High-Ranking Performance
Big brains • Big ideas • Big leadership • Big industries • Big potential • Big performance. We’ve got them — big time.
Plenty of states can talk a good game. But Minnesota is a solid, steady partner whose performance speaks for itself.
Whether you’re talking economic growth, job growth or business expansions, we are routinely ranked as one of the best, most competitive places in the nation to locate a business.
A Standout Performer
The business world is chock full of indexes that measure performance and potential. You’ll find Minnesota ranks high on many of the most widely recognized and respected indexes.
Minnesota has more Fortune 500 companies per capita than any other state. The state’s dynamic economy has increased the number of Fortune 500 companies from 14 in 2000 to 21 in the 2010 rankings.
Minneapolis SBA office ranks second nationwide in the number of loans approved (2,134) for the fiscal year of 2010, an increase of 10 percent from 2009. Loans totaled $513 million, a growth of 14 percent from the previous year.
Hennepin County in the Twin Cities ranks second nationwide in the number of new plants and expansions (48), according to 2010 rankings by Site Selection.
Minneapolis-St. Paul is America’s third-best city for young professionals, according to 2010 rankings by Forbes. Indicators for these rankings include cost of living, large companies, elite graduates, average income, and unemployment.
Minneapolis-St. Paul is the fourth-best metropolitan area for business, according to 2009 rankings by MarketWatch.
Minnesota is the fourth-most competitive state, based on 2009 rankings by the Beacon Hill Institute. The state ranks particularly high in human resources (second), public safety (third), and technology (fifth).
Minnesota residents rank fifth in labor force participation rates in the nation (71.9 percent), according to 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Twin Cities metropolitan area ranks fifth among financial hubs in the country, according to a 2010 article by the Wall Street Journal Digital Network. The Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area is home to U.S. Bancorp, Ameriprise Financial and the Ninth District of the Federal Reserve System.
Minnesota ranks seventh nationwide in certified organic farms (550), according to a survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Additionally, Minnesota ranks first in the production of organic soybeans and in the top three in acreage of other crops such as corn, oats and barley.
Minnesota is the seventh-most innovative state, according to a 2010 article by Richard Florida and published by the Daily Beast. Minnesota ranks high due to its innovative production of energy that and successful companies like Cargill, the largest private company in the U.S.
Minnesota ranks eighth in the 2010 State Energy Score Card, a measure that identifies best practices by states in energy efficiency. The state received an honorary mention for Portfolio of Sustainable Public Buildings Program.
Minnesota ranks sixth in patents per capita in 2009, surpassing other high-tech states such as New York (15th), Texas (17th), and Illinois (19th), according to the Beacon Hill Institute.
Minnesota ranks in the top 17 states for business, according to 2010 rankings by Forbes. By category, we rank high in quality of life (fourth), and labor supply (eighth).
Compare Minnesota
Select the links below to use our Compare Minnesota data tool to see how we stack-up with other states and how Minneapolis-St. Paul compares with major metropolitan areas in key economic indicators.