22. Montana

You’ll find breathtaking quality of life in Big Sky Country, but the workforce has too many wide-open spaces.

Top States Montana
Source: George Kavallines
Category
Score
2016 Rank
2015 Rank
Workforce 169 45 48
Cost of Doing Business 239 8 16
Infrastructure 190 24 12 (Tie)
Economy 225 13 16 (Tie)
Quality of Life 228 10 13 (Tie)
Technology & Innovation 80 40 41 (Tie)
Education 102 27 32 (Tie)
Business Friendliness 76 23 (Tie) 30
Cost of Living 41 24 30
Access to Capital 11 40 (Tie) 39 (Tie)
Overall 1361 22 28

Economic Profile

Governor: Steve Bullock, Democrat

Population: 1,032,949

GDP growth: 3.5 percent

Unemployment rate (May 2016): 4.2 percent

Top corporate tax rate: 6.75 percent

Top individual income tax rate: 6.9 percent

Gasoline tax: 46.15 cents/gallon

Bond rating/outlook: Aa1, stable

Major private employers: Wal-Mart, Albertson's, Glacier Bancorp

Economic profile sources: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federation of Tax Administrators, American Petroleum Institute, Moody's Investor Service, S&P Global Market Intelligence

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