Latest news with #KemC.GardnerPolicyInstitute
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What are the top states in the U.S.? Here's where Vermont ranks
Vermont is one of the ten best state in the U.S., according to a new ranking from U.S. News and World Report. The Best States rankings look at eight categories: health care, education, natural environment, opportunity, economy, crime and corrections, infrastructure, and fiscal stability. With top rankings in the crime and corrections and natural environment categories, U.S. News gave Vermont the seventh spot. That makes it the second best New England state, coming in behind New Hampshire which was ranked No. 2. Vermont ranked very high in several key metrics. It was rated as the best state for opportunity, which looks at economic opportunity, affordability and equality It's one of the safest states, coming in at No. 4 for crime and safety. And it doesn't slack when it comes to the natural environment, coming in at No. 9. It also ranked No. 9 for infrastructure. The main ranking pulling it down was fiscal stability, coming in at No. 41. It's second lowest score was education, coming in at No. 23. New Hampshire's first place ranking in the crime and corrections category and fourth place ranking for natural environment helped propel the state to its second-place finish. 'The state's natural beauty stands out more for its valleys, rivers, lakes and mountains than its mere 13 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline,' said the report. 'Its highest peak, Mount Washington, stands at 6,288 feet in the White Mountains, and Lake Winnipesaukee is its best-known inland resort.' New Hampshire was also ranked 6th in opportunity, which included a first-place ranking in economic opportunity and third-place in equality. It's worst category was fiscal stability, with a ranking of 37th. Gov. Kelly Ayotte said the ranking comes as 'no surprise.' 'Today's ranking is a testament to our dedicated law enforcement officers, hardworking business leaders, and energetic, independent people,' she said in a post on X, also emphasizing the state's high public safety ranking. 'Thank you to all those who protect and serve our communities each day. Together, we will ensure our state remains the safest in the nation.' According to U.S. News and World Report, Utah is the best state in the country for the third year in a row. It earned top 10 marks in five categories: fiscal stability, economy, infrastructure, education and crime and corrections. The report said that Utah's economy has become one of the most diverse in the U.S., giving it great strength in the fiscal-related categories. "In the last two and a half decades, Utah's economy has outperformed the nation, had greater strength, and when we've had downturns, we have been able to rebound much more quickly in our state,' said Natalie Gochnour, director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. Utah New Hampshire Idaho Minnesota Nebraska Florida Vermont South Dakota Massachusetts Washington This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont is one of the top 10 best states in U.S. See the ranking
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah economy, job creation lead the nation but aren't safe from federal policies' impact
The downtown Salt Lake City skyline is backdropped by fresh snow on the Wasatch Mountains on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Utah's rates on unemployment and job growth are surpassing national averages this year and the state has kept its top spot in economic outlook ranking. But, amid tariffs, and a dropping consumer sentiment, economists warn the state is entering risky waters. The state's economy is outperforming other states, with jobs growing 2.1%, almost doubling the 1.2% national average. Utah also has some of the lowest unemployment rates, 3.1%, while that number remained unchanged at 4.2% nationally, according to a report from the Utah Department of Workforce Services released on Friday. 'Labor market indicators remain robust, with broad job expansions across industries and a low unemployment rate,' Ben Crabb, chief economist with the department, said in a statement. 'The level of job openings continues to exceed the number of unemployed workers in the state as employers promptly employ available labor.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The top private sector industries adding jobs to the state are education and health services, followed by construction and manufacturing. According to Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute data shared by Natalie Gochnour, the institute's director, to the Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday, nearly half of the state's jobs are in Salt Lake County, and 1 in 4 jobs are in Salt Lake City. 'A stunning number when you think of the breadth of the state,' Gochnour said. That's over 400,000 roles in the city. Immigration, housing and tariffs awake uncertainty in Utah's 2025 economic outlook 'We're in an elite economy nationwide, as a state, and the urban center is participating and contributing to the economic vibrancy of the state in a big way.' Utah also led the nation in gross domestic product growth in 2024 with 4.5%, compared to a 2.8% national average, and earned other top spots in the country, including one of the highest household incomes with cost of living adjustments, and the lowest poverty rate. With this economic growth, whether a recession is coming is not apparent yet, Gochnour said. However, Utahns may still feel the impact of other economic national trends, and she believes it is for 'self-inflicted' reasons, such as tariffs, which she described as 'a tax on trade.' 'A reason many of the economists aren't forecasting a recession right now is because as things start to look bad, the administration will change and come to the rescue,' Gochnour said. During the first term of the Trump administration, tariff rates went from 1% to 3%, which the Biden administration kept. Now, according to Moody's Analytics calculations, the potential rate during President Donald Trump's second term could climb to 11.5%. Estimates predicting the future economics in the country have been uncertain this year and are constantly changing. But, the latest numbers, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Gardner Institute and Wells Fargo Economics, indicate that there may be a recession during the last half of 2025, with the country's gross domestic product falling 0.9% during the third quarter and 1.1% during the fourth quarter. 