Here is a list of accolades and rankings that have been given to Georgia, her cities and counties along with education, companies and tourism since 2008.
State
Cities & Counties
Companies
Education
Airports
Sea Ports
Tourism
STATE
State for doing business
No. 2: Georgia (ranked by site selection consultants)
Source: Area Development Magazine
State for labor climate
No. 1: Georgia (ranked by site selection consultants)
Source: Area Development Magazine
State for infrastructure (and tied for No. 4 for economic recovery)
No. 2: Georgia (ranked by site selection consultants)
Source: Area Development Magazine
State for labor availability and workforce development programs
No. 1: Georgia (ranked by site selection consultants)
Source: Area Development Magazine
Busiest containerized exports port (by tonnage) in the U.S., second only to Los Angeles
No. 2: Georgia
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
Entrepreneurial Activity
No. 1: Georgia
Source: Kauffman Foundation, 2010
America's Best Roads
No. 1: Georgia
Source: U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), April 2010 (PDF)
Overall Top State for Business 2011
No. 4 of America's Top States for Business 2011
Source: CNBC , June, 2011
Fortune 500 List with Most Companies in a State
Tied No. 4 with 14 companies
Source: Fortune 500 (2010 list of Georgia companies)
Area Development: Site Selection Consultants Survey
Overall No. 5 : Georgia (Full report)
Source: Area Development
2011 Cost of Living
No. 9 of US Chamber Top Enterprising States 2011
Source: US Chamber, June, 2011
2011 Entreprenuerial Activity
No. 1 of US Chamber Top Enterprising States 2011
Source: US Chamber, June, 2011
2011 High-Tech Share of All Business
No. 8 of US Chamber Top Enterprising States 2011
Source: US Chamber, June, 2011
2011 Business Birth Rate
No. 8 of US Chamber Top Enterprising States 2011
Source: US Chamber, June, 2011
Workforce
No. 4 of America's Top States for Business 2011
Source: CNBC , June, 2011
Infrastucture & Transportation
No. 2 of America's Top States for Business 2011
Source: CNBC , June, 2011
No. 7: Georgia
Source: Chief Executive Magazine, 2010
Best Economic Outlook in the U.S.
No. 9: Georgia
Source: American Legislative Exhcnage Council, June 2010
America's Top States for Business '09
No. 10: Georgia
Source: CNBC
Most Popular State to Live
No. 14: Georgia
Source: Harris Poll, October 2009
Innovator Award for Bioenergy
Centers of Innovation for Agribusiness and Energy
Source: Southern Growth Policies Board, June 2009
Best State for Alternative Energy From Biomass
No. 3: Georgia
Source: Forbes Magazine, July 2008
Best Managed State in the Southeast – overall Grade B+
Individually:
Money B+
People A-
Infrastructure B
Information B+
Source: Pew Center in the States and Governing Magazine
Workforce Training
No. 1: Georgia
Source: Expansion Magazine, 2008
Labor/Workforce Development
No. 1: Georgia's Quick Start program
Source: Area Development Expansion Magazine, 2010
Fiscal Policies
No. 1: Georgia
Source: Laffer Report, 2008
Business Climate
No. 5: Georgia
Source: Site Selection Magazine, 2011
Economic Dynamism for Innovative, Fast-Growing Firms
No. 4: Georgia
• Georgia moves up 13 places in one year
Source: State New Economy Index, 2008
Best State for Business
No. 5: Georgia
Source: Chief Executive Magazine , 2011
Most Pro-Business State
No. 7: Georgia
Source: Pollina Corp. Real Estate, 2008
cities & counties
ACWORTH
All-American City (one of 10 winners)
Source: National Civic League, June 2010
ATHENS
Best Small Places for Business and Careers
No. 13: Athens
Source: Forbes.com, 2008
ATLANTA
Cities with Most Fortune 500 Companies
No. 3 with 14 companies
Source: Forbes Magazine, 2011
Social Media Savvy Cities
No. 12: Atlanta
Source: Huffington Post, July2011
Best cities for new college grads
No. 4: Atlanta
Source: Bloomberg Businessweek, July, 2010
Top Twitter-Usage Cities Worldwide
No. 5: Atlanta
Source: Twitter Grader , April 2010
Best City for Recent College Graduates
No. 1: Atlanta (Based on housing, job prospects, culture and lifestyle.)
