Real gross domestic product grew at a tepid 1.69% pace in the U.S. from 2017 to 2020, thanks to a contraction of 3.4% in 2020 — the worst in the U.S. since the end of World War II. COVID-19-related lockdowns and public health measures sent the country spiraling into a three-month economic recession that year.
But that macroeconomic figure does not reveal local economic conditions, which can vary greatly. Job losses often accompany a shrinking economy, and state government revenue from taxes decline. This can result in deficits, growing debt, and cuts to public services like school education, road maintenance, and financial assistance to low-income households. (Slightly broader, here are the states with the best and worst economies.)
To determine the fastest shrinking local economy in every state, 24/7 Wall St. calculated the change in real gross domestic product from 2017 to 2020 for every U.S. county or county equivalent with data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. GDP figures are chained to 2012 dollars. Other data comes from the Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
The fastest-shrinking local economies in every state are home to about 2.5 million residents, or about 0.75% of the U.S. population. The median GDP contraction was about 20%, ranging from -0.4% to over -50%. The median population of these local economies is 19,411 people, with communities as small as a few hundred. But several counties are considerably larger, led by New Castle County, Delaware, home to more than half-million residents.
New Castle may be the largest of the fastest-shrinking local economies in every state, but its GDP only contracted by a slight 0.4%. By comparison, the nearly 166,000 people living in Maui and Kalawao, Hawaii, experienced a debilitating 15% economic contraction, owing mostly to the hit Hawaii took to its crucial tourism sector in 2020 from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The economy of Adams County, Ohio, (population 27,776) took the biggest economic hit, with its GDP cut in half from 2017 to 2020. But unlike Maui, which recorded a pandemic-related hit in 2020, Adams County has been declining for some time, with a notable 36% GDP drop in 2018 and another 22% decline in 2019. The county’s GDP in 2020 actually climbed slightly. (Find out if Adams is the worst county to live in.)
Click here to see the fastest shrinking local economy in every state
Click here to read our detailed methodology
Alabama: Conecuh
> GDP change 2017-2020: -19.00% (state: -0.33%)
> 2020 county GDP: $436 million (state: $196,906 million)
> Unemployment rate: 9.2% (#14 highest of 67 counties, state rate: 5.9%)
> Median household income: $37,837 (state: $50,536)
> Population: 12,394
> Largest place in county: Evergreen
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Source: Medioimages/Photodisc / Photodisc via Getty Images
Alaska: Skagway Municipality
> GDP change 2017-2020: -31.13% (state: -7.33%)
> 2020 county GDP: $71 million (state: $50,161 million)
> Unemployment rate: 6.5% (#16 highest of 31 counties, state rate: 6.8%)
> Median household income: $73,906 (state: $77,640)
> Population: 1,107
> Largest place in county: N/A
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Source: ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images
Arizona: Coconino
> GDP change 2017-2020: -11.59% (state: 5.98%)
> 2020 county GDP: $6,321 million (state: $320,551 million)
> Unemployment rate: 7.6% (#9 highest of 15 counties, state rate: 5.9%)
> Median household income: $59,460 (state: $58,945)
> Population: 141,274
> Largest place in county: Flagstaff
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
Arkansas: Cleveland
> GDP change 2017-2020: -28.25% (state: 0.93%)
> 2020 county GDP: $96 million (state: $114,943 million)
> Unemployment rate: 5.5% (#41 highest of 75 counties, state rate: 5.1%)
> Median household income: $46,684 (state: $47,597)
> Population: 8,128
> Largest place in county: Rison
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Source: CampPhoto / iStock via Getty Images
California: Tuolumne
> GDP change 2017-2020: -10.67% (state: 4.80%)
> 2020 county GDP: $2,194 million (state: $2,663,666 million)
> Unemployment rate: 5.2% (#42 highest of 58 counties, state rate: 6.0%)
> Median household income: $60,108 (state: $75,235)
> Population: 54,045
> Largest place in county: Phoenix Lake-Cedar Ridge
Colorado: Montezuma
> GDP change 2017-2020: -26.88% (state: 4.86%)
