COLUMBUS – Area Development Magazine released its 2019 Top States for Doing Business issue, with Ohio ranking ninth and reaching the top 10 for the first time.

Area Development interviews site selection consultants on eight categories – including Most Improved Economic Development Policies, in which Ohio received the top ranking in the country – to come up with its composite state rankings.

Area Development’s rankings are just the latest in accolades from the business press, reaching the top 10 in five publications’ rankings in the past two months, including Ohio’s jump in the CNBC rankings from 23 in 2011 to 10th today, and from 41st in 2011 to ninth in Chief Executive’s annual CEO survey this year. Ohio also was ninth in Site Selection Magazine and seventh in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings.

“JobsOhio is thrilled to help bring the state further in these rankings and proud of the work our economic development partners do across the state to bring jobs, companies and opportunities to Ohio,” said J.P. Nauseef, president and chief investment officer, JobsOhio. “We are far from finished with our work, however, and will push to improve our state’s economic prospects and continue encouraging companies to locate and expand in Ohio.”

According to Area Development’s category rankings, site selection professionals were impressed by Ohio’s business incentive programs, competitive labor environment, access to capital and funding, workforce development and shovel-ready sites programs. The state was ranked inside the top 10 in each category.

“It’s a compilation of data that’s both useful and thought-provoking,” Area Development wrote about its rankings.