the 2025 COMPETITIVENESS BLUEBOOK
DATA FOR A STRONGER DELAWARE. The 2025 Competitiveness Bluebook, published by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, is a free resource presenting a data-driven snapshot of Delaware’s economic health. This inaugural publication compares the state’s performance across over 60 critical metrics, drawing from trusted national and unbiased data sources.
The Competitiveness Bluebook highlights Delaware’s rankings in key areas such as business costs, education, business friendliness, and infrastructure. While Delaware has several strengths, including a highly ranked judiciary, strong investments in research and development, and a thriving tech workforce, the book also highlights challenges such as workforce demographics, housing affordability, and the cost of doing business, which require immediate attention.
By providing a clear, side-by-side comparison of how Delaware measures up against other states, we are hoping that this Bluebook will serve as a call to action to address the challenges that must be resolved to ensure long-term progress for the state. Our blueprint for a thriving Delaware starts here.
The Competitiveness Bluebook highlights Delaware’s rankings in key areas such as business costs, education, business friendliness, and infrastructure. While Delaware has several strengths, including a highly ranked judiciary, strong investments in research and development, and a thriving tech workforce, the book also highlights challenges such as workforce demographics, housing affordability, and the cost of doing business, which require immediate attention.
By providing a clear, side-by-side comparison of how Delaware measures up against other states, we are hoping that this Bluebook will serve as a call to action to address the challenges that must be resolved to ensure long-term progress for the state. Our blueprint for a thriving Delaware starts here.
Please contact Regina Donato at [email protected] to request a free copy.
data snapshots
2024 CNBC Top States for Doing Business
Delaware was ranked 34th, down 16 spots from 18th in 2023, in CNBC's 2024 Top State for Business. To rank America’s Top States for Business, CNBC scored all 50 states on 128 metrics in 10 broad categories of competitiveness. Each category is weighted based on how frequently states use them as a selling point in economic development marketing materials.
Innovation
Delaware stands out for its investments in venture capital and research and development spending. When comparing our tiny state—in geography and population—our spending per capita in these areas places us with giants like California, New York, and Massachusetts who have longtime invested in the startup and innovation economy. Supporting industries like technology, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, and health care will bring more employees with advanced degrees to the state who will, in turn, pay higher income taxes and support the local economy around where they live and work.
Demographics & Workforce
While Delaware benefits from positive in-migration (16th), particularly when compared to neighboring states like Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York, much of that growth is attributed to retirees and our ranking as the 6th oldest state. This demographic shift will have profound implications for the state’s future workforce, education and health care systems, and public investment decisions. Delaware’s declining labor force participation rate—from 62.27% in 2019 to 59.17% in October 2024—is in part due to an aging workforce. It is the lowest rate among neighboring states, including Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. With skilled workers increasingly in shorter supply and the definition of qualified workers expanding, it becomes imperative to continue looking for ways to enhance, attract, and retain our workforce.
Cost of Doing Business & Friendliness
CNBC ranked Delaware 46th—down 20 places from 2023—for business friendliness and 44th for cost of doing business in 2024. Combined with ranking 50th for corporate taxes and 42nd for individual income tax by the Tax Foundation, Delaware must consider strategies around expediting permitting and approval processes, controlling wage and utility costs, supporting emerging industries, and protecting incentives and tax breaks offered to reduce business costs.
Education
More data snapshots coming soon!
UPCOMING EVENTS
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