The United States is the world's largest economy at roughly $28 trillion. But that single number hides a remarkable concentration: just five states — California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois — generate more than 40% of all US output. This guide ranks all 50 states by Gross Domestic Product and shows what each would look like as an independent country.
Top 10 US states by GDP
The top of the table is dominated by coastal states with major metros, plus Texas. These ten produce roughly 60% of the entire US economy.
| Rank | State | GDP (approx.) | Country equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $4.0 trillion | ≈ Germany / Japan |
| 2 | Texas | $2.3 trillion | ≈ Italy / Brazil |
| 3 | New York | $2.1 trillion | ≈ Canada |
| 4 | Florida | $1.6 trillion | ≈ Mexico / Australia |
| 5 | Illinois | $1.0 trillion | ≈ Netherlands |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $1.0 trillion | ≈ Saudi Arabia |
| 7 | Ohio | $880 billion | ≈ Switzerland |
| 8 | Georgia | $830 billion | ≈ Poland |
| 9 | Washington | $820 billion | ≈ Argentina |
| 10 | New Jersey | $810 billion | ≈ Belgium |
California: the world's 5th largest economy
If California were a country, it would slot in just behind Germany and Japan and ahead of India and the United Kingdom in global GDP rankings. The mix is unique: Silicon Valley alone (Apple, Google, Meta, Nvidia, Tesla headquarters in the broader Bay Area) accounts for several trillion dollars of market capitalization. Add Hollywood, the Port of Los Angeles (the busiest container port in North America), the Central Valley agricultural belt and roughly 39 million residents, and the math becomes inevitable.
Texas: the fastest-growing major economy
Texas crossed the $2 trillion mark in the early 2020s and has been gaining ground on California ever since. Its drivers: oil and gas (Permian Basin), tech migration from California to Austin, logistics through the Port of Houston, the largest cattle industry in the country, and rapid population growth — Texas added more residents than any other state during the last decade.
Complete ranking — all 50 states
| Rank | State | GDP (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $4.0 trillion |
| 2 | Texas | $2.3 trillion |
| 3 | New York | $2.1 trillion |
| 4 | Florida | $1.6 trillion |
| 5 | Illinois | $1.0 trillion |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $1.0 trillion |
| 7 | Ohio | $880 billion |
| 8 | Georgia | $830 billion |
| 9 | Washington | $820 billion |
| 10 | New Jersey | $810 billion |
| 11 | North Carolina | $780 billion |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $730 billion |
| 13 | Virginia | $680 billion |
| 14 | Michigan | $650 billion |
| 15 | Colorado | $510 billion |
| 16 | Maryland | $500 billion |
| 17 | Tennessee | $490 billion |
| 18 | Arizona | $480 billion |
| 19 | Indiana | $470 billion |
| 20 | Minnesota | $460 billion |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $420 billion |
| 22 | Missouri | $410 billion |
| 23 | Connecticut | $340 billion |
| 24 | South Carolina | $320 billion |
| 25 | Oregon | $300 billion |
| 26 | Louisiana | $300 billion |
| 27 | Alabama | $300 billion |
| 28 | Kentucky | $280 billion |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $240 billion |
| 30 | Utah | $240 billion |
| 31 | Iowa | $240 billion |
| 32 | Nevada | $230 billion |
| 33 | Kansas | $210 billion |
| 34 | Arkansas | $170 billion |
| 35 | Nebraska | $170 billion |
| 36 | Mississippi | $140 billion |
| 37 | New Mexico | $130 billion |
| 38 | Hawaii | $110 billion |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $110 billion |
| 40 | West Virginia | $100 billion |
| 41 | Idaho | $100 billion |
| 42 | Delaware | $90 billion |
| 43 | Maine | $85 billion |
| 44 | North Dakota | $75 billion |
| 45 | Rhode Island | $75 billion |
| 46 | South Dakota | $70 billion |
| 47 | Montana | $70 billion |
| 48 | Alaska | $65 billion |
| 49 | Wyoming | $50 billion |
| 50 | Vermont | $40 billion |
What drives the differences?
Five main factors explain the spread from California's $4 trillion to Vermont's $40 billion:
- Population. California has 39M residents, Vermont 650,000. Scale alone is a big multiplier.
- Sector mix. Tech and finance generate far more output per worker than agriculture or tourism.
- Major metros. The 10 largest metros (NYC, LA, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Washington DC, Miami, Philadelphia, Boston) drive a disproportionate share of GDP.
- Trade gateways. Ports (LA/Long Beach, NY/NJ, Houston, Seattle) and airports (Atlanta, DFW, ORD, JFK) concentrate logistics value.
- Energy. Texas, North Dakota, Wyoming and Alaska all rely heavily on oil and gas.
GDP per capita: a different ranking
Total GDP rewards population. GDP per capita tells a different story. By this measure the leaders are usually small, wealthy states or those with concentrated industries:
- New York and Massachusetts — finance, biotech, education.
- Washington — Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing.
- Connecticut — hedge funds and insurance.
- North Dakota — small population + oil boom = high per-capita output.
- Alaska and Wyoming — energy-heavy, low population.
Mississippi, West Virginia and Arkansas typically sit at the bottom of per-capita rankings.
How regions compare
When grouped by region (see our guide to the 4 US regions), the picture sharpens:
- The South is the largest region by combined GDP, thanks to Texas and Florida.
- The West is dominated by California — by itself nearly half the region's output.
- The Northeast is the densest in GDP per square mile (New York City alone produces more than most countries).
- The Midwest is anchored by Illinois, Ohio and Michigan — historic industrial heartland.
State GDP versus countries: famous comparisons
| State | Closest country |
|---|---|
| California | Germany / Japan |
| Texas | Italy |
| New York | Canada |
| Florida | Mexico / Australia |
| Illinois | Netherlands |
| Pennsylvania | Saudi Arabia |
| Georgia | Poland |
| Massachusetts | Sweden / UAE |
| North Carolina | Egypt / Norway |
| Vermont (smallest) | Bulgaria / Luxembourg |
Learn the 50 states the fun way
Statedoku is a daily puzzle that quietly teaches you US geography, economy and politics — one constraint at a time.
Play today's puzzle →Frequently asked questions
Which US state has the largest GDP?
California, at roughly $4 trillion. It alone would be the 5th largest economy in the world, just behind Germany and Japan.
Is Texas richer than New York?
By total GDP, yes — Texas surpassed New York in the early 2020s and now produces around $2.3 trillion vs New York's $2.1 trillion. New York is still higher in GDP per capita.
Why is Vermont last?
Vermont has only about 650,000 residents and no major metro area. Its economy is heavy on tourism, dairy, maple syrup and small manufacturing — all relatively low total output.
Does the US economy depend on a few states?
Yes. The top five (CA, TX, NY, FL, IL) generate over 40% of US GDP. The top ten exceed 60%. Adding the next ten brings you past 80%.
How is state GDP measured?
The US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) publishes quarterly state-level GDP. It sums all final goods and services produced inside each state's borders, regardless of who owns the company.