State Economies
Plain-English explainers for every U.S. state — jobs, cost of living, taxes, and what makes each economy tick.
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Alabama Economy: Auto, Aerospace, and Agriculture
Plain-English overview of the Alabama economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Alaska Economy: Oil, Fish, and Federal Spending
Plain-English overview of the Alaska economy: GDP, biggest industries, no state income tax, local sales taxes, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Arizona Economy: Sun, Semiconductors, and the Sun-Belt Boom
Plain-English overview of the Arizona economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Arkansas Economy: Retail HQs, Agriculture, and Logistics
Plain-English overview of the Arkansas economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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California Economy: Jobs, Wages, and Cost of Living
Plain-English overview of the California economy: GDP, biggest industries, state income tax, minimum wage, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Colorado Economy: Aerospace, Outdoor Industry, and Tech
Plain-English overview of the Colorado economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Connecticut Economy: Insurance, Defense, and the NYC Halo
Plain-English overview of the Connecticut economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Delaware Economy: Corporate Charters, Banking, and DuPont's Legacy
Plain-English overview of the Delaware economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, no statewide sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Florida Economy: Jobs, Wages, and Cost of Living
Plain-English overview of the Florida economy: GDP, biggest industries, no state income tax, sales and property taxes, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Georgia Economy: Atlanta as a Growth Engine
Plain-English overview of the Georgia economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Hawaii Economy: Tourism, Military, and Cost of Living
Plain-English overview of the Hawaii economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, general excise tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Idaho Economy: Agriculture, Tech, and Population Growth
Plain-English overview of the Idaho economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Illinois Economy: Jobs, Wages, and Cost of Living
Plain-English overview of the Illinois economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, high sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Indiana Economy: Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Logistics
Plain-English overview of the Indiana economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Iowa Economy: Corn, Insurance, and Wind
Plain-English overview of the Iowa economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Kansas Economy: Aerospace, Agriculture, and the Wind Belt
Plain-English overview of the Kansas economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Kentucky Economy: Bourbon, Cars, and Coal's Slow Fade
Plain-English overview of the Kentucky economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Louisiana Economy: Energy, Petrochemicals, and the Mississippi
Plain-English overview of the Louisiana economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Maine Economy: Tourism, Lobsters, and an Aging Workforce
Plain-English overview of the Maine economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Maryland Economy: Federal Spending and Biotech
Plain-English overview of the Maryland economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Massachusetts Economy: Brains as an Industry
Plain-English overview of the Massachusetts economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax with a millionaire surtax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Michigan Economy: Beyond the Auto Industry
Plain-English overview of the Michigan economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Minnesota Economy: Healthcare, Retail, and Cold-Climate Innovation
Plain-English overview of the Minnesota economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Mississippi Economy: Manufacturing, Agriculture, and the Gulf Coast
Plain-English overview of the Mississippi economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Missouri Economy: Logistics, Agriculture, and Bi-State Metros
Plain-English overview of the Missouri economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Montana Economy: Agriculture, Tourism, and Energy
Plain-English overview of the Montana economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, no statewide sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Nebraska Economy: Agriculture, Insurance, and the Strip
Plain-English overview of the Nebraska economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Nevada Economy: Hospitality, Mining, and Tech Diversification
Plain-English overview of the Nevada economy: GDP, biggest industries, no state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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New Hampshire Economy: No Sales Tax and the Boston Halo
Plain-English overview of the New Hampshire economy: GDP, biggest industries, no state income tax on wages, no sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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New Jersey Economy: Pharma, Ports, and the NYC Halo
Plain-English overview of the New Jersey economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, high property taxes, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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New Mexico Economy: Federal Labs, Oil, and Tourism
Plain-English overview of the New Mexico economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, gross receipts tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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New York Economy: Jobs, Wages, and Cost of Living
Plain-English overview of the New York economy: GDP, biggest industries, state and city income taxes, minimum wage, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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North Carolina Economy: Banking, Tech, and Tobacco's Past
Plain-English overview of the North Carolina economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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North Dakota Economy: Oil, Agriculture, and the Bakken
Plain-English overview of the North Dakota economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Ohio Economy: Manufacturing's Comeback Story
Plain-English overview of the Ohio economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Oklahoma Economy: Oil, Gas, and Aerospace
Plain-English overview of the Oklahoma economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Oregon Economy: Tech, Forestry, and the No-Sales-Tax Question
Plain-English overview of the Oregon economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, no sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Pennsylvania Economy: Manufacturing, Energy, and Healthcare
Plain-English overview of the Pennsylvania economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Rhode Island Economy: Healthcare, Education, and the Bay
Plain-English overview of the Rhode Island economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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South Carolina Economy: Auto Manufacturing and Tourism
Plain-English overview of the South Carolina economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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South Dakota Economy: Agriculture, Tourism, and No State Income Tax
Plain-English overview of the South Dakota economy: GDP, biggest industries, no state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Tennessee Economy: Music, Cars, and Healthcare
Plain-English overview of the Tennessee economy: GDP, biggest industries, no state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Texas Economy: Jobs, Wages, and Cost of Living
Plain-English overview of the Texas economy: GDP, biggest industries, no state income tax, sales and property taxes, jobs, wages, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Utah Economy: Tech, Tourism, and Population Boom
Plain-English overview of the Utah economy: GDP, biggest industries, flat state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Vermont Economy: Tourism, Dairy, and Small Manufacturing
Plain-English overview of the Vermont economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Virginia Economy: Federal Government, Defense, and Data Centers
Plain-English overview of the Virginia economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Washington State Economy: Tech, Trade, and Aerospace
Plain-English overview of the Washington state economy: GDP, biggest industries, no state income tax, high sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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West Virginia Economy: Coal's Decline and Energy Transition
Plain-English overview of the West Virginia economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Wisconsin Economy: Manufacturing, Dairy, and the Service Shift
Plain-English overview of the Wisconsin economy: GDP, biggest industries, graduated state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read
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Wyoming Economy: Energy, Tourism, and the Tax-Friendly Edge
Plain-English overview of the Wyoming economy: GDP, biggest industries, no state income tax, sales tax, jobs, and cost of living. Written so anyone can follow it.
5 min read