Arkansas Ranked #12 Top State for Doing Business

Arkansas has been named among the top states for doing business by a leading industry publication.

Area Development magazine ranked Arkansas as the #12 state in its 2024 “Top States for Doing Business” list. This is a significant increase from the previous year; Arkansas increased six slots, rising from 18 in 2023 to 12 in 2024.

“Arkansas is on a hot streak. There are companies expanding and moving to our state, jobs are being created, and entrepreneurs are launching new ventures. It’s an exciting time to be doing business in Arkansas,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “We’re excited to see our growth reflected in the ‘Top States for Doing Business’ list, and we’re working to ensure that we continue growing and becoming more competitive to win more than our fair share of economic development projects.”

Arkansas also ranked highly in individual categories. The state was ranked #8 for “Overall Cost of Doing Business,” “Business Incentives Programs,” and “Favorable Regulatory Environment.” In the Natural State, companies will find low cost structures and common-sense regulation that enables companies to thrive.

Area Development’s “Top States for Doing Business” list is determined by surveying expert consultants on 14 key areas related to business. These 14 areas include overall cost of business, to tax incentives, availability of energy and water, climate resilience, workforce and site readiness.