How did Tennessee fare in Forbes' look at the best states for business?

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Eric Snyder

Managing Editor- Nashville Business Journal

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Tennessee often gets credit for being among the best states in the country for business, but the admiration is hardly unanimous.

Case in point: Forbes' annual look at the best states for business, released this week, which plants Tennessee firmly in the middle, at No. 21.

Forbes ranked the states by business costs, labor supply, regulator environment, economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life. The Volunteer State's best score was the regulatory environment category, which wass ranked as No. 7 in the country. Tennessee's lowest marks came in the quality of life category, at No. 42.

You can check out all of Tennessee's scores here.

Forbes' top five states for business, starting with No. 1, are Utah, North Dakota, North Carolina, Virginia and Colorado. The worst states, starting with No. 50, are Mississippi, Maine, West Virginia, New Mexico and Rhode Island.

Check out Forbes' full report here.

It was not long ago that another report, however, placed Tennessee among the top 10 states for business. In October, Development Counsellors International's "Winning Strategies in Economic Development Marketing" survey named Tennessee the sixth-best state for business.

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