Sources: CareerRookie.com and Apartments.com, May 2010
Least Expensive City to Live In
(U.S. Cities with population of more than 2 million)
No.2: Atlanta
Source: KPMG's Competitive Alternative Study, March 2010
America's Most Wired Cities
No. 2: Atlanta
Source: Forbes Magazine , 2010
Best City for Young Professionals
No.9: Atlanta
Source: Forbes.com, June 2010
No. 2: Atlanta
Source: Forbes Magazine, 2009
Best Cities to Be a Movie Maker
No. 2: Atlanta
Source: MovieMaker, March 2009
Best Start-Up City
No. 7: Atlanta
• "...Atlanta (is) prime real estate for entrepreneurs with franchise dreams."
Source: Entrepreneur Magazine, 2009
Largest Cities in the U.S.
N0. 9: Atlanta (5,475,213, up from No. 11 in 2000))
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Top City for College Grads
No. 10: Atlanta
Source: Grandspot.com's Giude to Life After College, April 2010
Best for Quality of Life
No. 11: Atlanta (out of 67 metropolitan markets)
Source: Portfolio.com/Atlanta Business Chronicle
Most Fit City in the Southeast
No. 15: Atlanta (nationally)
Source: American College of Sports Medicine's American Fitness Independent Index
Top 25 Tech Centers in America
No. 23: Atlanta
Source: Bizjournals, 2009
Best Places for Business & Careers
No. 24: Atlanta
Source: 11th annual ranking by Forbes Magaziine, 2009
America's Most Wired City
No. 2: Atlanta
Source: Forbes.com, 2009
No. 1: Atlanta
Source: Forbes.com, 2008
Most Inexpensive U.S. City to Do Business
No. 1: Atlanta
Source: KMPG auditing and consulting firm study , 2008
Best City for Jobs
No. 4: Atlanta
Source: Forbes.com, 2008
Best Places for Business and Careers
No. 6: Atlanta
Source: Forbes.com, 2008
Top Destinations
No. 9: Atlanta
Georgia saw a 36% increase in people coming to the state vs. leaving
Source: RElocation.com. 2008
America's 10 Fastest Growing Counties
No. 8: Forsyth Co.
No. 9: Paulding Co
No.10: Jackson Co.
Georgia has 18 of the fastest growing counties in the U.S.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2008
AUGUSTA
Strongest-Performing Metro Areas in the U.S.
No. 2 Augusta
Source: Brookings Institution's MetroMonitor, June 2010
Most Resilient Metro Economy in the U.S.
No. 7: Augusta
Source: Brookings Institution's MetroMonitor, June 2010
Best City in the U.S. for First-Time Home Buyers
No. 1: Augusta
Source: CNBC.com, September 2010
FORSYTH COUNTY
Fastest Growing Counties in the U.S.
No. 6: Forsyth County
Source: CNNMoney.com, June 2010
PAULDING COUNTY
Fastest Growing Counties in the U.S.
