The economy of every state and DC, ranked from worst to best

Alaska's November 2018 unemployment rate of 6.3% was the highest among the 50 states and DC, and its 0.2% decline in the number of non-farm payroll jobs between November 2017 and November 2018 was the second-worst.

West Virginia's November 2018 unemployment rate of 5.2% was the third-highest among the states and DC, and its Q2 2018 per capita GDP of $42,816 was the third-lowest.

New Mexico's Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 2.7% and its November 2018 average weekly wage of $751 were both the second-lowest among the states and DC.

Kentucky's non-farm payroll job growth rate of 0.9% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the fifth-lowest among the states and DC, and its November 2018 average weekly wage of $786 was sixth-lowest.

Rhode Island's Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 2.8% was tied for third-lowest among the states and DC, and its average weekly wage growth rate of 0.9% between November 2017 and November 2018 was tenth-lowest.

The average weekly wage declined 0.2% in Indiana between November 2017 and November 2018, the sixth-worst rate among the states and DC. Indiana's non-farm payroll job growth rate of 1.0% was the seventh-lowest.

The number of non-farm payroll jobs declined 0.4% between November 2017 and November 2018, making Vermont one of only two states with a negative job growth rate. Despite that, Vermont's November 2018 unemployment rate of 2.7% was the fifth-lowest among the states and DC.

Wisconsin's Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 2.8% was tied for third-lowest among the states and DC, and its average weekly wage growth rate of 0.5% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the ninth-lowest.

Wisconsin fared much worse than they did in our last ranking, falling 24 places from 19th in that quarter.

Delaware's Q2 2018 GDP per capita of $77,673 was the fourth-highest among the states and DC, but its GDP growth rate of 2.5% that quarter was the lowest in the country.

Maine's non-farm payroll job growth rate of 1.0% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the eighth-lowest among the states and DC, and its average weekly wage of $829 in November 2018 was the tenth-lowest.

Maryland's average weekly wage of $993 in November 2018 was the ninth-highest among the states and DC, but that average wage declined 2.0% between November 2017 and November 2018, the second-lowest rate in the country.

Maryland fell 18 places from 22nd-best since our last ranking of the state economies.

While Nebraska's November 2018 unemployment rate of 2.8% was tied for sixth-lowest among the states and DC, the state's average weekly wage declined by 1.3% between November 2017 and November 2018, making it one of six states with negative wage growth.

Idaho's Q2 2018 per capita GDP of $44,374 was the fourth-lowest among the states and DC, while its GDP growth rate of 3.0% that quarter was the fifth-lowest.

Louisiana's November 2018 unemployment rate of 5.0% was the fourth-highest among the states and DC, but its average weekly wage growth rate of 5.2% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the sixth-best.

South Carolina's Q2 2018 GDP per capita of $45,819 was the sixth-lowest among the states and DC, and its GDP growth rate of 3.2% that quarter was ninth-lowest.

Pennsylvania's Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 3.6% was a bit below the average rate among the states and DC of 3.8%, while its wage growth rate of 3.8% between November 2017 and November 2018 was a bit above the average rate of 3.0%.

Ohio's 4.6% unemployment rate in November 2018 was tied for seventh-highest in the country, while its non-farm payroll job growth rate of 2.1% between November 2017 and November 2018 was a little above the average rate of 1.7% among the states and DC.

Illinois' non-farm payroll job growth rate of 0.9% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the sixth-lowest in the country, while its Q2 per capita GDP of $67,104 was somewhat above the average among the states and DC of $61,816.

Alabama's Q2 2018 per capita GDP of $45,341 was the fifth-lowest in the country, and its non-farm payroll job growth rate of 1.7% between November 2017 and November 2018 matched the average rate among the states and DC.

Arkansas' Q2 2018 per capita GDP of $42,590 was the second-lowest among the states and DC, but its average weekly wage growth rate of 5.0% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the seventh-highest.

Arkansas fared much better than they did in our previous ranking of the state economies, moving up 18 places from 49th.

Iowa's November 2018 unemployment rate of 2.4% was tied for lowest in the country, while its average weekly wage of $834 in that month was below the average of $908 among the states and DC.

Iowa fell 20 places from 10th best in our previous ranking of the state economies.

North Carolina's Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 3.4% was tied for eleventh-lowest among the states and DC, while its non-farm payroll job growth rate of 2.3% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the tenth-highest.

North Carolina fell 16 places from 13th-best in our previous ranking of the state economies.

New Jersey's average weekly wage of $1,021 in November 2018 was the seventh-highest among the states and DC, while its Q2 2018 GDP per capita of $69,603 was eleventh-highest.

Arizona's non-farm payroll job growth rate of 3.6% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the second-highest among the states and DC, while its November 2018 unemployment rate of 4.7% was tied for fifth-highest.

