(The Center Square) – The national news outlet CNBC ranked 10 Republican-led states as the worst to live in its 2026 America’s Top States for Business rankings.
Officials from Republican-led Texas, which ranked second to worst for quality of life in CNBC's report, scoffed at the rankings.
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmx? :ED 3FD:?6DD C2?<:?8 :E 2=D@ :?4=F565 2 ?6H BF2=:EJ @7 =:76 42E68@CJ :? H9:49 4C:>6 C2E6D[ 2:C BF2=:EJ[ 962=E942C6 2446DD[ H@C<6C AC@E64E:@?D 2?5 4:G:= C:89ED =2HD H6C6 4@?D:56C65] %9:D :?4=F56D 49:=542C6 4@DED[ E2IA2J6C\7F?565 962=E942C6 2?5 |65:42:5 6IA2?D:@?[ “:?4=FD:G6?6DD @7 DE2E6 =2HD” C6=2E65 E@ 86?56C 2?5 {vq%"[ 2?5 2446DD E@ 23@CE:@?]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“(:E9 >@C6 DE2E6D E@FE:?8 E96:C BF2=:EJ @7 =:76 H96? ECJ:?8 E@ 2EEC24E 3FD:?6DD[ r}qr :D 8:G:?8 ,BF2=:EJ @7 =:76. >@C6 H6:89E :? E96 a_ae p>6C:42’D %@A $E2E6D 7@C qFD:?6DD C2?<:?8D] q2D65 @? E96 52E2[ BF2=:EJ @7 =:76 :? D@>6 DE2E6D 5@6D ?@E >2<6 E96 8C256[” k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]4?34]4@>^a_ae^_f^``^H@CDE\DE2E6D\E@\=:G6\:?\2>6C:42\a_ae]9E>=QmkDEC@?8m:E D2:5k^DEC@?8m]k^2mk^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%6??6DD66 :D =:DE65 2D E96 H@CDE DE2E6 E@ =:G6 7@C BF2=:EJ @7 =:76[ 244@C5:?8 E@ r}qr[ 7@==@H65 3J %6I2D] #@F?5:?8 @FE E96 `_ H@CDE DE2E6D 7@C BF2=:EJ @7 =:76 2C6 x?5:2?2[ C2?<:?8 E9:C5 H@CDE[ 7@==@H65 3J {@F:D:2?2[ v6@C8:2[ &E29[ |:DD@FC:[ p=232>2[ ~<=29@>2 2?5 pC<2?D2D]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%6??6DD66 C2?<D E96 H@CDE 7@C BF2=:EJ @7 =:76 3642FD6 @7 :ED DFAA@CE 7@C E96 ?F4=62C 96E6C@D6IF2= 72>:=J[ r}qr D2JD] k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm#6AF3=:42? v@G] q:== {66 >2<6D “?@ 2A@=@8:6D 7@C 2 C2D9 @7 DE2E6 =2HD E2C86E:?8 E96 {vq%"Z 4@>>F?:EJ[ :?4=F5:?8 2 D@\42==65 ‘32E9C@@> =2H’ C6BF:C:?8 EC2?D86?56C A6@A=6 E@ FD6 E96 724:=:E:6D 56D:8?2E65 7@C E96:C D6I 2E 3:CE9[” r}qr D2JD] “%96 DE2E6 2=D@ 6IA=:4:E=J 32CD =@42=:E:6D 7C@> 25@AE:?8 E96:C @H? 2?E:5:D4C:>:?2E:@? @C5:?2?46D] %@ F?56CD4@C6 E96 A@:?E[ {66 D:8?65 2 C6D@=FE:@? 62C=:6C E9:D J62C 56D:8?2E:?8 yF?6 ‘}F4=62C u2>:=J |@?E9]’” k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%6I2D C2?<D D64@?5 H@CDE 3642FD6 r}qr D2JD %6I2?D 5@?’E 92G6 2446DD E@ 962=E942C6] x? |2J[ #6AF3=:42? v@G] vC68 p33@EE 2??@F?465 Sde >:==:@? :? 