North Carolina metro areas rank among the best for US biologics manufacturing

The Raleigh-Cary metropolitan statistical area in North Carolina ranks as the top region for therapeutic biologics production in the latest Best Places for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Insights Report, which detailed the top 10 metro areas. The Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan area secured the third place spot on the list, which was published by Global Location Strategies (GLS), cementing the Tar Heel State as a premier player for therapeutic biologics manufacturing. 

The list ranked the top 10 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) offering the strongest combination of quality and cost factors critical to the industry, according to the report. The list represents a mix of established hubs and emerging contenders, highlighting U.S. metro areas that combine strong life sciences ecosystems with competitive operating costs. 

To produce its rankings, GLS tapped data from more than a dozen public and private data providers to analyze over 120 criteria, according to the report. The categories included workforce strength, talent pipeline, industry presence, innovation ecosystem, business environment, logistics infrastructure, quality of life, and operating costs.

The analysis by GLS evaluated the location quality and estimated annual location-dependent operating cost for a therapeutic biologics manufacturing operation in the 387 MSAs across the country. The goal was to identify the most competitive options for a global biopharma company establishing a new commercial biologics facility.

How US metros stack up

Of the two North Carolina-based MSAs, Raleigh-Cary achieved the highest overall quality score, driven by top performance in industry presence and quality of life. It placed in the top three for workforce strength and talent pipeline, benefiting from a concentration of biologic product manufacturing employers along with the second highest population annual growth rate, as well as a low turnover rate in biological product manufacturing. 

The MSA is also strengthened by a university-supported talent base within the Research Triangle, as does the neighboring Durham-Chapel Hill — a metro area that also ranked strongly in industry presence and quality of life, while also leading the entire list in terms of workforce strength. Durham-Chapel Hill also benefitted from the highest specialization in biological product manufacturing among the top 10 metros and the second-fastest forecasted growth, supported by a strong concentration in pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing, according to the report.

The Salt Lake City-Murray MSA in Utah secured the second spot due to its competitive operating costs, particularly lower labor expenses, which helped offset somewhat lower quality scores relative to other top-ranked metros, the report found. The area’s strong biotechnology R&D base, active clinical trial environment, and high forecasted growth in the biopharma sector reflect a thriving innovation ecosystem anchored by the University of Utah. Salt Lake City is increasingly attractive for biologics and biopharmaceutical manufacturing investment due to affordability, workforce quality, and strong R&D-to-commercialization linkages.

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ranked fourth on the list of metro areas for therapeutic biologics manufacturing, with Philadelphia’s performance anchored by its strong innovation ecosystem, while also ranking as a leading location for logistics infrastructure and talent pipeline. This MSA also ranked second overall in quality, with its strength in innovation driven by premier research institutions, a high concentration of biopharma R&D activity, and an extensive clinical trials footprint that supports biologics development and commercialization, according to the report.

At fifth on the list, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, Indiana stood out for its strong manufacturing foundation and competitive operating costs. The metro’s sizable biopharma workforce of roughly 14,000 rivals that of larger hubs like Philadelphia, supported by lower labor and utility expenses and robust logistics infrastructure. Its innovation ecosystem is strengthened by active clinical trial activity and a solid talent pipeline. With Eli Lilly’s $9 billion investment expanding production capacity and supply chain depth, Indianapolis continues to solidify its position as one of the most competitive Midwestern metros for biologics manufacturing,  the report found.

The Madison, Wisconsin metro secured the sixth spot, which distinguished itself through talent strength and academic excellence anchored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s strong bioscience programs. The metro leads all top 10 regions in talent pipeline and ranks second in workforce strength, supported by high educational attainment and a strong bioscience graduate base. Madison’s ecosystem includes major firms such as Catalent and Aldevron, alongside early-stage biologics and diagnostics manufacturers, which create deep capabilities in biotech R&D, process development, and biologics-supporting industries, according to the report.

Two Texas-based MSAs also secured spots on the list, with Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington landing at seventh and eighth, respectively. These regions both benefit from low electricity and natural gas rates, giving them a significant operating cost advantage over peers in other states. Additionally, both benefit from a pro-business, low-tax regulatory environment that supports large-scale biopharma investment and expansion. Reinforcing its commitment to Houston, Eli Lilly announced it will build a $6.5 billion active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) facility at Generation Park in Houston, Texas that is projected to create approximately 615 high-skilled permanent jobs.

At ninth on the list, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona has emerged as a cost-effective and steadily growing hub for biologics manufacturing. While it does not lead in any single benchmarked category, the metro demonstrates balanced performance across all indicators, bolstered by low operating costs and specialization in therapeutic product manufacturing and biotech R&D. The region’s innovative ecosystem is anchored by the Phoenix Bioscience Core, Arizona State University, and TGen, which together have fueled expanding life sciences activity and clinical trial engagement.

Rounding out the list at tenth overall, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts remains the nation’s leading life sciences hub, driven by its strength in biotechnology R&D, industry presence, and talent pipeline. While the report notes that it ranks slightly lower than North Carolina’s Research Triangle metros in workforce strength, business environment, and quality of life, the region employs the largest number of biochemists, biophysicists, and medical scientists nationally. Though its workforce is less concentrated in manufacturing than smaller metros like Durham-Chapel Hill or Madison, Boston’s scale, research intensity, and pharmaceutical manufacturing depth continue to solidify its global leadership in biologics development, according to the report.