Regions

Browse curated regional groups of county economies. Each region page links county profiles, industry rankings, and cost/talent tradeoffs.

DC Region

8 completed county profiles.

Montgomery County

Maryland

72Strong expansion market

Montgomery County is one of the DC region's strongest expansion markets for life sciences, federal research-adjacent firms, healthcare, and professional services. Its appeal comes from a deep educated workforce, proximity to federal agencies and research institutions, and an existing base of companies that understand regulated technical markets.

life sciencesprofessional servicesfinance insurance
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Prince George's County

Maryland

63Selective opportunity market

Prince George's County is a practical expansion market for companies that want DC-region access without the highest cost profile. It offers a large workforce, strong transportation connectivity, and a mix of urban, suburban, and industrial locations that can support logistics, healthcare, construction, public-sector vendors, and back-office operations.

logisticsfederal contractinghealthcare services
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Great Lakes / Midwest

9 completed county profiles.

Cook County

Illinois

60Selective opportunity market

Cook County, Illinois is a Midwest industrial and services expansion market with particular relevance for advanced manufacturing, logistics, healthcare. It offers a moderate-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

advanced manufacturinglogisticshealthcare services
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DuPage County

Illinois

59Selective opportunity market

DuPage County, Illinois is a Midwest industrial and services expansion market with particular relevance for advanced manufacturing, logistics, healthcare. It offers a moderate-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

advanced manufacturinglogisticshealthcare services
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Maryland

14 completed county profiles.

Frederick County

Maryland

51Caution market

Frederick County is one of the most compelling DC-region options for life sciences companies that need more space, lower costs, and a corridor connection to Montgomery County and federal research activity. It combines a specialized industry story with a more flexible site-selection environment.

life sciencesadvanced manufacturingenergy infrastructure
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Howard County

Maryland

57Selective opportunity market

Howard County is a high-quality expansion market for professional services, software, healthcare, education-related services, and companies that need access to both the Baltimore and Washington labor markets. It is not the largest county in the region, but it is unusually well positioned for high-skill suburban operations.

professional servicesfinance insurancesoftware ai
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Mountain West

5 completed county profiles.

Maricopa County

Arizona

63Selective opportunity market

Maricopa County, Arizona is a Mountain West talent and growth expansion market with particular relevance for software & ai, professional services, logistics. It offers a moderate-to-increasing-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

software aiprofessional serviceslogistics
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Pima County

Arizona

64Selective opportunity market

Pima County, Arizona is a Mountain West talent and growth expansion market with particular relevance for software & ai, professional services, logistics. It offers a moderate-to-increasing-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

software aiprofessional serviceslogistics
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North Carolina

4 completed county profiles.

Wake County

North Carolina

77Strong expansion market

Wake County, North Carolina is a high-growth Research Triangle expansion market with particular relevance for software & ai, life sciences, professional services. It offers a increasing-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

software aifinance insurancelife sciences
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Durham County

North Carolina

57Selective opportunity market

Durham County, North Carolina is a innovation and life-sciences hub expansion market with particular relevance for life sciences, software & ai, healthcare. It offers a increasing-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

life sciencessoftware aihealthcare services
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Northeast Corridor

7 completed county profiles.

New York County

New York

56Selective opportunity market

New York County, New York is a Northeast corridor knowledge-economy expansion market with particular relevance for professional services, healthcare, finance. It offers a higher-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

finance insuranceprofessional serviceshealthcare services
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Kings County

New York

66Selective opportunity market

Kings County, New York is a Northeast corridor knowledge-economy expansion market with particular relevance for professional services, healthcare, finance. It offers a higher-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

finance insuranceprofessional serviceshealthcare services
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Pennsylvania / Delaware / New Jersey

7 completed county profiles.

Philadelphia County

Pennsylvania

73Strong expansion market

Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania is a large Northeast metro expansion market with particular relevance for healthcare, life sciences, professional services. It offers a mixed-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

healthcare serviceseducation researchlife sciences
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Delaware County

Pennsylvania

55Selective opportunity market

Delaware County, Pennsylvania is a Philadelphia-adjacent suburban expansion market with particular relevance for healthcare, logistics, professional services. It offers a moderate-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

logisticshealthcare serviceseducation research
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Southeast Growth Markets

9 completed county profiles.

Fulton County

Georgia

62Selective opportunity market

Fulton County, Georgia is a Sun Belt growth and operations expansion market with particular relevance for logistics, healthcare, professional services. It offers a moderate-to-increasing-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

logisticshealthcare servicesprofessional services
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Gwinnett County

Georgia

65Selective opportunity market

Gwinnett County, Georgia is a Sun Belt growth and operations expansion market with particular relevance for logistics, healthcare, professional services. It offers a moderate-to-increasing-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

logisticshealthcare servicesprofessional services
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Texas Triangle

6 completed county profiles.

Harris County

Texas

74Strong expansion market

Harris County, Texas is a large Texas growth corridor expansion market with particular relevance for energy & infrastructure, logistics, software & ai. It offers a moderate-to-increasing-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

energy infrastructurelogisticssoftware ai
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Dallas County

Texas

73Strong expansion market

Dallas County, Texas is a large Texas growth corridor expansion market with particular relevance for energy & infrastructure, logistics, software & ai. It offers a moderate-to-increasing-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

energy infrastructurelogisticssoftware ai
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Virginia

13 completed county profiles.

Stafford County

Virginia

45Caution market

Stafford County, Virginia is a growth-corridor Northern Virginia expansion market with particular relevance for federal support, logistics, professional services. It offers a moderate-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

federal contractinglogisticsenergy infrastructure
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Spotsylvania County

Virginia

43Caution market

Spotsylvania County, Virginia is a cost-flexible growth corridor expansion market with particular relevance for logistics, healthcare, construction. It offers a moderate-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

logisticsenergy infrastructureadvanced manufacturing
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West Coast

9 completed county profiles.

Los Angeles County

California

80Strong expansion market

Los Angeles County, California is a West Coast innovation and trade expansion market with particular relevance for software & ai, life sciences, logistics. It offers a higher-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

software aiprofessional serviceslife sciences
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San Diego County

California

80Strong expansion market

San Diego County, California is a West Coast innovation and trade expansion market with particular relevance for software & ai, life sciences, logistics. It offers a higher-cost operating profile relative to larger coastal metros, while still giving companies access to labor, customers, institutions, and transportation corridors that matter for growth. The county is best understood as a screening candidate: its headline score points to opportunity, but the right decision depends on the company's industry, facility needs, hiring plan, customer geography, and tolerance for cost and execution complexity.

software aiprofessional serviceslife sciences
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