No. 8: Paulding County
Source: CNNMoney.com, June 2010
2009
Best Bang For the Buck Cities
No. 5: Augusta
Source: Forbes, 2009
Strongest Building Markets for Housing
No. 6: Augusta
Source: Business Week, 2009
America’s 25 Next Recovering Job Markets
No. 11: Augusta
Source: Business Week, 2009
30 Strongest Housing Markets in the United States
No. 21: Augusta
Source: Business Week, 2009
Fastest Recovering Cities in America
No. 22: Augusta
Source: Forbes, 2009
Forty Strongest Metro Economies
No. 23: Augusta
Source: Business Week, 2009
Top 20 Strongest-Performing Metro Areas
Augusta
Source: Metro Monitor, 4th Quarter/2009
100 Cities Where Americans Are Getting Richer
No. 44: Augusta
Source: Forbes, 2009
Top 100 High Schools in the Nation
No. 100: Augusta's Davidson Fine Arts Academy
Source: US News & World Report, 2009
2008
Best Middle-Class Housing Markets in the USA
No. 7: Augusta
Source: Forbes, 2008
BUFORD
Best Place to Live and Launch a Business
No. 3
Source: Fortune Small Business for CNNMoney.com, 2008
COLUMBUS
Top 100 Places to Live
Source: RelocateAmerica.com, April, 2010
DAHLONEGA
Top Retirement Town
Source: Retirement Magazine, Nov./Dec. 2009
DULUTH
Best Affordable Suburbs in America
No. 1 in Georgia
Source: Bloomberg's BusinessWeek Magazine
JOHNS CREEK
Wealthiest City in Georgia
No. 1: Johns Creek (95th nationally)
• City was incorporated on Decemeber 1, 2006
Source: Bizjournals
PEACHTREE CITY
Top 100 Places to Live
Source: RelocateAmerica.com, April, 2010
SAVANNAH
Best Places for Business & Careers
No. 57: (Up from No. 90 in 2008)
Source: 11th annual ranking by Forbes Magaziine, 2009
One of the America's Prettiest Towns
• "...the loveliest colonial town in the U.S."
Source: ForbesTraveler.com, October, 2009
No. 1 Attraction
The Mansion on Forsyth Park's 700 Kitchen Cooking School
Source: TripAdvisor, 2009
HENRY COUNTY
Counties With Best Job Growth
No. 7: Henry County (2000-2008: 60.5%)
Source: CNN Money, August, 2009
JEKYLL ISLAND
Top Romantic Island Inns
No. 10: Jekyll Island Club Hotel
Source: Coastal Living, February, 2009
VALDOSTA-LOWNDES COUNTY
T op 100 Places to Live
Source: RelocateAmerica.com , April, 2010
No. 3: Metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in its class designation for new and expanding industry. Source: Forbes.com
Source: America by Site Selection Magazine
Source: Relocateamerica.com, April, 2010
WARNER ROBINS
Best Places to Raise Your Kids in the USA
No. 3: Warner Robins
Source: BusinessWeek.com, November, 2009
COMPANIES
2009 Top 100 For-Hire Providers
No. 1 UPS
Source: Transport Topics, May, 2010
2009 Top 50 Logistics Service Providers
No. 1: UPS-Supply Chain Solutions
Source: Transport Topics , May, 2010
2009 Top 100 Private Users
No. 1: Coca-Cola
Source: Transport Topics , May 2010
World's Most Admired Companies
No. 10: The Coca-Cola Company (ranked No. 1 beverage company)
No. 33: United Parcel Service (UPS) (ranked No. 1 air, rail, truck & logistics company)
Source: Fortune Magazine, March 2010
Diversity - Top 40 Best Companies
Aflac Insurance – Columbus
The Coca-Cola Company – Atlanta
United Parcel Service (UPS) – Atlanta
Source: Black Enterprise Magazine (2008)
Education
2011 High School Advanced Placement Intensity
No. 5 of US Chamber Top Enterprising States 2011
Source: US Chamber, June, 2011
2011 Higher -Ed Efficiency
No. 9 of US Chamber Top Enterprising States 2011
Source: US Chamber, June, 2011
2011 Job Placement Efficiency
No. 9 of US Chamber Top Enterprising States 2011
Source: US Chamber, June, 2011
Morehouse School of Medicine - Atlanta
No. 1 for Social Mission
Source: Annals of Internal Medicine, June 2010
Wesleyan College - Macon
No. 3 of 100 Best Value Colleges
Source: Princeton Review, presented by USA Today, 2010
University of Georgia - Athens
No. 7 of 100 Best Value Colleges
Source: Princeton Review, presented by USA Today, 2010
University of Georgia -Athens
No. 6 of 100 Best Values in Public Colleges
Source: Kiplinger's Persional Finance, February, 2010
Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta
No. 15 of 100 Best Values in Public Colleges
Source: Kiplinger's Persional Finance, February, 2010
Emory University - Atlanta
No. 17 nationally among universities.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2010
Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta
No. 5 nationally for Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (where doctorate is highest degree) and No. 35 among national universities.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2010
University of Georgia - Athens
No. 58 among national universities.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2010
Agnes Scott College - Decatur
