Both the city of Winston-Salem and the state of North Carolina received high marks in new studies ranking the best places to live and top areas for business. 

U.S. News Highlights Winston-Salem among “Best Places to Live”

Winston-Salem scored well in the latest “U.S. News & World Report’s Best Places to Live in the U.S.” annual study based on quality of life and the job market in 150 metro areas. Winston-Salem ranked 56th in “Best Places to Live” and 57th in “Best Places to Retire.”

The study described the city “on an upward trajectory that still maintains its Southern roots. Although the city is traditionally Southern in its friendliness, it has an international feel.” Also noted was slow and steady growth that “has preserved the region’s small-town feel while allowing for improvements, such as repurposing old textile and tobacco factories into loft apartments. Due to heavy interest in residential and corporate development, the region has become a fertile land for entrepreneurs and small businesses.”

Another appealing feature of Winston-Salem noted in the report was as a place that delivers a lot of bang for the buck, with cost of living below the national average. This should be particularly appealing to retirees and contributed to the city’s ranking in the “Best Places to Retire” category.

CNBC Ranks North Carolina Country’s Top State for Business

Powered by an economy that has hit its stride and turbocharged by a long track record of innovation, North Carolina is “America’s Top State for Business” in 2022, according to CNBC’s annual state competitiveness rankings. While the state has consistently appeared within the top ten since 2007, this is the first time North Carolina has gained the top position.

According to the study, one key reason for North Carolina’s top rating is the demonstrated willingness for state leaders to put aside partisan differences to boost the economy, and create a positive climate that is attractive to business development and success. Among notable recent victories, Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast signed a deal to build a $2 billion factory in the state, while Apple announced it would build its first East Coast hub in the state’s Research Triangle region.

“I’ve had both Republican and Democratic leaders of both the House and the Senate on each side of me as we make a presentation to the company that this is where you need to be, you’re gonna get predictability, reliability, consistency,” said Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat. “Businesses look for that and they also look at what happens after the deal is done. Does state government, local government continue to work with them and try to help them succeed. Some of our best recruiters are CEOs who are already here.”

The CNBC study also noted the state’s credit rating is pristine, and its fiscal balance is sound. Economic growth, at 6.7% last year, and job growth at 3.6% were among the strongest in the nation, according to government statistics. Access to capital and the proven ability to attract venture capital also contribute to the state’s viability. And North Carolina also scored well in its workforce base, which has become a key factor for companies.

“Talking to CEO after CEO, workforce is the driving force for them right now,” Cooper told CNBC. “They see North Carolina as place where they can rely on our community colleges, our greatest array of public and private universities in the country to make sure they have the workforce they need.”