ACROSS ALABAMA — Alabama ranks No. 21 among the best states in the country for doing business, according to CNBC’s annual comparison of all 50 states.
The state fell from No. 19 last year in the 2026 America’s Top States for Business rankings.
Alabama earned its highest marks for cost of living, ranking No. 3 nationally, followed by infrastructure at No. 10 and workforce at No.14.
The state struggled most in quality of life, where it ranked No. 43. It also placed No. 41 for education and No. 31 for its economy.
Alabama's 2026 Rankings
CNBC scored the states on 138 measurements across 10 categories. Here’s where Alabama ranked by category:
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