No. 2 (three-way tie): Up-and-coming Liberal Arts Colleges.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2010
Georgia College and State University - Milledgeville
No. 6: Up-and-coming Masters Universities (South)
No. 11: Top Public Schools: Master's Universities (South)
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2010
Kennesaw State University - Kennesaw
No. 8 Best Colleges: Up-an-coming Masters Universities (South)
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2010
Spelman College - Atlanta
No. 1: Fourth consecutive year Spelman has been ranked No. 1 among historically black colleges and universities.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2010
Morehouse College - Atlanta
No. 3: Third consecutive year, Morehouse is ranked No. 3 among historically black colleges and universities.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2010
Clark Atlanta University (Atlanta) and Forth Valley State University (Forth Valley)
No. 21 (tie): Ranked among Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2010
North Georgia College & State University - Dahlonega
No. 78 of 100 Best Values in Public Colleges
Source: Kiplinger's Persional Finance, February, 2010
Georgia Southern University - Statesboro
No. 90 of 100 Best Values in Public Colleges
Source: Kiplinger's Persional Finance, February, 2010
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) - Atlanta
No. 7 for the third straight year among public universities. Georgia Tech is ranked 35th nationally among both public and private universities.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2009
Emory University - Atlanta
No. 17 among private and public universities.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2009
University of Georgia - Athens
No. 21 among public institutions. Among public and private universities, UGA is ranked No. 58 nationally.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2009
Agness Scott College - Decatur (Metro Atlanta)
No. 2: Up-and-coming Liberal Arts Colleges
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2009
Spelman College - Atlanta
No. 1: For the third straight year Spelman is rated best among all historically black college and universities.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2009
Morehouse College - Atlanta
No. 3: For the second consecutive year, Morehouse is rated third among all historically black colleges and universities.
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2009
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) - Atlanta
• Ranked seventh among the nation's public universities for undergraduates and is a top 10 public university for the 9th consecutive year.
• Georgia Tech has the nation’s largest college of engineering with four programs ranked in the top five:
• No. 1: Industrial Engineering
• No. 2: Aerospace Engineering
• No. 3: Biomedical Engineering
• No. 5: Civil Engineering
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2008
Emory University - Atlanta
No. 17 among 248 national universities
No. 12: Goizueta Business School among undergraduate business programs
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2008
University of Georgia - Athens
No. 20: Among all public universities
Source: U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” guide, 2008
Georgia State University - Atlanta
Top 10: FlexMBA program nationally for more than a decade
Source: U.S. News & World Report's "Best College Guide"
No. 9: J. Mack Robinson College of Business is the 9th largest in the U.S.
Source: Georgia State University (GSU), 2008
Airports
2010 Top Air Cargo Airport Worldwide
No. 1: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Source: Air Cargo Week.com June, 2010
Busiest Airport for Most Enplaned Domestic Passengers
No. 1: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in 2009
Source: Bureau of Transportation (PDF) March, 2010
Busiest Airport for Most Enplaned International Passengers
No. 3: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in 2009
Source: Bureau of Transportation (PDF) March, 2010
2009 Top Air Cargo Airport Worldwide
No. 1: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Source: Air Cargo Week, June 2009
Sea ports
Brunsiwck
Top 10: Auto ports in U.S.
No. 2: Grain facility on U.S. East Coast
Savannah & Brunswick
“Fastest –growing port in the country” (first three quarters of 2007)
Georgia Ports grew 25.5% in the first three quarters of 2007 versus the national average of 4.8%
Source: Port Import Export Reporting Service (PIERS)
Tourism
Top 10 Sexiest Hotels in America
Savannah's The Mansion on Forsyth Park
• "... the Mansion on Forsyth Park in Savannah is seriously sexy."
Source: Forbes Traveler, 2008