'Right now, the probability of a recession among most economists is somewhere in the 45% to 60% rate,' Gochnour said. 'So, flip of a coin. We'll see.' What's already happening, though, is the free fall of consumer sentiment in the country, an index used to measure how consumers view current and future economic conditions. 'And so you got a consumer that's feeling a little funky, you've got businesses with a lot of uncertainty, so they're not hiring, or they're pausing, they're not investing, and eventually that's going to show up in the numbers,' she said. 'This should be a leading indicator to all of us.' Another fall felt in the state is a decline of job growth in leisure and hospitality. According to the Department of Workforce Services' summary, that industry shrank by 400 jobs in the last year, the second-largest private sector decline after the trade, transportation and utilities industry, which experienced the loss of 2,300 jobs. Gochnour attributes that to tempered international travel, an effect of federal policies, as well as cuts in national parks, with employee counts declining 13% only this year, among other causes. The forecast for international visitation as of March is a 9.4% decline, according to Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics research company. 'This is something that's expected and well known in the leisure and hospitality sector, that we're going to feel some pain from that contraction,' she said. However, there will also be some other balancing forces, at least for Salt Lake City, with the opening of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' remodeled Temple Square in 2027, which is expected to attract millions of visitors. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah economy, job creation lead the nation but aren't safe from federal policies' impact
The downtown Salt Lake City skyline is backdropped by fresh snow on the Wasatch Mountains on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Utah's rates on unemployment and job growth are surpassing national averages this year and the state has kept its top spot in economic outlook ranking. But, amid tariffs, and a dropping consumer sentiment, economists warn the state is entering risky waters. The state's economy is outperforming other states, with jobs growing 2.1%, almost doubling the 1.2% national average. Utah also has some of the lowest unemployment rates, 3.1%, while that number remained unchanged at 4.2% nationally, according to a report from the Utah Department of Workforce Services released on Friday. 'Labor market indicators remain robust, with broad job expansions across industries and a low unemployment rate,' Ben Crabb, chief economist with the department, said in a statement. 'The level of job openings continues to exceed the number of unemployed workers in the state as employers promptly employ available labor.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The top private sector industries adding jobs to the state are education and health services, followed by construction and manufacturing. According to Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute data shared by Natalie Gochnour, the institute's director, to the Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday, nearly half of the state's jobs are in Salt Lake County, and 1 in 4 jobs are in Salt Lake City. 'A stunning number when you think of the breadth of the state,' Gochnour said. That's over 400,000 roles in the city. Immigration, housing and tariffs awake uncertainty in Utah's 2025 economic outlook 'We're in an elite economy nationwide, as a state, and the urban center is participating and contributing to the economic vibrancy of the state in a big way.' Utah also led the nation in gross domestic product growth in 2024 with 4.5%, compared to a 2.8% national average, and earned other top spots in the country, including one of the highest household incomes with cost of living adjustments, and the lowest poverty rate. With this economic growth, whether a recession is coming is not apparent yet, Gochnour said. However, Utahns may still feel the impact of other economic national trends, and she believes it is for 'self-inflicted' reasons, such as tariffs, which she described as 'a tax on trade.' 'A reason many of the economists aren't forecasting a recession right now is because as things start to look bad, the administration will change and come to the rescue,' Gochnour said. During the first term of the Trump administration, tariff rates went from 1% to 3%, which the Biden administration kept. Now, according to Moody's Analytics calculations, the potential rate during President Donald Trump's second term could climb to 11.5%. Estimates predicting the future economics in the country have been uncertain this year and are constantly changing. But, the latest numbers, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Gardner Institute and Wells Fargo Economics, indicate that there may be a recession during the last half of 2025, with the country's gross domestic product falling 0.9% during the third quarter and 1.1% during the fourth quarter. 'Right now, the probability of a recession among most economists is somewhere in the 45% to 60% rate,' Gochnour said. 'So, flip of a coin. We'll see.' What's already happening, though, is the free fall of consumer sentiment in the country, an index used to measure how consumers view current and future economic conditions. 'And so you got a consumer that's feeling a little funky, you've got businesses with a lot of uncertainty, so they're not hiring, or they're pausing, they're not investing, and eventually that's going to show up in the numbers,' she said. 