Best & Worst

Rating the best and worst states--among the 26 whose governors are up for reelection--in seven key areas.

• Cost of Doing Business Index (2005)
  Best South Dakota 71.9 with 100 being average
  Worst Hawaii 143.1 with 100 being average
  
  
• Unemployment Rate (July 2006)
  Best Hawaii, Wyoming 3%
  Worst Michigan 7%
  
  
• State Business Tax Climate (2006)
  Best Wyoming (1 out of the 50 states)
  Worst Rhode Island (48 out of the 50 states)
  
  
• Top Corporate Income Tax Rates (2005)
  Best South Dakota, Wyoming 0%
  Worst Pennsylvania 9.99%
  
  
• Venture Capital Investments (2002--2005)
  Best California $37.3 billion
  Worst Wyoming $5.6 million
  
  
• Percentage of People Without Health Insurance (2002--2004 average)
  Best Hawaii 9.9% of the population is uninsured
  Worst Texas 25.1% of the population is uninsured
  
  
• Total School Spending per Pupil (2005)
  Best Vermont $11,128
  Worst Arizona $6,036

  Sources: (from top) The Milken Institute, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Tax Foundation, CCH, Seed and Venture Capital state report, AcademyHealth, and the U.S. Census Bureau.