47. Alaska

The Last Frontier is a wonder to behold, with a welcoming regulatory climate. But the state’s economy is contracting as energy production on the North Slope declines.

Category
Score
2014 Rank
2013 Rank
Cost of Doing Business 163 39 25
Workforce 142 27 (Tie) 36
Quality of Life 134 30 (Tie) 35
Infrastructure & Transportation 134 41 38
Economy 113 50 23
Education 69 30 (Tie) 35
Technology & Innovation 82 42 50
Business Friendliness 151 10 10
Cost of Living 5 46 49
Access to Capital 15 21 (Tie) 39
Overall 1008 47 44

Economic Profile

Governor: Sean Parnell, Republican

Population: 7,351,322

GDP growth: -2.5 percent

Unemployment rate (May 2014): 6.4 percent

Top corporate tax rate: 9.4 percent

Top individual income tax rate: 0 percent

Gasoline tax: 31 cents/gallon

Bond rating/outlook: Aaa/stable

Major private employer: Providence Health & Services

Economic profile sources: Federation of Tax Administrators, American Petroleum Institute, Moody's Investor Service, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Alaska.gov

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