These States Are Pulling Their Weight for US Economy

When it comes to the US economy, a variety of factors underlie its health (or lack thereof), with the economies of individual states playing a significant part. WalletHub wanted to see which ones are really pulling their weight when it comes to contributing to the national coffers, so it looked at all 50, plus the District of Columbia, examining more than two dozen metrics in three main categories: economic activity, meaning factors such as GDP changes, exports per capita, and startup activity; economic health (e.g., unemployment rate, median household income, and share of the local population in poverty); and innovation potential, which looks at such factors as the share of high-tech jobs and entrepreneurial activity. Washington state takes the No. 1 spot on the list, while West Virginia comes in last. Read on for the best and worst state economies in the nation:

Best Economies

・Washington state

・Utah (No. 1 in “Economic Activity” and “Economic Health” categories)

・Massachusetts (No. 1 in “Innovation Potential” category)

・Colorado

・California

・Idaho

・North Carolina

・Washington, DC

・Texas

・Arizona

Worst Economies

・Maine

・South Dakota

・North Dakota

・Kentucky

・Oklahoma

・Hawaii

・Mississippi

・Alaska (last in “Economic Activity” category)

・Louisiana (last in “Economic Health” category)

・West Virginia (last in “Innovation Potential” category)

See how other states are doing financially here. (Check out the best and worst states for jobs.)

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This article originally appeared on Newser: These States Are Pulling Their Weight for US Economy