By putting partisanship aside, North Carolina ranks No. 1 in America’s Top States for Business, with the nation’s strongest economy

Powered by an economy that has hit its stride, and turbocharged by a long track record of innovation, North Carolina is America’s Top State for Business in 2022.

The Tar Heel State has always been a contender in CNBC’s annual competitiveness rankings, rarely finishing outside the top 10 since the study began in 2007. The state finished a close second last year. But 2022 is the first year it has been able to climb to the top.

What made the difference this year? For one thing, state leaders keep managing to put aside their...