A State-by-State Assessment of America's Economic Health and a Prescription for Change

The Stress Test | A State-by-State Assessment of America's Economic Health and a Prescription for Change | By Eric Lotke, Alex Carter, Molly Swartz | Institute for America's Future | May 14th, 2008

Read the full report (PDF) | State stress test statistics

What "The Stress Test" Measures

Jobs

• Unemployment rates and changes in unemployment rates (March 2000-March 2008)
  
• Changes in the number of goods-producing and service-providing jobs (March 2000-March 2008)
  
• Changes in available construction jobs (March 2000-2008)
  
• Changes in available manufacturing jobs (March 2000-2008)
  
• Changes in average weekly wage (Q3 2001-Q3 2007)
  

Costs and quality of life

• People without health insurance, per 1,000 residents; rate and change over time; overall and employer-based (2000-2006)
  
• Population spending 25 percent of pre-tax income on health care; rate and change (2000-2008)
  
• Public college tuition as a percentage of income; rate and change over time (2000-2001 – 2006-2007)
  
• Bankruptcy, per capita; rate and change over time (2006-2007)
• Foreclosures, per capita (2007)
• Average price of gas, change over time(January 2000-February 2008) ...