Business & Economy

Most productive states in America

Written by:
Diana Shishkina
April 24, 2018
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

Most productive states in America

One of the strongest indicators of a country's economic capacity and productivity is its gross domestic product. GDP represents the total market value of economic goods and services over the course of a year, calculated by adding gross investment, private consumption, government investment, government spending, and trade exports, less imports. In 2017, the United States' GDP reached a staggering $19.39 trillion, the largest in the world and 4.1% higher than 2016's figure, $18.62 trillion.

While the United States clearly stands out among countries for this measure of economic strength, Stacker set out to discover how GDP varies from state to state. Using data computed by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, we analyzed the per capita GDP for every state plus Washington, D.C. The statistics are represented in chained 2009 dollars to account for inflation, include both public and private industries, and represent the total GDP divided by each state's population.

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#51: Mississippi

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $32,102
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $31,700
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $32,041

#50: Idaho

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $36,056
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $35,738
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $37,080

#49: West Virginia

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $36,244
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $36,461
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $33,892

#48: Arkansas

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $36,524
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $36,338
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $35,205

#47: South Carolina

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $37,075
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $36,917
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $37,724

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#46: Alabama

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $37,402
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $36,911
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $37,522

#45: Kentucky

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $38,950
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $38,610
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $38,159

#44: Maine

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $38,956
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $38,415
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $38,946

#43: Arizona

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $38,985
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $38,647
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $44,168

#42: Florida

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $39,506
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $39,289
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $43,506

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#41: Montana

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $39,763
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $39,725
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $38,063

#40: New Mexico

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $41,559
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $41,509
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $40,694

#39: Missouri

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $43,004
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $42,995
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $42,561

#38: Nevada

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $43,557
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $43,803
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $52,818

#37: Michigan

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $43,665
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $42,778
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $41,925

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#36: Tennessee

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $43,688
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $42,803
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $41,172

#35: Vermont

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $43,984
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $43,571
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $41,472

#34: Oklahoma

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $44,356
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $46,447
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $39,716

#33: Louisiana

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $44,451
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $44,503
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $46,878

#32: North Carolina

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $44,511
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $44,172
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $45,440

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#31: Utah

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $44,893
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $44,174
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $45,293

#30: Georgia

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $45,140
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $44,299
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $46,374

#29: Indiana

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $45,977
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $45,012
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $44,145

#28: Kansas

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $46,217
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $46,658
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $45,313

#27: Ohio

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $47,633
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $47,146
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $44,399

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#26: Rhode Island

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $47,739
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $47,541
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $47,137

#25: South Dakota

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $47,808
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $47,894
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $44,017

#24: Wisconsin

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $47,833
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $47,325
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $45,464

#23: Pennsylvania

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $50,665
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $50,357
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $46,330

#22: Oregon

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $51,066
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $50,058
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $46,504

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#21: New Hampshire

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $51,411
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $50,781
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $48,618

#20: Virginia

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $51,643
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $51,667
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $52,657

#19: Hawaii

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $51,819
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $50,994
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $51,245

#18: Iowa

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $51,912
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $51,305
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $47,504

#17: Colorado

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $52,567
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $52,858
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $52,094

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#16: Texas

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $53,129
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $54,134
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $48,954

#15: Nebraska

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $53,949
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $53,859
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $47,501

#14: Illinois

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $54,404
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $53,729
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $52,856

#13: Minnesota

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $54,414
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $53,634
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $51,351

#12: Maryland

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $56,070
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $54,908
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $52,646

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#11: New Jersey

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $56,565
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $56,241
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $57,860

#10: Washington

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $57,727
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $56,407
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $55,348

#9: California

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $59,117
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $57,596
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $55,154

#8: Wyoming

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $60,004
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $60,979
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $65,471

#7: Alaska

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $63,317
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $67,302
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $67,228

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#6: Connecticut

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $63,636
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $63,464
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $70,096

#5: Delaware

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $64,054
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $64,516
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $66,344

#4: North Dakota

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $64,136
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $67,632
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $44,385

#3: New York

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $64,810
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $64,573
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $60,018

#2: Massachusetts

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $65,281
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $64,592
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $60,955

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#1: District of Columbia

Real GDP per capita in 2016: $160,643
Real GDP per capita in 2015: $159,881
Real GDP per capita in 2007: $167,668

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