The Fastest-Growing Industry in Every State

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Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on Filterbuy.

Economic pundits are increasingly predicting that the U.S. is headed toward recession — if the economy is not in one already. Unemployment remains at historic lows, but heightened inflation over the last year has increased the cost of nearly everything for businesses and consumers alike. With the U.S. Federal Reserve hiking interest rates to slow inflation, most experts forecast slower or negative GDP growth this year.

A potential recession could mark the end of a decade-plus of upward GDP growth. In the Great Recession, GDP bottomed out at $18.4 trillion in the second quarter of 2009. Since then, inflation-adjusted GDP has grown by more than 30% overall to $23.9 trillion, even after the COVID-19 pandemic.

One factor in the U.S. economy’s strong growth in recent years, even in the wake of the pandemic, has been an explosion of activity in the information sector. Powered by a wave of tech and media startups and continued growth among established players like Apple, Amazon, and Google, the industry has experienced 50% growth over the last five years and now is responsible for $1.3 trillion of GDP annually.

But each state’s economy looks different in terms of growth trajectory and key industries. A total of 48 states have experienced GDP growth over the last five years, and the industries leading that growth varies substantially across locations.

Filterbuy analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’ Gross Domestic Product data. Researchers looked at industries with the greatest change between 2016 and 2021, and all data was adjusted for inflation to 2021 dollars.

Here are the fastest-growing industries in every state.

Alabama

Kevin Ruck / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +34.9%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,969,566,123
• State percentage change in real GDP: +7.1%
• State total change in real GDP: +$14,185,899,189

Alaska

Rex Lisman / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +11.0%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$47,440,421
• State percentage change in real GDP: -7.7%
• State total change in real GDP: -$4,121,371,408

Arizona

Tim Roberts Photography / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +55.6%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$8,128,206,352
• State percentage change in real GDP: +18.6%
• State total change in real GDP: +$58,344,316,639

Arkansas

Henryk Sadura / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +42.4%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$2,788,671,704
• State percentage change in real GDP: +8.0%
• State total change in real GDP: +$9,697,380,175

California

trekandshoot / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +67.5%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$212,601,880,757
• State percentage change in real GDP: +22.3%
• State total change in real GDP: +$588,186,359,173

Colorado

Kevin Ruck / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +58.9%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$4,573,814,707
• State percentage change in real GDP: +15.9%
• State total change in real GDP: +$55,396,337,332

Connecticut

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +31.7%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$6,116,053,048
• State percentage change in real GDP: +3.8%
• State total change in real GDP: +$10,075,811,564

Delaware

Paul Brady Photography / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +32.9%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$590,153,984
• State percentage change in real GDP: +5.5%
• State total change in real GDP: +$3,734,689,511

Florida

PAG Photos and Designs / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +51.5%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$9,485,414,918
• State percentage change in real GDP: +17.7%
• State total change in real GDP: +$170,879,789,787

Georgia

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +70.0%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$8,731,949,408
• State percentage change in real GDP: +14.1%
• State total change in real GDP: +$77,870,963,786

Hawaii

MNStudio / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +30.7%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$747,520,291
• State percentage change in real GDP: -1.6%
• State total change in real GDP: -$1,167,689,544

Idaho

Charles Knowles / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +88.8%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$644,024,948
• State percentage change in real GDP: +22.3%
• State total change in real GDP: +$15,459,753,358

Illinois

Nina Alizada / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +48.1%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$4,594,076,984
• State percentage change in real GDP: +4.9%
• State total change in real GDP: +$40,880,175,161

Indiana

Alexey Stiop / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +31.2%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,744,254,456
• State percentage change in real GDP: +10.8%
• State total change in real GDP: +$38,618,807,983

Iowa

Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +64.0%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$7,986,006,420
• State percentage change in real GDP: +6.0%
• State total change in real GDP: +$11,087,954,766

Kansas

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +29.4%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,519,670,775
• State percentage change in real GDP: +5.6%
• State total change in real GDP: +$9,373,669,067

Kentucky

Real Window Creative / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +24.7%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$820,440,222
• State percentage change in real GDP: +7.3%
• State total change in real GDP: +$14,340,110,890

Louisiana

Fang Deng / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +23.4%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,564,684,576
• State percentage change in real GDP: +0.3%
• State total change in real GDP: +$854,898,226

Maine

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +82.7%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,137,478,125
• State percentage change in real GDP: +13.6%
• State total change in real GDP: +$7,997,168,872

Maryland

Hethers / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +36.4%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,823,240,937
• State percentage change in real GDP: +0.1%
• State total change in real GDP: +$444,192,791

Massachusetts

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +61.9%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$21,405,821,675
• State percentage change in real GDP: +15.5%
• State total change in real GDP: +$80,866,626,176

Michigan

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +41.3%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$5,019,827,463
• State percentage change in real GDP: +6.6%
• State total change in real GDP: +$32,960,900,791

