Ranking our state’s business climate

I love statistics and nothing has more statistics than the Red Book of 2017 Competitiveness.  Funded by the Association of Washington Business and undertaken by the Washington Research Council, the publication sheds light on just where Washington stands among states.

For example – -Washington is the 13th largest state in the country based on population  With 7,170,000 people Washington is  larger than number 14 – Arizona with 6.8 million.  Helping out the state’s growth in population is in-migration of 67,000 people last year, including 28,000 from out of the country.

Accounting for the population growth is jobs.  Last year, more than 100,000 jobs were added to the economy, putting the state fifth in the country for job growth; and fourth for job growth over the past 10 years.   More jobs equal more income and Washington was 12th in personal income with an average of $51,000.   In addition, the state added 11 percent more new businesses while losing 9.5 percent   That equates in my book to a 2.5 percent growth in new businesses.

The state ranks 22nd in state and local taxes but ranks 11th in business taxes.   Washington has the second highest gas tax in the country at 49.4 cents per gallon, eclipsed only by Pennsylvania with 51.4 cents.

An additional fact – – Washington ranks 46 in the number of state and local government employees per 1000 residents, but ranks 14th in average government salary at $62,000.

Copies of the Red Book, which contains dozens of other interesting facts, can be obtained at the Association of Washington Business office in Olympia.