#3 Virginia

Governor: Bob McDonnell (R)

Population: 8,096,604

GDP (per capita): $46,408

Number of S&P companies: 24

Top corporate tax rate: 6.00 percent

Top individual tax rate: 5.75 percent

Gasoline taxes/fees: 20.2 cents

Bond Rating/Outlook: Aaa/Negative

SAT scores (average): 1516/2400

Degree Granting Institutions (colleges/universities): 129

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