The 2008 State New Economy Index: Benchmarking Economic Transformation in the States

By Robert Atkinson and Scott Andes
November 18, 2008

In a report sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, ITIF employs 29 indicators to assess the extent to which the 50 state economies are structured according to the tenets of the New Economy. The changing economic landscape requires state economies to be innovative, globally-linked, entrepreneurial and dynamic, with an educated workforce and all sectors embracing the use of information technology. The report, which updates and expands on the State New Economy Index reports from 2002 and 2007, ranks the states accordingly. The five states ranking the highest in 2008 are, in order of rank, Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. With these measures as a frame of reference, the report outlines the next generation of innovative state-level public policies needed to meet the challenges of the New Economy, improve state competitiveness and boost incomes of all Americans.

• Large Version of the Report

• Small Version of the Report

2008 Overall Scores

Download the overall scores for each state

Related Links

2008 State New Economy Index Release Event
November, 18 2008
ITIF release event for this report.

2007 State New Economy Index
February, 27 2007

Press coverage of the 2008 State New Economy Index

• "A Guide to the 50 States and the New Economy" Business Week, January 5, 2008

• "California schools rank 49th for technology" The OC Register, December 9, 2008

• "Northern states lead in building ‘new economy’ Texas drops 8 spots to No. 18." The Austin Statesman, November 19, 2008

• "Kansas, Missouri lag in New Economy Index" Kansas City Star, November 19, 2008

• "MD. remains a leader in ‘New Economy’" The Business Review, November 19, 2008

• "Maryland, Virginia rank high as ‘New Economy’ states" The Business Review, November 18, 2008

• "Northern States Lead In Building ‘New Economy" Cox’s Newspaper, November 18, 2008

• "N.J. a Leader for New Economy" The Leader, November 18, 2008

• "RI Improves in Economic Transformation" The Phoenix, November 18, 2008

• "Hawaii moves up 6 notches in national tech ranking" Honolulu Advertiser, November 18, 2008

• "R.I. rises again in ‘new economy’ index" Providence Business News, November 18, 2008

• "Massachusetts, Washington, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey Are Top Five States Advancing Toward New Economy, Says Kauffman Foundation Report" Market Wire, November 18, 2008

• "Massachusetts: Best ‘New Economy’ state" CNN Money, November 18, 2008

• "Kauffman Foundation says Wisconsin slips in 2008 New Economy ranking" Wisconsin Technology Network, November 18, 2008

• "Maryland, Virginia rank high as ‘New Economy’ states" Washington Business Journal, November 18, 2008

• "Mass., R.I. lead New England in national tech economy rankings" Massachusetts High Tech, November 18, 2008

Hard copies of the 2008 State New Economy Index are available at a cost of 10 dollars for the first copy, and 5 dollars for each additional copy. To obtain a copy, please send an email to pjang@itif.org or call (202) 449-1351.