By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance
As business leaders warn of an eroding atmosphere, Colorado has plummeted to its lowest spot in the 20-year history of CNBC’s Top States for Business rankings, placing the one-time national model now firmly in the middle of the pack among states.
The financial-news network, whose rankings are widely cited by business and economic-development leaders, dropped Colorado this year from No. 11 to No. 25 on its list and noted that it’s now the second-most expensive state for living, behind only California. Though it improved its rankings in technology and innovation versus 2025, the Centennial State fell or remained even in every other category, now ranking in the bottom half of states in areas like business friendliness and infrastructure.
The rankings descent — Colorado placed in the top 10 from 2007-22, reaching as high as third three times — comes as business leaders have warned legislators repeatedly that rising costs and new regulations are making the state less competitive for attracting jobs. A study commissioned by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce found the state is the sixth-most-regulated, due in no small part to laws passed over the last eight years, and another study identified more than 13,000 jobs that employers chose to move or to open in other states since 2019.
“For many decades, the state was proud to rank in the top 10 states in the country to do business, but we have steadily declined in more recent years,” said Rachel Beck, executive director of the Colorado Chamber Foundation. “When businesses thrive, Coloradans have good jobs, a high quality of life, and funding for community priorities. We must work together to take decisive action to address the factors harming our business climate and standing in the way of these shared goals.”
READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE SUM & SUBSTANCE