Minnesota

welcomia / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +35.7%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$5,482,705,228
• State percentage change in real GDP: +8.2%
• State total change in real GDP: +$29,372,293,804

Mississippi

CrackerClips Stock Media / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +33.7%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$943,227,194
• State percentage change in real GDP: +5.1%
• State total change in real GDP: +$5,213,835,732

Missouri

Rob Neville Photos / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +57.6%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$2,909,517,380
• State percentage change in real GDP: +7.4%
• State total change in real GDP: +$22,193,866,520

Montana

Jon Bilous / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +41.6%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$964,338,788
• State percentage change in real GDP: +11.0%
• State total change in real GDP: +$5,156,567,500

Nebraska

marekuliasz / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +43.1%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$78,865,150
• State percentage change in real GDP: +8.3%
• State total change in real GDP: +$10,177,365,611

Nevada

trekandshoot / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +57.5%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$3,149,388,767
• State percentage change in real GDP: +13.5%
• State total change in real GDP: +$20,733,769,266

New Hampshire

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +189.8%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$2,649,141,054
• State percentage change in real GDP: +15.5%
• State total change in real GDP: +$12,415,558,568

New Jersey

f11photo / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +37.3%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$12,149,965,009
• State percentage change in real GDP: +8.3%
• State total change in real GDP: +$48,318,736,109

New Mexico

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +64.6%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$7,113,636,530
• State percentage change in real GDP: +10.7%
• State total change in real GDP: +$8,918,192,493

New York

THONGCHAI.S / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +53.2%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$84,349,432,531
• State percentage change in real GDP: +8.4%
• State total change in real GDP: +$127,848,537,327

North Carolina

Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Professional, scientific, and technical services
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +42.4%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$16,001,496,273
• State percentage change in real GDP: +12.3%
• State total change in real GDP: +$63,621,608,484

North Dakota

Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +57.5%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$5,422,403,721
• State percentage change in real GDP: +5.5%
• State total change in real GDP: +$3,152,664,704

Ohio

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +65.6%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$2,819,853,771
• State percentage change in real GDP: +6.8%
• State total change in real GDP: +$43,141,421,008

Oklahoma

Natalia Bratslavsky / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +43.7%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,224,836,445
• State percentage change in real GDP: +2.9%
• State total change in real GDP: +$5,897,657,248

Oregon

Josemaria Toscano / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +62.8%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$6,093,485,482
• State percentage change in real GDP: +14.9%
• State total change in real GDP: +$31,764,819,793

Pennsylvania

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +29.3%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$8,108,429,399
• State percentage change in real GDP: +6.2%
• State total change in real GDP: +$46,745,073,039

Rhode Island

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +51.6%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$1,277,736,761
• State percentage change in real GDP: +4.8%
• State total change in real GDP: +$2,677,047,184

South Carolina

Kevin Ruck / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +70.9%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$5,267,585,365
• State percentage change in real GDP: +13.3%
• State total change in real GDP: +$27,467,397,104

South Dakota

Sopotnicki / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +44.8%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$91,483,574
• State percentage change in real GDP: +5.0%
• State total change in real GDP: +$2,518,467,567

Tennessee

Kevin Ruck / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +50.2%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$3,723,163,066
• State percentage change in real GDP: +13.5%
• State total change in real GDP: +$45,992,942,170

Texas

Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +77.2%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$18,991,820,099
• State percentage change in real GDP: +17.0%
• State total change in real GDP: +$303,060,571,800

Utah

Joe Guetzloff / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +75.6%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$7,300,850,263
• State percentage change in real GDP: +25.5%
• State total change in real GDP: +$40,975,783,989

Vermont

NEKVT / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +30.1%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$275,421,370
• State percentage change in real GDP: +2.1%
• State total change in real GDP: +$638,686,384

Virginia

ESB Professional / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +40.5%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$925,391,537
• State percentage change in real GDP: +9.1%
• State total change in real GDP: +$42,094,698,471

Washington

mandritoiu / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +110.4%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$82,197,384,584
• State percentage change in real GDP: +27.5%
• State total change in real GDP: +$135,583,267,246

West Virginia

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +42.7%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$347,127,991
• State percentage change in real GDP: +3.8%
• State total change in real GDP: +$2,750,695,101

Wisconsin

Rudy Balasko / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Information
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +36.8%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$5,279,475,803
• State percentage change in real GDP: +5.3%
• State total change in real GDP: +$16,855,787,844

Wyoming

Jim Parkin / Shutterstock.com

• Industry: Management of companies and enterprises
• Industry-specific percentage change in real GDP: +150.0%
• Industry-specific total change in real GDP: +$213,178,567
• State percentage change in real GDP: +0.3%
• State total change in real GDP: +$112,837,830

Methodology

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The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’s Gross Domestic Product data. To determine the fastest growing industry in every state, researchers identified the industry with the greatest change in real GDP between Q4 2016 and Q4 2021. All data was inflation-adjusted to Q4 2021 dollars. Only industries with complete data at the state level were considered in this analysis.

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