When companies scout new locations, the standard checklist includes availability of a quality and skilled workforce, infrastructure, and operating costs. Yet public safety, too often underestimated, plays an important role. Public safety officials protect people and assets, which strengthens the long-term stability of businesses both large and small.

Access to healthcare is an often overlooked but increasingly important factor in the business site selection process. For companies evaluating where to locate a facility, whether it id a manufacturing plant, corporate office, or distribution center, the availability and quality of nearby healthcare services can have a direct impact on workforce stability, employee satisfaction, and long-term operational resilience. A location with strong healthcare infrastructure signals to prospective employees that their well-being and that of their families will be supported, which can be a powerful recruitment and retention tool, especially in competitive labor markets.

Jones Wadsworth: An Alabama-Based Site Selection Firm Creating Jobs in Urban and Rural Areas

When companies evaluate potential locations within Alabama for expansion or relocation, strong and safe communities are often at the top of the list of decision-making factors. Businesses want to invest in areas where employees feel secure, where families can thrive, and where long-term stability supports growth. A strong community reflects a foundation of civic pride, local leadership, and resilience, which are attributes that reduce risk and increase the appeal for both workforce attraction and capital investment.

As a site selector, I have learned that infrastructure is one of the most critical components in the evaluation process—often serving as the foundation upon which long-term success is built. Infrastructure encompasses roads, bridges, utilities, broadband connectivity, water and wastewater systems, rail access, energy reliability, and more. A community’s ability to support the current and future logistical needs of a business can directly influence the decision to invest in a location.

By: Nicole Jones Wadsworth, PhD, MBA, MS