Index of State Economic Momentum
State economies continued to improve as 2012 began. Personal income data from the final calendar quarter of 2011 show continued growth even without the extra fiscal assistance the federal government provided during and after the recession. While a number of states still reported job losses, the losses were relatively small and were partly attributable to the government sector. Moreover, there is a tightening in state results, with fewer states exceeding or lagging the national average by extraordinary amounts.