MO slips 11 spots on CNBC's Top States for Business

Missouri fell 11 spots with a rank of 27th on CNBC's America's Top States for Business 2012. Texas jumped up a spot from the prior year to land at No. 1.

For the sixth annual list, CNBC ranked states based on cost of doing business, work force, quality of life, infrastructure and transportation, economy, education, technology and innovation, business friendliness, access to capital, and cost of living.

Missouri's highest ranking came in the cost of doing business category. Though it ranked No. 12, the state fell from the No. 3 spot last year. Missouri experienced the most severe drop in its ranking for access to capital, with a ranking of No. 37 this year, down from No. 22 in 2011.

The state also ranked No. 14 in cost of living, down six spots from 2011. Other Missouri rankings were:

• work force - 38th, down from 33rd in 2011;
• quality of life - 37th, down from 34th last year;
• infrastructure and transportation - 20th, compared to nine in 2011;
• economy - 29th, flat from last year;
• education - 20th, down three spots;
• technology and innovation - 21st, up from No. 23 on the 2011 list; and
• business friendliness - 25th, flat from last year.

CNBC scores states on the categories with a weighted point system. Out of a possible 2,500 points, Missouri received 1,260 points, according to CNBC's Web site.

In compiling the list for Missouri, CNBC sourced the U.S. Census Bureau, Standard & Poor's, the Tax Foundation, the American Petroleum Institute, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the National Center for Education Statistics, Moody's and in-house research.