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25. California

The Golden State sets the standard for technology and innovation, but affordability is a key concern.

California wine.
Getty Images
California wine.
Category
Score
2018 Rank
2017 Rank
Grade
Workforce 261 12 10 B+
Infrastructure 203 24 22 C+
Cost of Doing Business 74 48 49 F
Economy 216 11 22 (Tie) A-
Quality of Life 183 21 21 C
Technology & Innovation 181 1 2 A+
Education 89 32 28 D+
Business Friendliness 8 50 50 F
Access to Capital 100 1 1 A+
Cost of Living 2 49 48 F
Overall 1317 25 28 -

Economic Profile

Governor: Jerry Brown, Democrat

Population: 39,536,653

GDP growth (Q4 2017): 3.4 percent

Unemployment rate (May 2018): 4.2

Top corporate tax rate: 8.84 percent

Top individual income tax rate: 12.3 percent

Gasoline tax: 41.70 cents/gallon

Bond rating: (Moody's/S&P): Aa3, stable/AA-, stable

Major private employers: Kaiser Permanente, Apple

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 (excluding 18.40 cent/gallon federal tax), Moody's Investor Service, S&P Global Market Intelligence

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