisiana, North Dakota, Montana and Tennessee (although it has been on a fast track somewhat longer than the others).”

“Tennessee has no state income taxes, which is a huge plus.”

“TN has excellent people for manufacturing and can attract high quality professionals. It has a very high quality of living and a low cost of living. Logistics are great with great access to a larger percentage of the population within an 8 hour truck haul.”

“VA, NC, MD, and TN all have strong business climates and excellent educational systems. They promote business. They want to and do help ongoing and new business.”

“North Carolina and TN seem to be pro business.”

“TN has a very friendly governor and administration toward business. No Income tax great too.”

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

Previous State: #3 North Carolina Next State: #5 Indiana

J.P. Donlon

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

Share
Published by
J.P. Donlon

Recent Posts

The CEO’s Guide To A Stronger Immune System

To protect your immune system as you age, take steps to protect your overall health.…

16 hours ago

Don Yaeger’s The Film Room: 5 Ways To Make Your Processes More Efficient

The leaders who win consistently are those who sweat details, design for loyalty and experience…

1 day ago

Playbook: Successful Corporate Transformations

More than a third of large organizations are undergoing business transformations at any given time,…

2 days ago

5 Coaching Conversations Every New Manager Needs

In the first 90 days, the right conversations matter more than most new managers realize—and…

3 days ago

Motorola Solutions’ Greg Brown Is Chief Executive Magazine’s 2026 CEO Of The Year

A committee of his peer CEOs recognized Brown for transforming a once-struggling cellular handset manufacturer…

3 days ago

Ram Charan: A Manufacturing Playbook For A Turbulent New Era

The bestselling author and advisor to CEOs shares what he’s counseling manufacturers as they navigate…

5 days ago