Which states have the best/worst economies? (home, unemployment rate)

[MattDen]

Which states have the best and worst economies?

Here is what the top 5 that from what I have seen have among the best economies at the current time in my opinion

-Wyoming: Its the wealthiest state in the west, surpassed Colorado with the high price of natural gas, coal and oil.

-Alabama: I saw that the unemployment rate was 3.4% and Birmingham and Huntsville are rather affluent cities with lots of industry.

-Montana: Unemployment rate is 2% although its a low-wage state. Probubly good for those in the construction field!

-Idaho: This state seems to be a very fast growing state economically. Lots of people moving to Boise.

-Oklahoma: It seems alot of the growth is spilling over from Texas

States with bad economies:

-Michigan
-Ohio
-Indiana
-Mississippi
-South Carolina

[GreggB]

Wisconsin economy not the greatest either.

[Angel Bear]

Isn't Michigan one of the worst right now? One of the reasons I'm leavin'

[GAisGreat]

Best:
-Texas
-Georgia
-Massachusetts

Worst:
-Michigan
-Michigan
-Michigan

[marysally]

Alabama definitely has one of the best economies with a very low unemployment rate as stated by the original poster. Texas also has a very strong economy.

The latest issue of Atlanta magazine has an article talking about all the major employers (BellSouth, GeorgiaPacific, etc) that are moving their headquarters out of GA because of mergers and buyouts, as well as the anticipated closure of Fort Mac and Gillem in Atlanta and Ford and GM plant closures. I'm sure Ga will keep rolling along but this has to be a bump in the road.

[anonymous]

South Carolina does have a bad economy. I don't know why; it's wedged in between Georgia and North Carolina, both of which have strong economies. All I can figure is that it's due to our large indigent population. Some people blame it on the education system, but IMO the education system is a product of the people of a state. I guess it's 'the chicken or the egg'. Back before the Civil War, Mississippi and South Carolina had the highest number of slaves, relative to the overall population. Today they have the two worst education systems, and the worst economies, highest obesity & diabetic rates, etc., etc.

[Mississippienne]

Here in Gulfport MS, half the newcomers are from Detroit and Nebraska. When people are fleeing from Michigan to the promised land of financial security that is Mississippi, something has gone terribly wrong.

[M TYPE X]

My home state of Michigan probably takes the top 5 spots ... one for each of its major cities and so on.

Ohio is depressed, Indiana is not great, and Wisconsin sounds bad.

Illinois is actually doing very well, although the state budget is in shambles and they want to tax everything (including the air, probably starting next year or the year after that)!

[drlandgrebe]

Poor Michigan-horrible economy but beautiful state. Illinois -chicagoland still is growing and developing out to the west north and south-chicago gets bigger and bigger everyday

[nate14ri]

highest unemployment rate is Rhode Island (yes worse than Michigan) all do to corruption and lack of jobs here. although that could all change if the big 3 car manufacturers go under.