Texas Dominates List of Best States for Business for 22nd Consecutive Year

Texas is a great state, the BEST state, some may say, and when it comes to business opportunities, Texas takes the top of the list year after year with an economy of $2.9 trillion, rivaling that of Russia, Italy, and other entire countries.

 Best U.S. States for Business in 2026

According to the latest survey from Chief Executive, Texas leads the nation as the #1 best state for business, as it has for the past 22 years!

The top five states on the list are Texas, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. It looks like if you want to start a business, then the southern states are the place to go.

South Carolina had a massive leap in the charts, jumping from number 13 to number 6 from 2025 to 2026. If you think about it, this makes sense since the state has the highest population growth of any state. Not to mention the billions that Google has invested to reinforce the next wave of innovations.

Want to know something shocking? California, in all its glory, ranks dead last on the list. That's right, the number 50 spot goes to The Golden State. Perhaps business growth and Hollywood don't often make the best pairing.

Why is Texas Always Number One?

Texas Governor Greg Abbott attributes the state's success to a few key factors:

Texas has long dominated the nation as the Best State for Business thanks to our pro-growth policies, world-class workforce, and strategic investments in education, high-demand skills training, and critical infrastructure.

If this isn't proof enough to be proud of our state, the Texas economy recently surpassed the $2.9 trillion mark and led the nation in growth in 2025 at a rate of 2.5%. So, yeah, Texas is the place to be when you want to start, expand, or relocate your business. Just look at the numbers!