Visualizing America's $20 Trillion Economy By State

The Visual Capitalist ^ | 07/23/2023 | Avery Koop , Article/Editing: Joyce Ma

[SeekAndFind]

A sum of its parts, every U.S. state plays an integral role in the country’s overall economy.

Texas, for example, generates an economic output that is comparable to South Korea’s, and even a small geographical area like Washington, D.C. outputs over $129 billion per year.

The visualization below by Visual Capitalist's Avery Koop and Joyce Ma uses 2022 annual data out of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to showcase each state or district’s real gross domestic product (GDP) in chained 2012 dollars, while also highlighting personal income per capita.

A Closer Look at the States

California is by far the biggest state economy in the U.S. at $2.9 trillion in real GDP—and when comparing its nominal value ($3.6 trillion) with national GDPs worldwide, the Golden State’s GDP would rank 5th overall, just below Germany and Japan.

Here’s an up-close look at the data:

Rank	State	Real GDP (chained 2012 dollars)
1	California	$2.9 trillion
2	Texas	$1.9 trillion
3	New York	$1.6 trillion
4	Florida	$1.1 trillion
5	Illinois	$798 billion
6	Pennsylvania	$726 billion
7	Ohio	$639 billion
8	Georgia	$591 billion
9	Washington	$582 billion
T9	New Jersey	$582 billion
11	North Carolina	$560 billion
12	Massachusetts	$544 billion
13	Virginia	$513 billion
14	Michigan	$490 billion
15	Colorado	$386 billion
16	Maryland	$369 billion
17	Tennessee	$368 billion
18	Arizona	$356 billion
19	Indiana	$353 billion
20	Minnesota	$350 billion
21	Wisconsin	$312 billion
22	Missouri	$301 billion
23	Connecticut	$253 billion
24	Oregon	$235 billion
25	South Carolina	$226 billion
26	Louisiana	$217 billion
27	Alabama	$213 billion
28	Kentucky	$201 billion
29	Utah	$192 billion
30	Oklahoma	$191 billion
31	Iowa	$177 billion
32	Nevada	$165 billion
T32	Kansas	$165 billion
34	District of Columbia	$129 billion
35	Arkansas	$127 billion
36	Nebraska	$124 billion
37	Mississippi	$105 billion
38	New Mexico	$95 billion
39	Idaho	$84 billion
40	New Hampshire	$83 billion
41	Hawaii	$75 billion
42	West Virginia	$72 billion
43	Delaware	$66 billion
44	Maine	$65 billion
45	Rhode Island	$55 billion
46	North Dakota	$53 billion
47	South Dakota	$50 billion
T47	Montana	$50 billion
T47	Alaska	$50 billion
50	Wyoming	$36 billion
51	Vermont	$31 billion
	United States	$20 trillion

Altogether, California, New York, and Texas account for almost one-third of the country’s economy, combining for $6.3 trillion in real GDP in 2022. The only other state that reached the trillion dollar mark is Florida with $1.1 trillion.

Texas’ economy is driven largely by industries like advanced manufacturing, biotech, life sciences, aerospace, and defense. The state is also home to a number of large companies, like Tesla and Texas Instruments, which make it a hub for jobs, innovation, and opportunity.

New York state is a leader in the insurance, agribusiness, clean energy, and cyber security industries, among many others. Zooming into the New York City area reveals huge sources of economic output from the tourism, media, and financial services sectors.

Regional Disparities

While the aforementioned states are the big hitters, the median GDP per state was much lower at $217 billion in 2022.

Under the BEA’s eight region breakdown, all states in the Great Lakes region had GDPs that were higher than the median, reflecting the industrial strength of states like Illinois and Ohio. Most of the states in the Mideast region including New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland also have GDPs higher than the country median.

Comparatively, many states in the Plains region had lower GDPs, including Iowa and Kansas. Other states with lower GDPs (and generally lower populations) were spread around the country, including lowest-ranked Vermont in New England.

Personal Income per Capita

In addition to real GDP, this voronoi diagram has been color-coded in terms of personal income per capita in each state. Here’s a closer look at those figures:

