#12 Iowa

Governor: Terry Branstad (R)

Population: 3,062,309

GDP (per capita): $41,933

Number of S&P companies: 3

Top corporate tax rate: 12.0 percent

Top individual tax rate: 8.98 percent

Gasoline taxes/fees: 22.0 cents

Bond Rating/Outlook: Aaa/Stable

SAT scores (average): 1777/2400

Degree Granting Institutions (colleges/universities): 66

Sources: Census Bureau (2011), Standard & Poor's (2012), Tax Foundation (2012), American Petroleum Institute (2012), Bureau Labor Statistics (2011), National Center For Education Statistics (2011), Moody's (2012), CNBC