Local economic development leaders are celebrating a new report that says Louisiana is one of the best places in the nation to do business.
“Area Development released its 2026 Top States for Doing Business this week. Based on a survey of 50 site consultants, the rankings placed Louisiana as #9 overall in the nation,” Greater New Orleans, Inc. President and CEO Michael Hecht announced.
The state also did well in several categories:
- #2 for energy costs
- #4 for energy availability; grid capacity; and workforce training programs
- #7 for labor cost competitiveness; water and wastewater capacity; regulatory environment; and property tax environment
- #8 for business incentives programs
- #9 for overall speed to market
Hecht notes that after falling out of the top ten in 2024, Louisiana has been back in the upper echelon of the rankings for the past two years.