Rank	State	Personal Income per Capita
1	District of Columbia	$96,728
2	Connecticut	$84,972
3	Massachusetts	$84,945
4	New Jersey	$78,700
5	New York	$78,089
6	California	$77,339
7	Washington	$75,698
8	New Hampshire	$74,663
9	Colorado	$74,167
10	Wyoming	$71,342
11	Maryland	$70,730
12	Alaska	$68,919
13	Illinois	$68,822
14	Virginia	$68,211
15	Minnesota	$68,010
16	North Dakota	$66,184
17	South Dakota	$65,806
18	Rhode Island	$65,377
19	Pennsylvania	$65,167
20	Florida	$63,597
21	Nebraska	$63,321
22	Vermont	$63,206
23	Oregon	$62,767
24	Texas	$61,985
25	Delaware	$61,387
26	Nevada	$61,282
27	Wisconsin	$61,210
28	Hawaii	$61,175
29	Kansas	$60,152
30	Maine	$59,463
31	Iowa	$58,905
32	Tennessee	$58,279
33	Indiana	$57,930
34	Utah	$57,925
35	Ohio	$57,880
36	Montana	$57,719
37	North Carolina	$57,416
38	Georgia	$57,129
39	Michigan	$56,813
40	Arizona	$56,667
41	Missouri	$56,551
42	Oklahoma	$54,998
43	Louisiana	$54,622
44	Idaho	$54,537
45	South Carolina	$53,320
46	Kentucky	$52,109
47	Arkansas	$51,787
48	New Mexico	$51,500
49	Alabama	$50,637
50	West Virginia	$49,169
51	Mississippi	$46,248

Economic Engines and Future Growth

Many of the largest state economies are fueled by strong urban populations. These metropolitan cities are the economic engines of the country, driving innovation and attracting new talent.

The NYC-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area is a great example of this, generating over $2 trillion in economic output alone. Los Angeles generated $1.1 trillion.

While these are the obvious and expected hubs, some new cities and states are beginning to attract new business and are anticipating significant economic growth. North Carolina, for example, has been ranked as the best U.S. state to do business in, thanks to a number of factors like ease of access to capital and a strong culture of tech and innovation.

Over time, the centers of economic power may be slowly shifting in the U.S., but for now the top contributors to the nation’s GDP far outpace the rest.

[Gay State Conservative]

later

[skr]

When did DC become a state?

[texas booster]

Texas’ economy is driven largely by industries like advanced manufacturing, biotech, life sciences, aerospace, and defense. The state is also home to a number of large companies, like Tesla and Texas Instruments, which make it a hub for jobs, innovation, and opportunity.

The children writing this probably never left their home offices to write this.

Texas does have a decently sized minerals economy, both surface and subsurface.

And naming NY as tops for green energy? Texas produces 1/3 of the nations' wind and solar energy output.

At least they remembered that Tesla left CA for the San Fran of Texas ...

[DannyTN]

Here is by GDP per Square Mile.

Rank	State	Real GDP (chained 2012 dollars)	GDP	Sq. Miles	GDP/SqMile
34	District of Columbia	$129 billion	129,000,000,000	68	$1,897,058,824
T9	New Jersey	$582 billion	582,000,000,000	7,419	$78,447,230
12	Massachusetts	$544 billion	544,000,000,000	7,838	$69,405,461
45	Rhode Island	$55 billion	55,000,000,000	1,034	$53,191,489
23	Connecticut	$253 billion	253,000,000,000	4,845	$52,218,782
16	Maryland	$369 billion	369,000,000,000	9,775	$37,749,361
3	New York	$1.6 trillion	1,600,000,000,000	47,224	$33,881,077
43	Delaware	$66 billion	66,000,000,000	1,955	$33,759,591
4	Florida	$1.1 trillion	1,100,000,000,000	53,997	$20,371,502
1	California	$2.9 trillion	2,900,000,000,000	155,973	$18,592,962
6	Pennsylvania	$726 billion	726,000,000,000	44,820	$16,198,126
7	Ohio	$639 billion	639,000,000,000	40,953	$15,603,253
5	Illinois	$798 billion	798,000,000,000	55,593	$14,354,325
13	Virginia	$513 billion	513,000,000,000	39,598	$12,955,200
41	Hawaii	$75 billion	75,000,000,000	6,423	$11,676,787
11	North Carolina	$560 billion	560,000,000,000	48,718	$11,494,725
8	Georgia	$591 billion	591,000,000,000	57,919	$10,203,905
19	Indiana	$353 billion	353,000,000,000	35,870	$9,841,093
40	New Hampshire	$83 billion	83,000,000,000	8,969	$9,254,097
17	Tennessee	$368 billion	368,000,000,000	41,220	$8,927,705
9	Washington	$582 billion	582,000,000,000	66,582	$8,741,101
14	Michigan	$490 billion	490,000,000,000	56,539	$8,666,584
25	South Carolina	$226 billion	226,000,000,000	30,111	$7,505,563
2	Texas	$1.9 trillion	1,900,000,000,000	261,914	$7,254,290
21	Wisconsin	$312 billion	312,000,000,000	54,314	$5,744,375
28	Kentucky	$201 billion	201,000,000,000	39,732	$5,058,895
26	Louisiana	$217 billion	217,000,000,000	43,566	$4,980,948
20	Minnesota	$350 billion	350,000,000,000	79,617	$4,396,046
22	Missouri	$301 billion	301,000,000,000	68,898	$4,368,777
27	Alabama	$213 billion	213,000,000,000	50,750	$4,197,044
15	Colorado	$386 billion	386,000,000,000	103,730	$3,721,199
51	Vermont	$31 billion	31,000,000,000	9,249	$3,351,714
31	Iowa	$177 billion	177,000,000,000	55,875	$3,167,785
18	Arizona	$356 billion	356,000,000,000	113,642	$3,132,645
42	West Virginia	$72 billion	72,000,000,000	24,087	$2,989,164
30	Oklahoma	$191 billion	191,000,000,000	68,679	$2,781,054
24	Oregon	$235 billion	235,000,000,000	96,003	$2,447,840
35	Arkansas	$127 billion	127,000,000,000	52,075	$2,438,790
29	Utah	$192 billion	192,000,000,000	82,168	$2,336,676
37	Mississippi	$105 billion	105,000,000,000	46,914	$2,238,138
44	Maine	$65 billion	65,000,000,000	30,865	$2,105,945
T32	Kansas	$165 billion	165,000,000,000	81,823	$2,016,548
36	Nebraska	$124 billion	124,000,000,000	76,878	$1,612,945
32	Nevada	$165 billion	165,000,000,000	109,806	$1,502,650
39	Idaho	$84 billion	84,000,000,000	82,751	$1,015,093
38	New Mexico	$95 billion	95,000,000,000	121,365	$782,763
46	North Dakota	$53 billion	53,000,000,000	68,994	$768,183
47	South Dakota	$50 billion	50,000,000,000	75,898	$658,779
50	Wyoming	$36 billion	36,000,000,000	97,105	$370,733
T47	Montana	$50 billion	50,000,000,000	145,556	$343,510
T47	Alaska	$50 billion	50,000,000,000	570,641	$87,621

