As an extension of previous data analysis of world development, I looked at a comparative assessment of United States economic development as well as some countries around the world using available data from wikipedia and the CIA Fact Book. Primarily, it began as an initiative to find some relative measure to compare activity and levels of development regarding political discussions of states competing for corporate investment. Multiple factors are considered for such activity depending on the objective of the corporation and theoretically, an educated, multi-skilled work force has higher earnings.
The basic calculation of the measure is the state % of US economic activity divided by the state % of US population [US Basis]. I have additional work on a world basis for the upcoming World Data Comparison II updated blog post. The Development Metric provides a quick comparative level assessment of US development (regions and states). Since the total United States activity is the basis of measurement its metric is 1.00 relative to the individual states, although not reflected for reasons that may be obvious to some. The Metric of 4.44 and 5.37 is the World Economy basis Development Metric.
Obvious economic impacts are (1) the petroleum industry in Texas and Alaska; (2) finance industry in the Northeast; and (3) the political and lobby spending in DC (not a state but included anyway).
