On June 3, 2024, WalletHub released a ranking of the best and worst economies among the U.S. states, and Wisconsin did not fare well. Among the 51 states and the District of Columbia, Wisconsin ranked 40 out of 51 for its overall economy.
The rankings were based on three main factors: Economic Activity, Economic Health, and Innovation Potential. In terms of Economic Activity, Wisconsin ranked last with the second-lowest change in GDP and the second-least startup activity in the rankings. For Economic Health, Wisconsin was ranked 31st with factors like unemployment rate and median annual household income adjusted for cost of living taken into account. The Innovation Potential factor considered a state’s share of jobs in high-tech industries, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics employment.
Overall, WalletHub’s study revealed that Wisconsin’s economic performance was rated poorly compared to other states in the study.