Welcome 2026

Welcome to the best state in the country

There’s a reason why North Carolina is back on top of CNBC’s rankings of the best states to do business – the third year out of the past four it’s earned the top spot.

Let’s let some of the executives who decided to expand their operations in the state — or move to the Old North State — explain why:

“Some states make it easier to do business,” JetZero CEO Tom O’Leary said in an interview, shortly after it decided to put its headquarters near the Piedmont Triad International Airport and commit to adding 14,500 jobs there in the next decade. “It’s tax policy, it’s incentives, and you need to have the assurance that you’re not going to get hung up. We have our mind on doing great things for the community and for the environment, and we feel this is the right place.”

“We have been impressed by how welcoming Robbinsville, Graham County and North Carolina have been to our company and this important project,” said Ping Zhang, chairman of Eco King Solutions, after announcing plans to add more than 500 jobs at its new plant. “We worked very hard to find the right location for our business to thrive. We know we found it right here due to the excellent workforce, quality of life and friendly business climate.”

“This expansion is a major strategic milestone for us,” said Ali Sisman, CEO of Pelsan Tekstil, a Turkish company building a plant in Wayne County that will have more than 200 workers. “Our decision to invest in North Carolina underscores our belief in the region’s strong workforce, robust infrastructure, and its alignment with our values of innovation and collaboration.”

“Pratt & Whitney’s continued investment in Asheville is critical to meet the growing demand for our products, such as the GTF for the A320 family and the F135 for the F-35 Lightning II,” said Asheville General Manager for Pratt & Whitney Dan Field. The company is spending $285 million and adding 325 jobs in the state.

They’re not alone. In the first six months of 2025, there’s been announced business expansions or new projects that will yield nearly $17 billion of new capital investment and create more than 20,000 new jobs.

In this year’s guide, you’ll read stories about some of these companies and why they chose to do business in North Carolina.

— Chris Roush, project editor