Statistical Comparison

(1)

Business Climate

IA

9

State Competitiveness Ranking (Ranking 1-50 1=Best)

State Competitiveness Ranking

MN

5 State Competitiveness Ranking

NE

6 State Competitiveness Ranking

MO

30 State Competitiveness Ranking

IL

34 State Competitiveness Ranking

Beacon Hill Institute, 2010

IA

1

Cost of Doing Business Ranking (1 = lowest)

Cost of Doing Business Ranking

(1=lowest)

MO

5 Cost of Doing Business Ranking

(1=lowest)

NE

18 Cost of Doing Business Ranking

(1=lowest)

MN

31 Cost of Doing Business Ranking

(1=lowest)

IL

35 Cost of Doing Business Ranking

(1=lowest)

America's Top State for Business-CNBC 2010

Workforce

IA

6.1

Unemployment Rate for States - November 2010(Not Seasonally Adjusted)

Unemployment Rates for States

NE

4.0 Unemployment Rates for States

MN

6.6 Unemployment Rates for States

IL

9.2 Unemployment Rates for States

MO

9.3 Unemployment Rates for States

Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics - November 2010

Operating Costs

IA

5.22

Average Electric Prices - Industrial - October 2010 (in cents per kWh) (US Average 6.85)

Avg. Electric price - Industrial

(in cents)

MO

5.34 Avg. Electric price - Industrial

(in cents)

NE

5.80 Avg. Electric price - Industrial

(in cents)

MN

6.16 Avg. Electric price - Industrial

(in cents)

IL

7.22 Avg. Electric price - Industrial

(in cents)

Energy Information Administration/Electric Power Monthly - October 2010

IA

7.60

Average Electric Prices - Commercial - October 2010 (in cents per kWh)(US Average 10.23)

Avg. Electric Price -Commercial

(in cents)

MO

7.16 Avg. Electric Price -Commercial

(in cents)

NE

7.62 Avg. Electric Price -Commercial

(in cents)

IL

7.90 Avg. Electric Price -Commercial

(in cents)

MN

8.14 Avg. Electric Price -Commercial

(in cents)

Energy Information Administration/Electric Power Monthly - October 2010

IA

$6.23

Average Gas Price-Industrial - 2009 ($ per 1000 cubic feet) (US Average 5.33)

Avg. Gas Price - Industrial (in

dollars)

MN

$5.66

Avg. Gas Price - Industrial (in

dollars)

NE

$6.02

Avg. Gas Price - Industrial (in

dollars)

IL

$7.31

Avg. Gas Price - Industrial (in

dollars)

MO

$9.55

Avg. Gas Price - Industrial (in

dollars)

Energy Information Administration, Natural Gas Annual 2010

IA

$7.88

Average Gas Price - Commercial - 2009($ per 1000 Cubic feet)(US Average 10.06)

Avg. Gas Price - Commercial (in

dollars)

NE

$7.44

Avg. Gas Price - Commercial (in

dollars)

MN

$7.96

Avg. Gas Price - Commercial (in

dollars)

IL

$8.65

Avg. Gas Price - Commercial (in

dollars)

MO

$10.80

Avg. Gas Price - Commercial (in

dollars)

(2)

Education

IA

22.2

ACT Average Composites (US Average 21.0)

ACT Scores

IL

20.7 ACT Scores

MO

21.6 ACT Scores

NE

22.1 ACT Scores

MN

22.9 ACT Scores

The American College Testing Program, 2010

IA

1813

SAT Total Scores (Mean Reading, Math, and Writing Combined)(US Average 1509)

SAT Scores (Combined Mean Reading,

Math, and Writing)

NE

1753

SAT Scores (Combined Mean Reading,

Math, and Writing)

IL

1775

SAT Scores (Combined Mean Reading,

Math, and Writing)

MO

1779

SAT Scores (Combined Mean Reading,

Math, and Writing)

MN

1782

SAT Scores (Combined Mean Reading,

Math, and Writing)

The College Board, 2009

IA

90.5%

Percentage of Population Completing High School (25 yrs and including Equivalency (US Average 85.3%)