7656C2= 8C2?ED E@ CFC2= 9@DA:E2=D] w:D 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 92D 2=D@ 25G2?465 2 C2?86 @7 7C66 962=E942C6 AC@8C2>D E@ DFAA@CE AC68?2?E H@>6? 2?5 72>:=:6D[ %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6 92D C6A@CE65] ~? |@?52J[ 96 2??@F?465 E9C66 $E2E6H:56 !C646AE@CD9:A !C@8C2> 8C2?ED E@E2=:?8 Sd]d >:==:@? E@ AC@76DD:@?2= >65:42= D@4:6E:6D :? %6I2D]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm~9:@ E@AD E96 DE2E6D 2D E96 36DE DE2E6 7@C 3FD:?6DD[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 r}qr C2?<:?8] }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 C2?<D D64@?5[ 7@==@H65 3J ':C8:?:2[ %6I2D[ |:??6D@E2[ |:49:82?[ v6@C8:2[ u=@C:52 2?5 %6??6DD66[ C@F?5:?8 @FE E96 E@A E6?] k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 C2?<:?8 4@>6D 2D %6I2D 4@?E:?F6D E@ =625 E96 &]$] 2D E96 E@A DE2E6 7@C 3FD:?6DD :? >F=E:A=6 C2?<:?8D 7@C EH@ 564256D] k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%6I2D 2=D@ =625D E96 4@F?ECJ :? kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^E6I2D^2CE:4=60_g33adga\c_`b\caea\25hh\_ebd35_36_he]9E>=QmA@AF=2E:@? 8C@HE9k^2m[k^DEC@?8m 64@?@>:4 8C@HE9[ ;@3 8C@HE9[ 2?5 :ED vs! DFCA2DD6D 2== @E96C DE2E6D] k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%6I2D :D 2=D@ =625:?8 2 q@@> q6=E 64@?@>:4 8C@HE9 C64@C5 :? `` D@FE96C? DE2E6D[ %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^E6I2D^2CE:4=60egf4e47c\cf7_\c7`2\ge4d\_ed_7`46b3g5]9E>=QmC6A@CE65k^2mk^DEC@?8m] &]$] r6?DFD 52E2 2=D@ C68F=2C=J C6A@CED E92E D@FE96C? DE2E6D 2C6 =625:?8 E96 4@F?ECJ :? A@AF=2E:@? 8C@HE9] q=F6 DE2E6D 2C6 4@?D:DE6?E=J =@D:?8 A@AF=2E:@?]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmqFD:?6DD6D 2C6 2=D@ C6=@42E:?8 2?5 C65@>:4:=:?8 E@ %6I2D[ =62G:?8 3=F6 DE2E6D =:<6 s6=2H2C6[ C676CC65 E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^E6I2D^2CE:4=60g246ag3c\d7`3\cee7\227h\h736ab`32625]9E>=Qm2D kDEC@?8mst)x%k^DEC@?8mk^2m] %9:D J62C[ %6I2D C2?<65 7:CDE 7@C 92G:?8 E96 >@DE u@CEF?6 d__ 4@>A2?J 9625BF2CE6CD :? E96 &]$] k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm(96? %6I2D 282:? C2?<65 7:CDE 2D E96 36DE DE2E6 7@C 3FD:?6DD =2DE 72==[ $:E6 $6=64E:@? >282K:?6 kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^E6I2D^2CE:4=60`eahc546\cg_7\cach\3_fh\3ebhdd5e3f5a]9E>=QmD2:5k^2mk^DEC@?8m :E H2D 3642FD6 “7C@> E96 8@G6C?