Survey: S.C. a top 10 state for site selectors

South Carolina has been named among the top 10 states for key site selection criteria, according to Area Development magazine’s recent survey of site consultants.

The magazine ranked the state No. 3 overall, meeting key location requirements.

Area Development surveyed a select group of national site consultants, which are hired by corporations to scout and analyze locations that meet a company’s investment requirements, to name their “top picks” in each of the following categories:

* Lowest business costs
* Most business friendly state
* Corporate tax environment
* Overall labor climate
* Work force development programs
* Fast-track permitting
* Rail and highway accessibility
* Shovel-ready sites.

This was the first survey the magazine conducted to obtain state rankings.

South Carolina was ranked No. 1 for lowest business costs; No. 3 in the most business friendly, corporate tax environment, overall labor climate, work force development and fast-track permitting categories; and No. 5 for shovel-ready sites.

South Carolina was one of two states in the survey to meet seven of the eight criteria; Tennessee, which was the overall No. 1, was the other. None of the states in the survey met all eight criteria.