A study made over the last ten years reveals which US states are the best when it comes to getting a head start in the world. Play USA looked at a number of different economic metrics to come up with a listing of the top ten places you can hope to make a good living.
In fact, some of the results may surprise you.
States with the largest cities in the US, including New York and Illinois lag behind areas such as North Dakota and Massachusetts. According to the infographic, the economic success of the state you live in can also have a big impact on how much you are likely to earn and whether you make a decent living.
The Top 10 list used indicators including growth in employment, average household income, college admission and GDP to decide on who were the winners and losers. Here are just some of the highlights:
- North Dakota surprisingly tops the list of economic bright spots mainly because of the surge in oil revenue that has taken place over the last few years. That’s led to a GDP growth of 7.36% and an average increase in household income of 3.26%.
- Next on the list is Washington which has seen house price rises of over 6% in recent years, way above the national average. The increase in household income matches that in North Dakota which could well be a sign of a wider ranging recovering economy.
- A number of different sectors including industry and science have combined to make Massachusetts a good choice to set up home. Number three on the list, the state has seen a 4.10% rise in GDP but a relatively smaller percentage increase in house prices.
Take a closer look at the top ten list on the Play USA website where you can also download a file of individual state data cards.
