Wake County and North Carolina have received high marks in the 2025 Metro Rankings released by Business Facilities. The annual report, now in its 21st year, evaluates over 25 categories that are important for companies considering relocation or expansion across North America.
According to this year’s rankings, Raleigh/Cary was named the top metro area for Best Business Climate (Large). The region also placed second for Broadband Speed and Apex was ranked second for Quality of Life among small metros. Cary earned fourth place in Quality of Life for midsized metros.
Other notable placements include Raleigh/Durham ranking ninth for Tech Talent among labor pools between 50,000 and 100,000 people, fifth as a Life Sciences Hub, sixth in Agritech, and ninth in MedTech/Medical Devices.
At the state level, North Carolina ranked third for both Best Business Climate and Corporate Tax Climate. It also secured fourth place among Life Science Leaders and in Solar Power (Installed MW), fifth in Food Processing, and sixth in GDP Growth as well as Fastest Growing Population. Additional rankings include sixth place for Nuclear Power Generation; seventh for Customized Workforce Training, Manufacturing Jobs, and AI Growth Hub; eighth for Tech Talent Pipeline, Aerospace Manufacturing, and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Projects; ninth for FDI Competitiveness and Agribusiness; and tenth place for Cybersecurity Talent.
The full list of rankings can be viewed at https://businessfacilities.com/2025-metro-rankings-report/.
