Best & Worst State Economies (2026)

from WalletHub, June 1, 2026

California, Texas, New York and Florida have economies so large that if they were countries, they would rank in the top 20 in the world. To determine America’s top economic performers across a variety of metrics, the personal-finance company WalletHub today released its report on 2026’s Best & Worst State Economies, as well as expert commentary.

WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 28 key indicators of economic performance and strength. The data set ranges from GDP growth and the unemployment rate to startup activity and the share of jobs in high-tech industries.

Economic Performance of Hawaii (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

Overall Rank: 44th
51st – Exports per Capita
37th – Startup Activity
50th – % of Jobs in High-Tech Industries
45th – Annual Median Household Income
37th – % of Fast-Growing Firms

read … FULL REPORT