PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Portland is one of the worst states for business, according to CNBC’s most recent annual American business ranking.

The city ranked as the 11th worst state for business in 2025 based on seven categories that rated each state’s economy, infrastructure, workforce, cost of doing business, business friendliness, quality of life, and technology and innovation.

This year’s rating comes just one year after Oregon ranked as the 28th best state for business — and eight years after it ranked as the 17th best in 2017.

Experts with Oregon Business and Industry say this is the state’s lowest ranking in the history of CNBC’s state business ranking.

Oregon Business and Industry CEO Angela Wilhelms said this year’s ranking is an “echo (of) what businesses have been telling state leaders for years.”

“Oregon’s slipping competitiveness should alarm policymakers,” Wilhelms said. “It’s well past time for them to listen to the business community and take serious action to improve the business climate. After all, a healthy private sector is necessary to create the economic conditions that lead to increased prosperity, greater philanthropy and tax revenue for important government services.”

The state’s ranking took some hits, including in the categories for economy, cost of doing business, and cost of living, quality of life, and technology and innovation. However, the state also improved for infrastructure, workforce, education, and access to capital, and business friendliness. 

Oregon’s worst rating was 47th for business friendliness. The only states that ranked worse were New York, New Jersey, and California. Its best rating was for infrastructure and technology and innovation, which both ranked 14th in the nation.

CNBC’s full ranking for America’s top states for business can be found here.