Top States For Business 2012

Governor: Nikki Haley (R) 

Population: 4,679,230 

GDP (per capita): $30,620 

Number of S&P companies: 1 

Top corporate tax rate: 5.00 percent 

Top individual tax rate: 7.00 percent 

Gasoline taxes/fees: 16.8 cents 

Bond Rating/Outlook: Aaa/Stable 

SAT scores (average): 1436/2400 

Degree Granting Institutions (colleges/universities): 75 

Sources:  Census Bureau (2011), Standard & Poor's (2012), Tax Foundation (2012), American Petroleum Institute (2012), Bureau Labor Statistics (2011), National Center For Education Statistics (2011), Moody's (2012), CNBC