By Niccolo Conte
Fueled by strong consumer spending and a resilient job market, the U.S. economy expanded faster than expected in 2023, with a real GDP growth rate of 2.5%.
Oil-rich states were among the strongest performers in the country as production boomed. Much of this was due to the war in Ukraine driving up the price of oil, spurring companies to boost output. Other sectors, such as retail trade, also played a key role in driving growth amid robust consumer demand.
This graphic shows the fastest growing states by real GDP, based on data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Strongest State Economies in 2023
As the world’s largest oil producer, the U.S. hit a historic 12.9 million barrels per day in crude oil production in 2023—more than any other country ever.
Given these tailwinds, the top five fastest-growing states by real GDP in 2023 were all powered by the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector. Below, we show the strongest state economies by real GDP growth last year:
| Rank | State | Real GDP Growth 2023 YoY |
Real GDP 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | +5.9% | $58B |
| 2 | Texas | +5.7% | $2.0T |
| 3 | Wyoming | +5.4% | $39B |
| 4 | Alaska | +5.3% | $53B |
| 5 | Oklahoma | +5.3% | $202B |
| 6 | Nebraska | +5.2% | $144B |
| 7 | Florida | +5.0% | $1.3T |
| 8 | Washington | +4.8% | $672B |
| 9 | West Virginia | +4.7% | $80B |
| 10 | Kansas | +4.3% | $182B |
| U.S. | +2.5% | $22.4T |
North Dakota witnessed the highest growth, with real GDP rising by 5.9%.
As the third largest oil-producing state, it also has one of the strongest job markets in the country. In February 2024, the state’s unemployment rate was 2.0%, significantly lower than the national average of 3.9%.
Falling in second is Texas, whose economy surged to $2 trillion in inflation-adjusted terms. In 2023, the oil and gas industry generated about $72 million per day in local and state taxes in addition to state royalties. Roughly half of U.S. crude oil exports are shipped from Corpus Christi Bay, a port along the Texas coastline.
As the seventh-fastest growing state, Florida’s economy was largely supported by retail trade, its biggest driver. Moreover, Florida boasted the highest growth rates nationwide in both personal and property income, rising at 7.0% and 8.8%, respectively, over the year.
By contrast, some of the slowest growing states were Delaware, Mississippi, and New York, each with a real GDP growth rate falling below 1%.
Credit: Visual Capitalist
