06/02/2026
RI economy is ranked 5th WORST and it won’t improve if voters keep electing Dems to office.
If you’ve ever sat in traffic behind a road construction project that never seems to end, waited months for a permit, or watched another young professional pack up for Boston or Florida, WalletHub’s latest ranking probably won’t shock you.
Rhode Island now has the 5th worst economy in America, according to WalletHub’s 2026 Best & Worst State Economies report. The Ocean State ranked 47th overall, ahead of only four states nationwide.
The numbers aren’t pretty. Rhode Island ranked 42nd in GDP growth, 43rd in median household income and 37th in unemployment. Startup activity came in at 35th, while the state’s share of high-tech jobs also ranked 35th. In short, Rhode Island continues to lag in many of the areas that fuel economic growth and create good-paying jobs.
Meanwhile, states like Massachusetts, Washington and Utah are racing ahead by investing in innovation, technology and skilled workers. Massachusetts claimed the top spot in the rankings thanks to its thriving high-tech economy and strong research sector.
Adding to Rhode Island’s challenges, the state ranked 49th in the nation for the educational attainment of recent immigrants, ahead of only Louisiana and Mississippi.
Of course, none of this will surprise many Rhode Islanders. For years, politicians have promised economic turnarounds while businesses, retirees and high earners increasingly look elsewhere for lower taxes, better opportunities and a friendlier business climate.
The contrast is impossible to ignore. Florida’s economy is now so large that if it were its own country, it would rank among the world’s top 20 economies. Rhode Island, meanwhile, just earned a spot among America’s bottom five.
State leaders can spin it however they’d like.
WalletHub’s report says Rhode Island has the 5th worst economy in the country.
And that’s a ranking nobody should be celebrating.
