It may come as no surprise to the natives, but Raleigh has once again not only made the Forbes Best Places list, but topped the list at number 1 overall for places to do business. The Oak City moved up 2 spots from it’s previous #3 ranking in 2013, down from where we held a three-year run at the top from 2007 – 2009. In fact, we’re the only city along the East Coast to break the top 10.
Rounding out the Top 10 are Des Moines, Provo, Denver, Fort Collins, Lincoln, NE, Oklahoma city, Salt Lake City, Seattle, and Nashville.
Cited in the Forbes report, Raleigh has business costs 18% lower than the national average with a whopping 42% of adults possessing a college degree, 12 points ahead of the average. Perhaps good or bad depending on the way you look at it, Raleigh boasts the sixth fastest net migration rate over the past 5 years. The old timers may not appreciate it, but Raleigh today looks like a different place from where this town was during the turn of the century. Props all around to those that have helped Raleigh not only become the best spot for business in the country but also one of the best spots to raise a family (also #1). There’s a reason we love Raleigh. The data simply validates that conclusion.
