For the fourth time in as many years, Indiana's business climate scored a top ten finish nationally in Site Selection magazine's 2011 business climate rankings. Feedback from a survey of national real estate executives and a review of Indiana's economic development record earned the state recognition as the sixth best place for business in the U.S., up two spots from eighth in 2010.
The Site Selection ranking, released this week in the magazine's November 2011 issue, comes a little more than a month after Area Development magazine ratedIndiana's business climate best in the Midwest and fifth overall in the U.S., according to a survey of national site selection consultants. The state was also ranked as top in the nation for rail and highway accessibility and was among the consultants' second pick as a state leading in the economic recovery.
"Companies are finding Indiana at record pace this year as our state continues to be a standout choice for companies to locate and thrive," said Dan Hasler, Secretary of Commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. "The Hoosier State earns its renowned reputation every day by offering a skilled workforce, tremendous transportation infrastructure and friendly space for entrepreneurs to make their visions a reality."
Site Selection's annual business climate rankings are determined in part by performance of the state in Conway Data's New Plant Database, which tracks new and expanded business facility activity, and also by a survey of corporate site seekers across the country. The survey asked companies to identify the top 10 state business climates, taking into consideration such factors as lack of red tape, financial assistance and government officials' cooperation. Respondents were also asked to rank the factors most important to them when determining a location for a new facility.
Site Selection's business climate survey story, as well as the publication's annual state legislative and incentives update, appear in the November 2011 edition and at www.siteselection.com.