'This should be a leading indicator to all of us.' Another fall felt in the state is a decline of job growth in leisure and hospitality. According to the Department of Workforce Services' summary, that industry shrank by 400 jobs in the last year, the second-largest private sector decline after the trade, transportation and utilities industry, which experienced the loss of 2,300 jobs. Gochnour attributes that to tempered international travel, an effect of federal policies, as well as cuts in national parks, with employee counts declining 13% only this year, among other causes. The forecast for international visitation as of March is a 9.4% decline, according to Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics research company. 'This is something that's expected and well known in the leisure and hospitality sector, that we're going to feel some pain from that contraction,' she said. However, there will also be some other balancing forces, at least for Salt Lake City, with the opening of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' remodeled Temple Square in 2027, which is expected to attract millions of visitors. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Hampshire is the best New England state, ranking says
New Hampshire is the second-best state in the country, according to a new ranking from U.S. News and World Report. The Best States rankings look at eight categories: health care, education, natural environment, opportunity, economy, crime and corrections, infrastructure, and fiscal stability. With top rankings in the crime and corrections and natural environment categories, U.S. News gave New Hampshire the number two spot for the second year in a row. It comes in behind only Utah. New Hampshire's first place ranking in the crime and corrections category and fourth place ranking for natural environment helped propel the state to its second-place finish. 'The state's natural beauty stands out more for its valleys, rivers, lakes and mountains than its mere 13 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline,' said the report. 'Its highest peak, Mount Washington, stands at 6,288 feet in the White Mountains, and Lake Winnipesaukee is its best-known inland resort.' New Hampshire was also ranked 6th in opportunity, which included a first-place ranking in economic opportunity and third-place in equality. It's worst category was fiscal stability, with a ranking of 37th. Gov. Kelly Ayotte said the ranking comes as 'no surprise.' 'Today's ranking is a testament to our dedicated law enforcement officers, hardworking business leaders, and energetic, independent people,' she said in a post on X, also emphasizing the state's high public safety ranking. 'Thank you to all those who protect and serve our communities each day. Together, we will ensure our state remains the safest in the nation.' According to U.S. News and World Report, Utah is the best state in the country for the third year in a row. It earned top 10 marks in five categories: fiscal stability, economy, infrastructure, education and crime and corrections. The report said that Utah's economy has become one of the most diverse in the U.S., giving it great strength in the fiscal-related categories. "In the last two and a half decades, Utah's economy has outperformed the nation, had greater strength, and when we've had downturns, we have been able to rebound much more quickly in our state,' said Natalie Gochnour, director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. Utah New Hampshire Idaho Minnesota Nebraska Florida Vermont South Dakota Massachusetts Washington This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: New Hampshire ranks among best states in the US. See the ranking.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
U.S. News & World Report ranked the best states in US. Here's where Rhode Island landed
Rhode Islanders might have a thing or two to say about this. U.S. News and World Report released it's annual ranking for best states in country, and Rhode Island didn't make the top 10 like three New England states did, or even the top 20. But, the little state did improve two rankings over last year coming in at No. 24. The Best States rankings look at eight categories: health care, education, natural environment, opportunity, economy, crime and corrections, infrastructure, and fiscal stability. They look at three years of data. A total of 71 metrics are used, according to the publication. Those factors are then weighted going into the final scoring. Healthcare and education, for example, account for about 15% of the total score while natural environment accounts for 9%. The three New England states in the top 10 were New Hampshire at No. 2, Vermont at No. 7 and Massachusetts at No. 9. Here's a look at Rhode Island's rankings. Here's the quick look at how Rhode Island ranked in each category: Crime & Corrections No. 6 Economy No. 16 Education No. 38 Fiscal Stability No. 45 Health Care No. 4 Infrastructure No. 45 Natural Environment No. 8 Opportunity No. 24 Compared to last year, the state improved it's ranking in health care (No. 5 in 2024), opportunity (No. 33 in 2024) and fiscal stability (No. 47 in 2024). But the state lost ground in other categories, falling one place in crime and correction, two places in economy, two places in education, falling five places in natural environment from No. 3 to No. 8. According to U.S. News and World Report, Utah is the best state in the country for the third year in a row. It earned top 10 marks in five categories: fiscal stability, economy, infrastructure, education and crime and corrections. The report said that Utah's economy has become one of the most diverse in the U.S., giving it great strength in the fiscal-related categories. "In the last two and a half decades, Utah's economy has outperformed the nation, had greater strength, and when we've had downturns, we have been able to rebound much more quickly in our state,' said Natalie Gochnour, director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. Utah New Hampshire Idaho Minnesota Nebraska Florida Vermont South Dakota Massachusetts Washington This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: How does RI compare to other states? See U.S. News & World Report rank
