La. ranked 7th for top business climate

Site Selection magazine has ranked Louisiana No. 7 on its list of states with the Top Business Climate for 2011. Last year, Louisiana jumped up 16 spots in the national survey to ninth place—from No. 25 in 2009—marking its highest placing yet and making it the biggest gainer in 2010. Texas got the No. 1 ranking for business climate this year, replacing North Carolina, which held the spot for the past decade. North Carolina is ranked third on the 2011 list, also surpassed by No. 2 Georgia. The annual business climate rankings are determined 50% by a tax climate criterion and the states’ performance in Conway Data’s New Plant Database, which tracks new and expanded business facility activity; and 50% by a survey of corporate site selectors. Louisiana did not make the top 10 in the executive survey ranking, but landed just outside at No. 11. The state is ranked No. 1 for new plants by population and competitiveness, while its lowest ranking, 36th, came for tax climate. Read the full Site Selection November cover story on the rankings and see more details here.