3. Utah

The economy is abuzz in the Beehive State—the strongest in the nation. But weakness in education hurts the state’s workers.

Category
Score
2015 Rank
2014 Rank
Workforce 210 29 (Tie) 12
Cost of Doing Business 225 13 (Tie) 16
Infrastructure 177 30 28
Economy 287 1 6
Quality of Life 199 20 (Tie) 15
Technology & Innovation 158 15 18
Education 94 31 46
Business Friendliness 116 5 (Tie) 4
Cost of Living 60 11 (Tie) 20
Access to Capital 30 21 1
Overall 1556 3 3

Economic Profile

Governor: Gary Herbert, Republican

Population: 2,942,902

GDP growth: 3.1 percent

Unemployment rate (May 2015): 3.5 percent

Top corporate tax rate: 5 percent

Top individual income tax rate: 5 percent

Gasoline tax: 42 cents/gallon

Bond rating/outlook: Aaa/stable

Major private employer: Intermountain Health Care

Economic profile sources: Federation of Tax Administrators, American Petroleum Institute, Moody's Investor Service, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Utah FY 2014 CAFR

FULL LIST: 2015 TOP STATES FOR BUSINESS

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