@C’D @77:46 :? pFDE:? E@ 64@?@>:4 56G6=@A>6?E @77:46D :? 4@>>F?:E:6D =2C86 2?5 D>2== 24C@DD E96 {@?6 $E2C $E2E6[ E9@D6 492C865 H:E9 >2C<6E:?8 %6I2D <?@H E96J 92G6 2? 62DJ D6== – ?@ 4@CA@C2E6 E2I[ D6?D:3=6 3FD:?6DD C68F=2E:@?D[ 3FD:?6DD\565:42E65 4@FCED[ F?362E23=6 =@8:DE:4D :?7C2DECF4EFC6 2?5 2 9F86 =23@C 7@C46[ 2>@?8 @E96C 724E@CD] %96:C 492==6?86 :D E@ <66A :E E92E H2J]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%6I2D :D 2=D@ 4@?D64FE:G6=J C2?<65 E96 E@A DE2E6 7@C 3FD:?6DD[ ;@3 4C62E:@? 2?5 42A:E2= :?G6DE>6?E 7@C >@C6 E92? 2 564256 3J pC62 s6G6=@A>6?E >282K:?6] %6I2D C646:G65 E96 E@A C2?<:?8 282:? =2DE J62C 3642FD6 @7 “2? 2DE@?:D9:?8 S`_]e 3:==:@? :? E@E2= 42A:E2= :?G6DE>6?E 24C@DD 2 5@K6? 9:89\:>A24E AC@;64ED[” E96 >282K:?6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^E6I2D^2CE:4=60`3h`_af4\bgf6\c7g2\hgea\5a65646ff_7h]9E>=QmkDEC@?8mD2:5k^DEC@?8m]k^2m k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm$:?46 a_`d[ 6G6CJ J62C E92E p33@EE’D 366? 8@G6C?@C[ %6I2D 92D C2?<65 7:CDE 2D E96 36DE DE2E6 7@C 64@?@>:4 56G6=@A>6?E[ 2D H6== 2D E96 36DE DE2E6 7@C 3FD:?6DD a_ J62CD :? 2 C@H[ :?4=F5:?8 2 76H J62CD AC6465:?8 p33@EE[ %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6kDEC@?8m k^DEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^E6I2D^2CE:4=603e_7f`6e\f7b_\``67\h_63\535a3`g7f2e6]9E>=QmkDEC@?8mC6A@CE65k^DEC@?8m]k^2m k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmp33@EE’D AC6DD D64C6E2CJ[ p?5C6H |292=6C:D[ E@=5 %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6 r}qr’D C2?<:?8 “:D 7=2H65 2?5 5@6D?’E C67=64E C62=:EJ]” %6I2D’ “=@H E2I6D[ DEC@?8 64@?@>J[ 23F?52?E 6?6C8J[ 2?5 4@>>:E>6?E E@ 7C665@> 56=:G6C E96 BF2=:EJ @7 =:76 2?5 @AA@CEF?:EJ E92E >:==:@?D @7 p>6C:42?D 49@@D6 6G6CJ J62C] %96 v@G6C?@C H:== 4@?E:?F6 H@C<:?8 E@ <66A %6I2D E96 36DE A=246 E@ =:G6[ H@C<[ 2?5 C2:D6 2 72>:=J]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm&]$] #6A] {2?46 v@@56?[ 2 #6AF3=:42? 7C@> }@CE9 %6I2D[ 2=D@ H6:8965 :?[ kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^I]4@>^{2?468@@56?^DE2EFD^a_fef_b`ac`hhacg``fQmD2J:?8k^2mk^DEC@?8m[ “x7 J@F 92E6 ?@E A2J:?8 :?4@>6 E2I6D[ =2H 2?5 @C56C[ A2C6?E2= C:89ED[ D>2==6C 8@G6C?>6?E[ D49@@= 49@:46[ E96 $64@?5 p>6?5>6?E[ 2?5 4C:>:?2= :==682= 2=:6?D 36:?8 2CC6DE65]]] w6C6VD 2?@E96C 82C3286 =:DE 7C@> E96 >2:?DEC62> >65:2P”k^Am
