Seven Categories Where Massachusetts

Ranks in the Bottom 10 (Worst) Nationally

Dramatic Decline Since 2019:

Massachusetts Falls Sharply in Economic Competitiveness

Once a national leader, Massachusetts has suffered steep declines in several key competitiveness categories:

• Tax Competitiveness has fallen from 30th–36th nationally to 43rd (bottom 8) in the 2026 Tax Foundation Index, with property taxes now ranked a dismal 48th.
• Cost of Doing Business has plummeted from a strong 14th place in 2019 to 49th (second-worst in the nation) in CNBC’s 2025 rankings.
• Electricity Rates remain among the top 3 highest in the country, but now nearly double the national average, with the gap widening.
• Business Formation and Establishment Growth has collapsed from near the top of the nation to the 9th-lowest in total establishment growth.

“These numbers make it clear that the state is rapidly headed in the wrong direction,” said Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale. “High taxes, soaring energy costs, and burdensome regulations are crushing businesses and families.”

“It is time to bring back two-party government in Massachusetts for the sake of our future,” she concluded.

###.