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48. West Virginia

Higher coal production is helping move the Mountain State economy into the black, but long-term financial health remains uncertain.

Coal miner from Limestone, West Virginia.
Getty Images
Coal miner from Limestone, West Virginia.
Category
Score
2018 Rank
2017 Rank
Grade
Workforce 168 47 49 D
Infrastructure 157 45 44 D
Cost of Doing Business 230 11 4 (Tie) A
Economy 129 36 50 C-
Quality of Life 124 37 39 D-
Technology & Innovation 49 50 49 F
Education 69 41 39 D-
Business Friendliness 22 49 49 F
Access to Capital 9 47 47 (Tie) F
Cost of Living 28 23 22 (Tie) C+
Overall 985 48 50 -

Economic Profile

Governor: Jim Justice, Republican

Population: 1,815,857

GDP growth (Q4 2017): 1.0 percent

Unemployment rate (May 2018): 5.4 percent

Top corporate tax rate: 6.5 percent

Top individual income tax rate: 6.5 percent

Gasoline tax: 35.70 cents/gallon

Bond rating (Moody's/S&P): Aa2, stable/AA-, stable

Major private employers: Wal-Mart, West Virginia United Health System, United Bankshares

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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