News Summary
South Carolina has been ranked second in Area Development’s 2025 Top States for Business survey, showcasing its competitive advantage in attracting businesses and promoting economic development. The state excelled in business incentives, cost of doing business, and site readiness programs, though it faced challenges in areas like climate risk and water availability. This ranking underscores South Carolina’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its business landscape while competing against Georgia, which has held the top spot for over a decade.
South Carolina has achieved a significant milestone by being ranked second in Area Development’s 2025 Top States for Business survey, reasserting its appeal as a prime location for corporate site selection and economic development. The state follows Georgia, which has maintained the top position for twelve consecutive years.
This latest ranking highlights South Carolina’s competitive edge, particularly as it aims to attract new businesses and bolster economic opportunities in the region. The state is recognized for its robust business incentives and favorable cost of doing business, performing notably well across several evaluation categories.
In this year’s survey, South Carolina outperformed its rivals in key areas such as business incentives programs, overall cost of doing business, and site readiness programs, achieving first place in all three. Additionally, it secured second place rankings for availability of sites, cooperative efforts from local and state governments, and a favorable regulatory framework.
Besides leading in numerous categories, the state ranked significantly lower in areas that are becoming increasingly vital to businesses. Notably, South Carolina did not place in the top ten for climate risk and resilience or for water availability, indicating areas that may require future improvements.
Completing the top five in the Area Development survey are Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio. South Carolina’s standing this year is a marked improvement from its lowest ranking of fifth place in 2018.
The methodology for these rankings has evolved, reflecting a shift towards factors such as speed, workforce alignment, and energy infrastructure as essential components in determining a state’s desirability for business investment. Notably, the evaluation has separated energy infrastructure into two distinct categories: energy availability and energy cost. Furthermore, there is an increased focus on water access, permitting speed, and overall site readiness that significantly contribute to capital investment decisions.
Despite being recognized as a strong contender for business development, South Carolina faces stiff competition from Georgia, which has dominated the rankings for over a decade and appears to be a benchmark for success. CNBC’s rankings echo this sentiment, positioning South Carolina in 18th place for its best states for business ratings. The state has continually performed well in these ratings; it has finished in the top four 18 times and has been runner-up on eight occasions without ever reaching the top spot.
In reviewing numerous categories, the recent rankings have assessed factors that are critical to businesses, such as access to qualified labor, corporate tax structure, energy availability, energy cost, favorable property tax, logistics and infrastructure, and workforce training programs. This comprehensive approach to evaluation considers both quantitative metrics and qualitative assessments to provide a clear picture of the business landscape in South Carolina.
As South Carolina looks to improve its economic environment, the recent ranking reinforces the state’s ongoing commitment to creating an attractive landscape for business investments, indicating a focused strategy on enhancing various infrastructural and regulatory factors in the future.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- The Center Square: Texas Business Report
- Wikipedia: South Carolina
- Columbia Business Report: USC Program Ranking
- Google Search: South Carolina Business Ranking
- Washington Examiner: SC Business Report
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Business
- CNBC: North Carolina Top State for Business
- Google News: 2025 Top States for Business
- Charleston Business: SC Companies 2025
Author: STAFF HERE GREENVILLE
The HERE Greenville Staff Writers are a collaborative team of journalists, editors, and local contributors passionate about delivering accurate, timely information to the Greenville community. As part of the HEREcity.com Network, which powers over 100 U.S. city sites including HEREcolumbia.com, our staff draws on collective experience in South Carolina journalism to cover everything from business sales and real estate developments to dining deals and community initiatives. Our Expertise and Background Local Roots in Greenville Our team includes lifelong Greenville residents and SC natives with deep knowledge of the area’s history, economy, and culture. We’ve covered key events like the recent sales in the Heritage Historic District 17 , Greenville’s textile and railroad heritage 2 , and growth in local education sectors (e.g., Greenville Technical College programs) 27 . Collective Experience With over 50 combined years in journalism, our staff has backgrounds in print, digital media, and community reporting. We prioritize fact-based stories, drawing from sources like the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, city government records, and on-the-ground interviews. Commitment to Quality Every article is a group effort, involving research, editing, and verification to ensure reliability. We adhere to journalistic standards, citing credible sources and updating content as new details emerge.
