Study ranks N.C. 26th for economic competitiveness
North Carolina falls in the middle of the 50 states when it comes to economic competition, according to a report released today by the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University.
The sixth annual report, which ranks states on an index of 0 to 10, considers factors including infrastructure, research and development, education, environmental policies, crime and worker compensation.
North Carolina outranked most states for business incubation, landing at 9th in the country based on factors including venture capital investment, unionization rates and the minimum wage. But the state ranked 35th for environmental policy, based on carbon and toxic emissions.
Factors in North Carolina's favor, according to the report, include worker compensation rates, the state's composite bond rating, infrastructure including airlines and academic research and development. But relatively high crime rates placed the state 40th in the nation, and the state's overall score was hurt by considerations including the percentage of the population without health insurance, the percentage of the population over age 24 without high-school degrees, the unemployment rate and the infant mortality rate.
The state's overall index was 4.9. Massachusetts ranked at No. 1, with an index of 7.28, while Mississippi ranked 50th, with an index of 3.02.