State Ranking & Economic Factors - Massachusetts surges 18 spots in ranking after a previous drop of 23 places [1] - Massachusetts is the second most expensive state to do business in and one of the least business-friendly [2] - The state is among the least dependent on a shrinking federal government, which helps insulate its economy [2] Research Funding & Challenges - Massachusetts is a major recipient of federal research grants, which are under fire by the Trump administration [2] - The state passed $1 billion for life sciences and climate technology research [2] - State funding may not compensate for potential loss of federal research dollars [3]

State Rankings - CNBC's annual rankings place North Carolina as the top state for business for the third time in four years [1] - Significant shifts occurred in state rankings due to concerns about federal budget cuts [2] - Massachusetts surged 18 spots after dropping 23 places the previous year [3] States Performance - New Jersey, Iowa, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Missouri experienced notable drops in the rankings [2] - Colorado, Delaware, and New Hampshire each jumped five points, driven by workforce and economic factors [2] - Nebraska, North Dakota, and Idaho improved by nine positions [3] Economic Factors - Massachusetts faces challenges as the second most expensive state for business and one of the least business-friendly [4] - Massachusetts relies on federal research grants, which are under threat from the Trump administration, but the state is trying to fund its own research, including a billion dollars for life sciences and climate technology [4] - Virginia lost its top ranking, sparking debate about the impact of federal government changes [6] - Virginia is expected to lose jobs this year, even as the country continues to create jobs [8] - Virginia slipped to number 14 in economy, a heavily weighted category [9]