[cpdiii]

Washington DC has a huge GDP per capita. What is their product? In Texas we produce oil, gas, minerals, high tech, much agriculture, timber, manufacturing, airplanes, automobiles, rockets to space, cutting edge medical research, freedom, etc. That is GDP. DC is a sinkhole for our tax dollars. How do our tax dollars to pay government become a product?

[SeekAndFind]

I think it would be more useful if we used GDP per CAPITA.

[DannyTN]

I agree. GDP per capita would be better. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow

[umbagi]

Invalid for real PRODUCT.

These numbers mix bucks earned by pie producers with bucks sucked out by pie slicers.

Think about it.

[Paladin2]

D.C. is a sink for money....

Product? hahaha...

[ProtectOurFreedom]

This is so utterly WRONG…

Rank State Personal Income per Capita
1 District of Columbia $96,728
2 Connecticut $84,972
3 Massachusetts $84,945
4 New Jersey $78,700
5 New York $78,089
6 California $77,339

[SaveFerris]

Later

[Ex-Con777]

>These numbers mix bucks earned by pie producers with bucks sucked out by pie slicers.<

Agreed. Government(pie slicer) jobs should be subtracted from GDP since they draw from the economy to exist.

EC

[Pollard]

Now add Ukraine

[Cronos]

Democrats control counties that account for 70% of the USA’s GDP.

[Texas Fossil]

If you look at the states by per capita income, it is revealing.

They don’t discuss the government part of GDP, Look at the top 10 states and you see the government affect. But in reality much of the government sector is a capital sink, contributes little to actual production of anything.

[steve8714]

Do these numbers include government “services”?

[cgbg]

The deeper issue is that these numbers started to lose their meaning when the country changed from a private manufacturing powerhouse (producing real stuff needed all over the world) to a government/health care/finance/insurance/real estate powerhouse that actually “produces” relatively little.

The government expenditure example is obvious—but likewise real estate agents selling one person’s existing house to another person is not “producing” anything.

The “product” is not “product” any more.

[cgbg]

continuing my post—take a look at the largest employers in different regions.

The top ten are mostly city or county or state government, hospitals, school districts etc. with manufacturing operations having only one or two on the list.

[cgbg]

continuing—Here is the Los Angeles list as a random example:

1 Kaiser Permanente 37,468
2 University of Southern California 21,055
3 Northrop Grumman Corp. 16,600
4 Providence Health Southern California 15,952
5 Target Corp. 15,000
6 Ralphs/Food 4 Less(Kroger Co. Division) 14,970
7 Cedars-Sinai Medical Center 14,903
8 Walt Disney Co. 13,000
9 Allied Universal 12,879
10 NBC Universal 12,000

Northrop is the only company that produces actual “stuff”—and of course they sell most of that “stuff” to the government—military expenditures.