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AROUND THE U.S.
How Does Your
State Rank in
Fiscal Health?
G
eorge Mason University released a list demonstrating the fi nancial health of U.S. states based
on short- and long-term debt as well as other fi scal obligations such as unfunded pensions and
healthcare benefi ts. The report determined a ranking by ability to attract business, taxation versus
what's provided for that tax, and how well promises are kept to public-sector employees. The top
state, Florida, retained between 8.19 and 10.01 times the cash needed to cover short-term obligations and had
34 percent of total assets in long-term liabilities, which is roughly half the U.S. average. New Jersey, ranked
50th, had between 84 percent and 211 percent of the cash needed to cover short-term obligations and 360
percent of total assets when it came to long-term liability. Take a look at the states that fell in between
Florida and New Jersey below.
Source: George Mason University, "Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition", 2017 Edition released in July
TOP FIVE
FLORIDA
NORTH DAKOTA
SOUTH DAKOTA
UTAH
WYOMING
ABOVE AVERAGE
NEBRASKA
OKLAHOMA
TENNESSEE
IDAHO
MONTANA
MISSOURI
ALABAMA
OHIO
NEVADA
NORTH CAROLINA
INDIANA
ALASKA
VIRGINIA
AVERAGE
SOUTH CAROLINA
ARKANSAS
OREGON
GEORGIA
TEXAS
MINNESOTA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
WASHINGTON
HAWAII
IOWA
WISCONSIN
COLORADO
DELAWARE
KANSAS
BELOW AVERAGE
ARIZONA
MISSISSIPPI
MAINE
MICHIGAN
CONNECTICUT
RHODE ISLAND
NEW YORK
VERMONT
NEW MEXICO
WEST VIRGINIA
CALIFORNIA
LOUISIANA
PENNSYLVANIA
BOTTOM FIVE
MARYLAND
KENTUCKY
MASSACHUSETTS
ILLINOIS
NEW JERSEY
NEW HAMPSHIRE
