We scored all 50 states on 51 measures of competitiveness developed with input from business groups including the National Association of Manufacturers and the Council on Competitiveness. States received points based on their rankings in each metric. Then, we separated those metrics into ten broad categories, weighting the categories based on how frequently they are cited in state economic development marketing materials. That way, our study ranks the states based on the criteria they use to sell themselves.

• California is Number one for "Access to Capital."  Clearly the cost of living is not an issue to the super rich who run VC (venture capital) firms.  This could change with the punishing tax rate of 12.3% for both capital gains and regular income.  See California Tax Rates Post Proposition 30 for 2012 and 2013
  I think CNBC should include tax rates as a separate ranking item....
  
• Brilliant people doing all sorts of great things from the South Silicon Valley to San Francisco in the North
• Some of the best windsurfing weather and conditions in the World.  I think only Maui in the US has better windsurfing.  I've been to Maui many, many times for windsurfing and surfing, but I get "Island Fever" quickly and always look forward to my return home.
• Great professional sports teams:
  San Francisco Giants and 49ers, San Jose Earthquakes and Sharks, Oakland Raiders and Athletics.
• Great universities with top ranked engineering schools and division one sports teams:
  UC Berkeley and Stanford
  
• Beautiful Napa Valley about one hour and fifteen minutes to the North and the Beautiful Monterey Peninsula about one hour and fifteen minutes away in the other direction.  Yosemite Valley less than four hours to the East and the Pacific Ocean surfing  and fishing at Santa Cruz to Ocean Beach in San Francisco less than an hour away.