NC Remains Among Top 5 States for Attracting New and Growing Corporate Facilities

North Carolina remains among the top-five finishers in Site Selection magazine’s annual ranking of states attracting the most new and expanded corporate facilities.

North Carolina had 274 qualifying projects announced in 2017, according to the magazine’s latest Governor’s Cup ranking. At No. 5, North Carolina trailed only Texas, Ohio, Illinois and Georgia. For the three prior consecutive years, North Carolina ranked No. 4 nationally in the Governor’s Cup. Per capita, the state was ranked No. 7 nationally in 2017.

Among the eight South Atlantic states, North Carolina is ranked second for the number of new and expanded corporate projects. The region includes Georgia, South Carolina, Florida and Virginia, which are aggressive competitors for new and expanded corporate facilities.

Site Selection defines a qualified project as one that meets one or more of the following criteria: involves at least $1 million in investment, creates at least 20 new jobs, or adds at least 20,000 square feet of new space. The facilities tracked do not include retail projects, schools, hospitals or government projects. The focus is on new corporate facility projects, including headquarters, manufacturing plants, R&D operations and logistics sites.

The survey also looks at project activity within metropolitan areas. In 2017, Greensboro-High Point moved up to No. 2 in the number of new and expanded corporate projects within metros of 200,000 to 1 million residents. The region had 41 qualifying projects. In 2016, the region ranked No. 6 in that category.