Economics

California Is the Most Innovative Economy in America

Southern states plus West Virginia continue to languish
Colorado was only non-coastal state to land in the top 10

Buildings stand in the skyline of downtown in this aerial photograph taken above San Francisco, California.
Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

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By Shelly Hagan and Wei Lu

April 16, 2019 at 11:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

The Golden State is living up to its nickname, with California ranking as the most innovative economy in America.

That’s according to Bloomberg’s newest U.S. State Innovation Index based on six equally-weighted metrics: research and development intensity, productivity, clusters of companies in technology, “STEM” jobs, populous with degrees in science and engineering disciplines, and patent activity.