Utah continues to dominate the best national state lists, reinforcing its economic development reputation.
- U.S. News & World Report Best States 2026: Utah was ranked No. 1 overall for the fourth consecutive year, the longest streak since the rankings began. Utah’s strong showings included Economy (No. 2), Fiscal Stability (No. 2), Infrastructure (No. 4), Education (No. 6), and Crime & Corrections (No. 7).
- Rich States Poor States (American Legislative Exchange Council): Utah earned the No. 1 spot for best economic outlook for the 19th consecutive year, as of the April 2026 ranking referenced in state materials.
Other recent placements have included top rankings for starting a business, economic performance metrics, such as job growth, and related categories from sources including WalletHub. Additional recognition of manufacturing excellence was highlighted by the Utah Manufacturers Association awards, innovation awards via Utah Business, and ongoing state initiatives like the “Utah Elevated” strategic economic plan.
The state’s Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity/Development and esteemed groups such as 47G actively promote the aerospace/defense cluster through incentives, workforce programs, and public-private partnerships.
These recognitions reflect Utah’s combination of workforce strengths, military and aerospace infrastructure, business climate, targeted industry development efforts and Utah employers’ unique ability to support each other and work toward a common goal even as competitors. Rankings and selections sometimes shift with new data, but Utah’s 2025–2026 period has been particularly strong for both the aerospace sector and overall economic standing.