By Business Facilities Staff
From the July/August 2021 Issue
Our economic development community proved last year that it can fulfill its primary mission—to build a better future—while coping with the most disruptive crisis of our lifetime. The outlines of that future can be found on the pages of Business Facilities’ 17th Annual Rankings Report.
The coronavirus pandemic accelerated trends that are speeding up a diaspora of talent from large urban centers. Millennials are on the verge of making up 75 percent of a suddenly dwindling national workforce; they’re migrating to mid-market metros that offer the affordability and quality of life they demand — and a 24/7 work/live/play environment that aligns with their work/life balance. Places like Boise, in our Fastest-Growing State (by population), Idaho.
State EDOs have risen to the challenge of a massive national shortage of skilled labor by spearheading partnerships between industry leaders and universities to create inclusive tech talent pipelines and fill them with thousands of new grads in data-centric disciplines like computer science and software engineering. You’ll find the leaders in our new Tech Talent Pipeline state ranking.
In 2021, there’s no denying the unfolding calamity of climate change, which has prompted several state legislatures to adopt aggressive goals that aim for the Holy Grail of net-zero emissions by producing 100 percent of electricity from renewables. Our new Renewable Portfolio Standards ranking identifies the locations that expect to get there first.
Our 17th Annual Rankings Report is our most comprehensive rankings compilation to date, with 60 categories containing 600 individual results that highlight the State, Metro and Global leaders who are busy building the foundation for a future of sustainable growth. Without further ado, here they are.