Ranking finds Georgia fourth for business

(The Center Square) — Georgia officials love to tout its position as the top state for business.

However, a new ranking from CNBC found the Peach State ranked fourth. The 2024 edition of CNBC’s annual America’s Top States for Business found another southern state, Virginia, topped the list, followed by North Carolina and Texas; Florida ranked fifth.

"With six wins — and three in the last five years — Virginia is our most decorated state. It’s easy to see why," CNBC Special Correspondent Scott Cohn said in an announcement. "In both Republican and Democratic administrations, the state has shown how much it cares about business, and how carefully it can listen to companies. Plus, year after year, Virginia offers the training, talent, and the infrastructure for success."

Spokespeople for Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Governor Burt Jones and Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson, all Republicans, did not respond to a request for comment.

According to the CNBC analysis , the Empire State of the South topped the list for infrastructure while its workforce ranked fourth. However, the business network, citing Georgia’s "poor health care and worker protections," ranked the state 40th for its quality of life.

Separately, on Tuesday, Jones announced he worked with former Georgia Bulldogs and Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey and others on public service announcements to raise awareness of workforce opportunities across Georgia. Workforce development has been a hot-button topic in the state, capturing the attention of lawmakers in recent years.

"Developing and growing Georgia’s workforce is a top priority, and I am hopeful that awareness efforts like these will highlight the options Georgians have as they look to develop skills and enter our workforce," Jones said in a statement.