Maryland
Business Climate Survey

Businesses Indicate Overall Positive View of State’s Business Climate

Businesses were asked to rate Maryland’s overall business climate.

  • Fifty-two percent of businesses rated Maryland’s overall business climate as either pro-business or business friendly

  • Twenty-nine percent rated Maryland’s overall business climate as neutral

  • Seventeen percent rated Maryland’s overall business climate as either unfriendly or anti-business
     

Businesses were asked whether labor market conditions in the state hindered the ability of businesses to meet their goals.

  • Eighteen percent responded that labor market conditions helped their business either a great deal or somewhat

  • Fifty-three percent responded that labor market conditions had no impact on their businesses

  • Twenty-one percent responded that labor market conditions either hurt their businesses somewhat or hurt their business a great deal
     

When analyzing the business climate regionally:

  • Sixty-one percent of firms in the Washington suburbs had a positive view of the business climate

  • Fifty percent of firms in the Baltimore metropolitan area had a positive view of the business climate

  • Thirty-three percent of firms in Baltimore City had a positive view of the business climate while 24 percent had a negative view of the business climate

  • Sixty-one percent of firms in the rest of Maryland had a positive view of the business climate.

 

Perception of Business Climate Remains Positive

In third quarter 2018, the percentage of firms viewing the state as business-friendly rose slightly from 46 percent in second quarter 2018 to 52 percent in third quarter 2018. The percentage of businesses with a negative view of the state’s business climate remained steady at 17 percent between second quarter 2018 and this most recent survey. Current perceptions remain improved from levels in 2011—the last time the survey was conducted. Ninety-seven percent of firms surveyed believed it very likely or likely they would remain in Maryland in the future.

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