Yesterday, Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp delivered the keynote address at the second annual Governor’s Workforce Summit, during which he announced that Georgia has been named the No. 1 state for business for the 11th consecutive year by Area Development magazine. He also provided an update on the state of Georgia MATCH and other state efforts to strengthen workforce development while putting forth the goal of making Georgia the Top State for Talent.

“We are honored to accept the title of ‘Top State for Business’ for an unprecedented 11th year,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “This latest recognition underscores that our pro-business approach to economic development is creating opportunities for Georgians in every corner of the state. I want to thank all those who had a hand in securing this coveted ranking, including our state economic development team and their community partners across the state. To ensure we maintain this historic success, we’re continuing our efforts through Georgia MATCH, which has already seen a notable increase in enrollment at both our USG and TCSG institutions, and we saw at today’s summit that leaders from across the public and private sector remain engaged in solving our need for more workers.”

No other state has earned the distinction of Top State for Business for so many years. Area Development’s annual poll of approximately 50 leading site consulting firms from across the U.S. considers 14 different factors to make this coveted determination. In addition to overall Top State, Georgia also earned a No. 1 ranking for the 15th year in a row for its nationally recognized workforce development program, Georgia Quick Start.

This recognition follows Governor Kemp’s announcement that the state sustained another year of economic development momentum in fiscal year 2024. Between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, GDEcD’s Global Commerce team supported 429 facility expansions and new locations totaling more than $20.3 billion in investment, resulting in plans for 26,900 new jobs statewide.