Raleigh returns to top of Forbes business climate list

Raleigh is once again the best place in America to do business.

After a year at No. 3 on Forbes magazine's list of Best Places for Business, the Capital City regained its No. 1 spot in the list 13th annual released Wednesday. It topped the list each year from 2007 to 2009.

Durham ranked 31st on the latest list. Charlotte was 22nd, and Asheville was 24th.

"Low business costs (18 percent below the national average) and a smart labor force (42 percent have a college degree) make North Carolina’s capital an attractive spot for employers," the magazine wrote. "Job seekers get it: The net migration rate to Raleigh was the second highest in the U.S. over the past five years."

Raleigh was the lone East Coast city featured in the Forbes list. Des Moines, Iowa, Provo, Utah, Lexington, Ky., and Fort Collins, Colo., finished behind Raleigh. Nashville, Tenn., Austin, Texas, San Antonio, Denver and Dallas rounded out the top 10.