NORTH CAROLINA, U.S. – A new study has ranked North Carolina as the 11 best state for entrepreneurs in 2025, marking a jump two spots compared to last year’s rankings.
American entrepreneurship is booming, with unprecedented growth and generational shifts driving new opportunities. The Treasury Department reports that 430,000 new businesses opened each month in 2024, a 50% increase since 2019. Innovations like remote work, the gig economy, and AI are fueling this transformation, creating entrepreneurial hot spots across the nation.
Simplify LLC released its annual study on the Best & Worst States for Entrepreneurs in 2025 using the most recent data from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Tax Foundation, and the U.S. Senate.
The rankings were determined by analyzing six key categories in all 50 states and D.C.: corporate tax rate, inflation, consumer spending growth, job creation rate, and net migration of educated workers.
Key Findings:
- North Carolina: Rank 11, up 2 from 2024: North Carolina saw a moderate rise, driven by a strong boost in worker mobility (net migration of 53,336 educated adults, ranking 3rd in the U.S. and a jump of 12,094 from the previous year) and steady consumer spending growth (2.8%, up 0.5 points and ranking 22nd). The state also saw an uptick in job creation, reaching a rate of 16.1 (up from 12.1 last year, ranking 21st overall).
- 10 Best States for Entrepreneurs in 2025: Washington, Texas, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Florida, Rhode Island, Colorado, Vermont, Hawaii
- Leading Sectors for New Business:
- Retail: Including e-commerce and brick-and-mortar stores.
- Professional, Scientific and Technical Services: Such as legal and accounting.
- Construction: residential and non-residential.
