How a supply-side reweighting reshapes state economic rankings
Quartz recalculated its 2026 state economy ranking with a supply-side approach that doubles the weight of taxes and removes inequality from the score. Under this alternative, Texas moves up to fourth place.
Quartz’s 2026 state economy ranking was recalculated using a supply-side framework. In this version, taxes receive twice the weight they had before, while inequality is left out of the calculation. The exercise shows how changing a ranking’s inputs can shift the results. Under the revised method, Texas rises to fourth place.
A revised ranking may shape how policymakers, employers, and households view different states. If tax policy is weighted more heavily and inequality is excluded, states that score well on taxes could appear more competitive, potentially influencing business location, migration, or public debate. Yet rankings are only one input, and their social effect may depend on whether audiences treat them as definitive.