Educational Attainment of the

Population - High School

IL

86.4%

Educational Attainment of the

Population - High School

MO

86.8%

Educational Attainment of the

Population - High School

NE

89.8%

Educational Attainment of the

Population - High School

MN

91.5%

Educational Attainment of the

Population - High School

U.S. Census Bureau - 2009 American Community Survey

IA

25.1

Percentge of the Population with Bachelor's Degree or More (25 yrs and older) (US Average 27.9%)

Educational Attainment of the

Population - College

MO

25.2 Educational Attainment of the

Population - College

NE

27.4 Educational Attainment of the

Population - College

IL

30.6 Educational Attainment of the

Population - College

MN

31.5 Educational Attainment of the

Population - College

U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 American Community Survey

IA

15

ACT Average Composite Score Rank

MN

10 ACT Average Composite Score Rank

NE

17 ACT Average Composite Score Rank

MO

27 ACT Average Composite Score Rank

IL

34 ACT Average Composite Score Rank

American College Testing Program, 2010

Quality of Life

IA

2

Most Livable State 2010

Most Livable State

MN

1 Most Livable State

NE

3 Most Livable State

MO

26 Most Livable State

IL

30 Most Livable State

CQ Press, 2010 State Rankings

IA

44

Value of Housing Ranking (50 = Best)

Value of Housing Ranking

IL

20 Value of Housing Ranking

MN

21 Value of Housing Ranking

MO

33 Value of Housing Ranking

NE

42 Value of Housing Ranking

(3)

Quality of Life

IA

$122,000

Median Value of A House (US Average $185,200)

Median Value of a House

NE

$123,300

Median Value of a House

MO

$139,700

Median Value of a House

MN

$200,400

Median Value of a House

IL

$202,200

Median Value of a House

2009 U.S. Census Bureau

IA

$48,044

Median Household Income (in 2009 inflation-adjusted dollars) (US Average $50,221)

Median Household Income

MO

$45,229

Median Household Income

NE

$47,357

Median Household Income

IL

$53,966

Median Household Income

MN

$55,616

Median Household Income

U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 American Community Survey

IA

42

Crime Rate Ranking (50 = Best)

Crime Rate Ranking

MO

14 Crime Rate Ranking

IL

25 Crime Rate Ranking

NE

30 Crime Rate Ranking

MN

31 Crime Rate Ranking

CQ Press State Rankings 2010

IA

74.0%

Home Ownership Rate in 2008 (US Average 67.8%)

Home Ownership Rates

IL

68.9%

Home Ownership Rates

NE

69.6%

Home Ownership Rates

MO

71.4%

Home Ownership Rates

MN

73.1%

Home Ownership Rates

CQ Press, 2010 State Rankings

IA

$1,129

Median Monthly Mortgage Payment for Owner-Occupied Homes (US Average $1,505)

Monthly Mortgage Costs

MO

$1,184

Monthly Mortgage Costs

NE

$1,227

Monthly Mortgage Costs

MN

$1,519

Monthly Mortgage Costs

IL

$1,673

Monthly Mortgage Costs

2009 U.S. Census Bureau

IA

$611

Median Monthly Rental Payment (US Average $842)

Monthly Rental Payment

NE

$644

Monthly Rental Payment

MO

$668

Monthly Rental Payment

MN

$757

Monthly Rental Payment

IL

$828

Monthly Rental Payment

(4)

Business Climate

Iowa

Illinois

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

Corporate Income Tax Rate

6.0 - 12.0

9.5

9.8

6.25 5.58 - 7.81

Federation of Tax Administrators 2011

Right to Work Status

Yes

No

Yes

(5)

Workforce

Iowa

Illinois

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

Workforce Training

Yes. Iowa

Department of

Economic

Development

Yes. Illinois

Industrial Training

Program

Yes. Minnesota Job

Skills Partnership

Board

Yes. Missouri

Department of

Economic

Development's

Customized Training

Program

Yes. Nebraska

Department of

Economic

Development

(6)

Quality of Life

Iowa

Illinois

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

State Individual Income Tax

Rates

0.36 - 8.98

3.0 5.35 - 7.85

1.5 - 6.0

2.56 - 6.84