Utah’s economy ranks as the best of any state. At a time when COVID-19 has sent unemployment soaring into the double digits across much of the country, Utah’s monthly jobless rate stands at 5.1%, less than half the 11.1% national unemployment rate for June.

Even before the coronavirus hit American shores, economic conditions in Utah were far stronger than they were in most of the country. From the first quarter in 2015 through the first quarter in 2020, Utah’s economy grew at an annual rate of 3.4%, compared to the 1.9% national GDP growth rate. Utah is one of only seven states with a poverty rate below 10%.

Even ahead of the pandemic, Washington’s economy was growing faster than any other state. From 2015’s first quarter through 2020’s first quarter, the state’s GDP expanded by 21.2%, by far the highest increase of any state. This growth was bolstered by the state’s robust information sector, thanks to tech behemoths like Amazon and Microsoft.