ATLANTA — Georgia has been ranked among the top 20 states in the United States for small business friendliness, according to a new Bankrate survey.

The rankings were based on nearly 20 data points that fell into categories including the strength of small business activity, availability and quality of workers, infrastructure, policy and regulation and business costs.

The state of Georgia was ranked No. 19.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, “small businesses employ nearly half of all U.S. workers and account for nearly 44 percent of America’s gross domestic product.”

Washington state, Utah, and Wyoming were ranked the three most friendly states for small businesses, according to the study.