(The Center Square) – Texas was recognized as the top state for business, job creation and capital investment for the 12th consecutive year by Area Development magazine.
The magazine recognized southern states as the most business friendly in the country, this year led by North Carolina and Texas, The Center Square reported.
Area Development’s latest Shovel Awards (platinum, gold, silver and green), recognize the top states for business investment, expansion, economic growth and job creation.
In the 20 years since Area Development launched the award recognition, it’s “seen seismic shifts in where and how America grows. From the rise of the electric vehicle industry to the return of semiconductor manufacturing on U.S. soil, the momentum has never let up,” it said. Over the past two decades, the states that won Shovel Awards were recognized for “securing investments, creating jobs, and laying the groundwork for sustainable, long-term economic success,” it said when announcing its 2025 winners.
States were recognized for “their ability to attract high-impact economic development projects” based on data analyzed from state economic development agencies; top projects were identified “based on job creation, capital investment, diversity of industry, and each state’s overall economic strategy.”
Texas received a Golden Shovel Award for the 12th year in a row, winning in the largest population category. Its win was “anchored this year by an astonishing $10.6 billion in total capital investment across a dozen high-impact projects,” Area Development said.
“Texas again wins gold for attracting job-creating business investments thanks to having the best business climate and fastest-growing skilled workforce in America,” Gov. Greg Abbott said. “Innovative industry leaders invest with certainty in Texas because Texas moves at the speed of business.”
The magazine highlighted 12 high-value projects estimated to create more than 11,000 jobs in Texas.
Two projects were identified as “Manufacturing Projects of the Year:” Delta Electronics Inc., investing $452 million in Plano “to strengthen Texas’s role in power electronics and grid support,” creating 1,500 jobs; and QYK Brands, investing $400 million in the Woodlands, creating 1,000 jobs.
Amazon won the “Non-Manufacturing Project of the Year,” for investing $200 million in a project in Cleburne, estimated to create 1,000 jobs.
ECL investing $8 billion to build a new data processing facility in Houston creating 250 jobs is “a transformative project that positions the state as a backbone of the global cloud and AI infrastructure economy.”
Texas is also “seeing notable growth in energy-related technologies, including battery and power management,” the magazine said. It highlights FREYR Battery (now T1 Energy), investing $340 million in a facility in Wilmer, creating 1,300 jobs that will add “crucial momentum to the domestic energy storage sector.”
The life sciences industry is also expanding in Texas. Highlighted projects include QYK Brands’ manufacturing project of the year, and BillionToOne committing $400 million to biotech production and creating an additional 1,000 jobs in Austin.
It also highlights Crystal Window & Door Systems advanced construction project, investing $121 million in Mansfield, creating more than 500 jobs; as well as expansions by Raising Cane’s $48 million investment in Plano, creating 1,020 jobs; VanTran’s $30 million investment in Waco, creating 700 jobs; Flex Ltd.’s $19 million investment in Round Rock, creating 1,200 jobs; Salcomp’s $3 million investment in Arlington creating 660 jobs; Guidehouse creating 1,000 jobs in San Antonio.
The recognition was made as Texas continues to break employment records and again surpassed the national employment growth rate in April. It’s so far added more civilian workers every month for 58 out of the last 60 consecutive months, according to federal labor and Texas Workforce Commission data.
No other state in the country is reporting job growth or breaking employment records every month other than Texas, The Center Square reported.
“Texas is the undisputed champion for attracting job-creating business investments in the United States,” Gov. Abbott said. Texas employers have added more than 2.5 million jobs since he became governor.