Oregon's non-farm payroll job growth rate of 2.5% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the ninth-highest in the country, while its average weekly wage of $901 in November 2018 was close to the average among the states and DC of $908.

Tennessee's average weekly wage growth rate of 4.9% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the ninth-highest in the country, while its November 2018 unemployment rate of 3.6% was just below the average rate of 3.7% among the states and DC.

South Dakota's average weekly wage of $768 in November 2018 was the fourth-lowest among the states and DC, but its unemployment rate of 3.0% that month was tied for tenth-lowest.

Connecticut's Q2 2018 GDP per capita of $76,012 was the fifth-highest among the states and DC, and its November 2018 average weekly wage of $1,087 was the fourth-highest.

Utah's non-farm payroll job growth rate of 2.9% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the sixth-highest among the states and DC, but its 0.3% decline in wages over that year was the fifth-lowest rate.

Utah fell 16 places from 6th-best in our previous ranking of the state economies.

New York's Q2 2018 per capita GDP of $84,420 was the second-highest among the states and DC, and its average weekly wage of $1,044 in November 2018 was the sixth-highest.

Montana's Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 4.9% was tied for fifth-highest among the states and DC, but its average weekly wage of $801 in November 2018 was the seventh-lowest.

Missouri's November 2018 unemployment rate of 3.0% was tied for tenth-lowest among the states and DC, and its Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 5.1% was the third-highest.

Hawaii's November 2018 unemployment rate of 2.4% was tied for lowest among the states and DC, but its Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 3.1% was tied for sixth-lowest.

Georgia's non-farm payroll job growth rate of 2.2% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the twelfth-highest in the country, while its Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 3.9% was just above the average rate of 3.8% among the states and DC.

Georgia moved up 18 places from 35th-best in our previous ranking of the state economies.

California's Q2 2018 per capita GDP of $74,243 was the seventh-highest among the states and DC, and its average weekly wage of $1,066 in November 2018 was the fifth-highest.

Michigan's Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 5.4% was the second-highest in the country, and its average weekly wage growth rate of 4.0% between November 2017 and November 2018 was above the average rate of 3.0% among the states and DC.

Kansas' Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 4.7% was the seventh-highest in the country, and its November 2018 unemployment rate of 3.2% was below the average rate among the states and DC of 3.7%.

Kansas moved up 17 places since our previous ranking of the state economies, from 31st-best to its current 14th.

Florida's non-farm payroll job growth rate of 2.8% was the seventh-highest among the states and DC, and its Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 4.5% was ninth-highest.

New Hampshire's November 2018 unemployment rate of 2.5% was the third-lowest among the states and DC, but its 0.5% decline in average weekly wages between November 2017 and November 2018 was the fourth-lowest wage growth rate.

New Hampshire moved up a whopping 25 places, from 37th-best, since our previous state economy ranking.

Oklahoma's average weekly wage growth rate of 7.2% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the third-highest in the country, but its Q2 2018 GDP per capita of $50,771 was below the average of $61,816 among the states and DC.

North Dakota's 2.8% unemployment rate in November 2018 was tied for sixth-lowest, and its Q2 2018 per capita GDP of $73,048 was eighth-highest.

North Dakota improved quite a bit from our previous ranking of the state economies, when it came in 34th place.

Minnesota's Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 5.0% was the fourth-highest among the states and DC, and its average weekly wage of $985 was the tenth-highest.

Virginia's 2.8% unemployment rate in November 2018 was tied for sixth-lowest among the states and DC, and its average weekly wage of $980 that month was the eleventh-highest.

Massachusetts' November 2018 average weekly wage of $1,123 and Q2 2018 per capita GDP of $82,989 were both the third-highest among the states and DC.

Nevada's average weekly wage growth rate of 7.4% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the second-highest among the states and DC, and its non-farm payroll job growth rate of 3.8% was the highest.

Washington's average weekly wage of $1,153 in November 2018 was the second-highest among the states and DC, and its Q2 2018 GDP per capita of $75,483 was sixth-highest.

Colorado's Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 4.9% was tied for fifth-highest among the states and DC, and its non-farm payroll job growth rate of 2.6% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the eighth-highest.

Texas' non-farm payroll job growth rate of 3.0% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the fourth-highest among the states and DC, and its Q2 2018 GDP growth rate of 6.0% was the highest.

Wyoming's average weekly wage growth rate of 11.8% between November 2017 and November 2018 was the highest among the states and DC, and its non-farm payroll job growth rate of 3.2% over that year was the third-highest.

Washington, DC once again comes in first place in our ranking. The capital's Q2 2018 GDP per capita of $202,726 and November 2018 average weekly wage of $1,532 were both by far the highest in the country.