Though often described as a democracy, the United States is actually a constitutional federal republic, a group of states (as well as territories and a federal district) operating independently from each other under a unifying framework that limits each state’s power while affording it considerable social and economic autonomy.
One way to compare states is to compare each one’s gross domestic product — the monetary value of finished goods and services produced within their borders, as well as the per capita value of this economic output. It’s not a perfect measure, but it is a common way to compare and rank economies.
To determine America’s largest and smallest economies, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed each state’s second quarter 2021 real gross domestic product per capita, expressed in 2012 dollars, using data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The poverty rate for each state came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey, and August unemployment rates are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (These are the states hit hardest by the COVID-19 recession.)
The U.S. has a total gross domestic product of about $19.4 trillion, by far the largest in the world. On a per capita basis, this breaks down to about $59,000 per person annually. By comparison, Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the world, has a per capita GDP of just $824, according to the most recent data from the World Bank.
But that $59,000 figure is a national average. Across the 50 states of this constitutional federal republic, per-capita GDP ranges from about $35,000 per person per year up to nearly $78,000. Total state GDP ranges from just under $30 billion to more than $2.8 trillion.
Click here to see America’s largest and smallest state economies
It’s important to note here that size matters. Larger states usually have larger economies, though this is not always the case. Alaska is the largest U.S. state by landmass but has the fifth-lowest GDP. Massachusetts is relatively small, but boasts the second-highest. (See where these and other states fall in the list of America’s richest and poorest states.)
Mississippi
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $34,901.51
> Q2 real GDP: $103.87 billion — 15th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 6.00% — 13th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 19.75% — the highest
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Arkansas
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $40,064.00
> Q2 real GDP: $120.91 billion — 16th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 4.20% — 20th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 16.36% — 6th highest
West Virginia
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $40,520.62
> Q2 real GDP: $72.62 billion — 10th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 4.80% — 25th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 17.54% — 4th highest
Alabama
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $41,597.82
> Q2 real GDP: $203.96 billion — 24th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 3.10% — 7th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 16.13% — 7th highest
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South Carolina
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $42,624.55
> Q2 real GDP: $219.46 billion — 25th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 4.20% — 19th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 14.05% — 11th highest
Idaho
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $42,979.13
> Q2 real GDP: $76.81 billion — 12th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 2.90% — 4th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 11.89% — 23rd lowest
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Kentucky
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $43,880.05
> Q2 real GDP: $196.04 billion — 22nd lowest
> August unemployment rate: 4.30% — 22nd lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 16.67% — 5th highest
Maine
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $45,434.57
> Q2 real GDP: $61.07 billion — 8th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 4.90% — 23rd highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 11.31% — 20th lowest
Montana
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $45,519.65
> Q2 real GDP: $48.65 billion — 3rd lowest
> August unemployment rate: 3.50% — 9th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 12.41% — 23rd highest
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Arizona
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $45,523.60
> Q2 real GDP: $331.35 billion — 20th highest
> August unemployment rate: 6.20% — 11th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 13.88% — 14th highest
New Mexico
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $45,625.51
> Q2 real GDP: $95.67 billion — 14th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 7.20% — 6th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 18.63% — 3rd highest
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Florida
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $46,288.97
> Q2 real GDP: $994.18 billion — 4th highest
> August unemployment rate: 5.00% — 21st highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 13.08% — 19th highest
Michigan
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $47,041.16
> Q2 real GDP: $469.79 billion — 14th highest
> August unemployment rate: 4.70% — 24th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 14.00% — 12th highest
Vermont
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $47,821.84
> Q2 real GDP: $29.84 billion — the lowest
> August unemployment rate: 3.00% — 5th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 10.53% — 13th lowest
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Missouri
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $48,442.95
> Q2 real GDP: $297.32 billion — 22nd highest
> August unemployment rate: 4.00% — 16th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 13.13% — 18th highest
Louisiana
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $49,220.16
> Q2 real GDP: $228.81 billion — 24th highest
> August unemployment rate: 6.20% — 12th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 18.83% — 2nd highest
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Oklahoma
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $49,635.29
> Q2 real GDP: $196.41 billion — 23rd lowest
> August unemployment rate: 3.20% — 8th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 15.00% — 8th highest
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Nevada
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $49,682.03
> Q2 real GDP: $153.03 billion — 18th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 7.70% — the highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 12.08% — 25th lowest
Tennessee
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $49,898.42
> Q2 real GDP: $340.77 billion — 19th highest
> August unemployment rate: 4.60% — 23rd lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 14.36% — 9th highest
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Rhode Island
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $50,188.27
> Q2 real GDP: $53.17 billion — 6th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 5.80% — 16th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 11.85% — 22nd lowest
North Carolina
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $50,569.21
> Q2 real GDP: $530.37 billion — 11th highest
> August unemployment rate: 4.30% — 21st lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 13.71% — 15th highest
