Pennsylvania Economy Ranks 47th in U.S. News Best States Report as State Places 40th Overall
Updated
Updated · Patch · Jul 30
Pennsylvania Economy Ranks 47th in U.S. News Best States Report as State Places 40th Overall
2 articles · Updated · Patch · Jul 30
Summary
Pennsylvania placed 47th for economy in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best States rankings, one of its weakest showings in the national scorecard.
U.S. News based the economy ranking on business environment, employment and growth measures including GDP growth, while weighting the overall list toward healthcare and education after a public-priority survey.
Pennsylvania ranked 40th overall, with stronger results in healthcare at No. 11 and crime and corrections at No. 17 but weaker marks in infrastructure at No. 43 and fiscal stability at No. 42.
Utah led the overall 2026 rankings, followed by South Dakota and Minnesota, underscoring how far Pennsylvania trails the top-performing states in the broader quality-of-life comparison.