CNBC moved Virginia back into the third spot in its Top States for Business rankings for 2026, after the state had dropped to fourth last year.
The 2026 rankings were announced by the MAGA-adjacent business news TV network on Thursday.
Ohio claimed the top spot, with North Carolina at #2.
Texas was ranked fourth, and Minnesota fifth.
The bottom five: West Virginia (46), Louisiana (47), Rhode Island (48), Alaska (49) and Hawaii (50).
Our neighbors in the 2026 rankings:
- North Carolina: #2
- Tennessee: #9
- Delaware: #32
- Maryland: #36
- West Virginia: #46
Where we ranked well:
- Infrastructure: #2
- Education: #5
- Technology and Innovation: #6
- Quality of Life: #7
- Access to Capital: #10
- Workforce: #10
Room for improvement:
- Economy: #23
- Cost of doing business: #26
Six Top 10s, just one score in the bottom half: not bad, overall.
“Virginia’s rise in the rankings reflects strategic investments that are helping companies succeed in our Commonwealth,” said Gov. Abigail Spanberger, taking a deserved victory lap in a statement put out on her behalf by the governor’s office on Thursday.
“Companies the world over know that Virginia has a reputation as a business environment where world-class talent, leading infrastructure, and a collaborative approach to economic and community development give companies the confidence to grow here.”
Let’s be blunt here: we’re consistently Top 5, and some years #1, because we have Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.
The part of the state outside of the Golden Crescent might as well be West Virginia.
And note who’s saying that here: I’m the editor of Augusta Free Press, well outside the Golden Crescent, where the locals seem to think they want to be part of West Virginia, for reals.
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Update: Thursday, 6:48 p.m. Virginia House Speaker Don Scott released the following statement on the CNBC ranking:
“Under the previous Republican administration, Virginia watched its business ranking fall from first to fourth as our competitive edge slipped away.
“In just six months, Gov. Spanberger and the Democratic majorities in the General Assembly have lowered costs for families, invested in public education and workforce development, and created the conditions for businesses to invest, create good-paying jobs, and grow in Virginia.
“Virginia’s rise to #3 is proof that we can be both pro-worker and pro-business. When we invest in our people and build a stronger economy, businesses choose the Commonwealth, jobs follow, and Virginia wins.”
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Chris Graham