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Wisconsin
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $52,071.66
> Q2 real GDP: $303.18 billion — 21st highest
> August unemployment rate: 3.90% — 14th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 10.92% — 17th lowest
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Indiana
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $52,246.77
> Q2 real GDP: $351.74 billion — 17th highest
> August unemployment rate: 4.10% — 18th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 12.75% — 21st highest
Hawaii
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $52,467.81
> Q2 real GDP: $74.29 billion — 11th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 7.00% — 7th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 9.29% — 5th lowest
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Ohio
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $52,769.26
> Q2 real GDP: $616.83 billion — 7th highest
> August unemployment rate: 5.40% — 19th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 13.56% — 17th highest
Oregon
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $53,036.24
> Q2 real GDP: $223.69 billion — 25th highest
> August unemployment rate: 4.90% — 24th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 12.44% — 22nd highest
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Georgia
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $53,101.91
> Q2 real GDP: $563.81 billion — 10th highest
> August unemployment rate: 3.50% — 10th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 14.11% — 10th highest
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South Dakota
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $55,232.69
> Q2 real GDP: $48.86 billion — 4th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 2.90% — 3rd lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 12.33% — 25th highest
Utah
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $55,639.38
> Q2 real GDP: $178.38 billion — 20th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 2.60% — 2nd lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 9.02% — 3rd lowest
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Pennsylvania
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $55,776.33
> Q2 real GDP: $714.05 billion — 6th highest
> August unemployment rate: 6.40% — 10th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 12.02% — 24th lowest
Kansas
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $56,576.08
> Q2 real GDP: $164.82 billion — 19th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 3.60% — 12th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 11.58% — 21st lowest
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Virginia
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $57,622.48
> Q2 real GDP: $491.84 billion — 13th highest
> August unemployment rate: 4.00% — 15th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 10.06% — 10th lowest
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Iowa
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $57,853.42
> Q2 real GDP: $182.53 billion — 21st lowest
> August unemployment rate: 4.10% — 17th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 10.99% — 18th lowest
New Hampshire
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $57,979.89
> Q2 real GDP: $78.84 billion — 13th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 3.00% — 6th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 7.19% — the lowest
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Minnesota
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $61,005.90
> Q2 real GDP: $344.05 billion — 18th highest
> August unemployment rate: 3.80% — 13th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 9.22% — 4th lowest
Maryland
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $61,517.50
> Q2 real GDP: $371.92 billion — 15th highest
> August unemployment rate: 5.60% — 17th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 8.90% — 2nd lowest
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Illinois
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $61,581.02
> Q2 real GDP: $780.34 billion — 5th highest
> August unemployment rate: 7.00% — 8th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 12.39% — 24th highest
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Texas
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $62,797.00
> Q2 real GDP: $1,820.85 billion — 2nd highest
> August unemployment rate: 5.90% — 15th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 13.70% — 16th highest
Colorado
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $63,336.29
> Q2 real GDP: $364.74 billion — 16th highest
> August unemployment rate: 5.90% — 14th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 9.60% — 6th lowest
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New Jersey
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $63,668.97
> Q2 real GDP: $565.52 billion — 9th highest
> August unemployment rate: 7.20% — 5th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 9.79% — 8th lowest
Wyoming
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $63,954.77
> Q2 real GDP: $37.01 billion — 2nd lowest
> August unemployment rate: 4.90% — 25th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 10.71% — 16th lowest
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Nebraska
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $64,525.06
> Q2 real GDP: $124.82 billion — 17th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 2.20% — the lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 10.58% — 14th lowest
Delaware
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $65,265.71
> Q2 real GDP: $63.55 billion — 9th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 5.40% — 18th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 11.05% — 19th lowest
Alaska
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $68,692.42
> Q2 real GDP: $50.25 billion — 5th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 6.40% — 9th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 10.62% — 15th lowest
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Connecticut
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $68,943.40
> Q2 real GDP: $245.80 billion — 23rd highest
> August unemployment rate: 7.20% — 4th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 9.69% — 7th lowest
California
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $71,689.69
> Q2 real GDP: $2,832.62 billion — the highest
> August unemployment rate: 7.50% — 2nd highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 13.00% — 20th highest
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Washington
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $74,357.79
> Q2 real GDP: $566.23 billion — 8th highest
> August unemployment rate: 5.10% — 20th highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 10.07% — 11th lowest
North Dakota
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $75,986.34
> Q2 real GDP: $57.91 billion — 7th lowest
> August unemployment rate: 3.60% — 11th lowest
> 2019 poverty rate: 10.16% — 12th lowest
Massachusetts
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $76,074.28
> Q2 real GDP: $524.34 billion — 12th highest
> August unemployment rate: 5.00% — 22nd highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 9.85% — 9th lowest
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New York
> Q2 real GDP per capita: $77,663.28
> Q2 real GDP: $1,510.83 billion — 3rd highest
> August unemployment rate: 7.40% — 3rd highest
> 2019 poverty rate: 13.89% — 13th highest
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