> 2020 county GDP: $1,699 million (state: $346,011 million)
> Unemployment rate: 5.1% (#24 highest of 64 counties, state rate: 4.3%)
> Median household income: $49,470 (state: $72,331)
> Population: 26,031
> Largest place in county: Cortez
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Connecticut: New London
> GDP change 2017-2020: -9.12% (state: -4.64%)
> 2020 county GDP: $15,557 million (state: $235,889 million)
> Unemployment rate: 5.6% (#4 highest of 8 counties, state rate: 6.0%)
> Median household income: $73,490 (state: $78,444)
> Population: 267,390
> Largest place in county: Norwich
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Source: Ultima_Gaina / iStock via Getty Images
Delaware: New Castle
> GDP change 2017-2020: -0.40% (state: 2.06%)
> 2020 county GDP: $42,842 million (state: $62,056 million)
> Unemployment rate: 5.9% (#1 highest of 3 counties, state rate: 5.5%)
> Median household income: $73,892 (state: $68,287)
> Population: 556,165
> Largest place in county: Wilmington
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
Florida: Calhoun
> GDP change 2017-2020: -13.84% (state: 3.40%)
> 2020 county GDP: $230 million (state: $944,001 million)
> Unemployment rate: 5.9% (#31 highest of 67 counties, state rate: 5.6%)
> Median household income: $38,568 (state: $55,660)
> Population: 14,362
> Largest place in county: Blountstown
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Georgia: Monroe
> GDP change 2017-2020: -27.65% (state: 2.25%)
> 2020 county GDP: $1,102 million (state: $536,693 million)
> Unemployment rate: 7.0% (#48 highest of 159 counties, state rate: 5.6%)
> Median household income: $54,754 (state: $58,700)
> Population: 27,171
> Largest place in county: Forsyth
Source: 7Michael / iStock via Getty Images
Hawaii: Maui + Kalawao
> GDP change 2017-2020: -15.32% (state: -10.53%)
> 2020 county GDP: $7,325 million (state: $70,625 million)
> Unemployment rate: 4.0% (#2 highest of 5 counties, state rate: 4.0%)
> Median household income: $80,948 (state: $81,275)
> Population: 165,979
> Largest place in county: Kahului
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Source: Solidago / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Idaho: Clark
> GDP change 2017-2020: -14.25% (state: 9.97%)
> 2020 county GDP: $47 million (state: $73,655 million)
> Unemployment rate: 3.3% (#34 highest of 44 counties, state rate: 4.3%)
> Median household income: $46,154 (state: $55,785)
> Population: 913
> Largest place in county: Dubois
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Illinois: Pulaski
> GDP change 2017-2020: -28.69% (state: -2.38%)
> 2020 county GDP: $150 million (state: $737,644 million)
> Unemployment rate: 9.1% (#4 highest of 102 counties, state rate: 5.9%)
> Median household income: $34,640 (state: $65,886)
> Population: 5,510
> Largest place in county: Mounds
Indiana: Spencer
> GDP change 2017-2020: -26.05% (state: 1.23%)
> 2020 county GDP: $849 million (state: $329,863 million)
> Unemployment rate: 2.9% (#80 highest of 92 counties, state rate: 4.8%)
> Median household income: $57,305 (state: $56,303)
> Population: 20,447
> Largest place in county: Santa Claus
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Iowa: Osceola
> GDP change 2017-2020: -22.52% (state: -0.45%)
> 2020 county GDP: $359 million (state: $169,420 million)
> Unemployment rate: 2.9% (#66 highest of 99 counties, state rate: 3.7%)
> Median household income: $59,725 (state: $60,523)
> Population: 6,052
> Largest place in county: Sibley
Source: library_of_congress / Flickr
Kansas: Haskell
> GDP change 2017-2020: -42.17% (state: 0.88%)
> 2020 county GDP: $337 million (state: $156,770 million)
> Unemployment rate: 3.2% (#57 highest of 105 counties, state rate: 4.0%)
> Median household income: $55,064 (state: $59,597)
> Population: 4,018
> Largest place in county: Sublette
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Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
Kentucky: Webster
> GDP change 2017-2020: -33.24% (state: -0.18%)
> 2020 county GDP: $391 million (state: $185,535 million)
> Unemployment rate: 4.9% (#87 highest of 120 counties, state rate: 5.5%)
> Median household income: $42,119 (state: $50,589)
> Population: 13,068
> Largest place in county: Providence
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Louisiana: Cameron
> GDP change 2017-2020: -36.75% (state: -4.91%)
> 2020 county GDP: $1,041 million (state: $222,297 million)
> Unemployment rate: 4.6% (#57 highest of 64 counties, state rate: 6.4%)
> Median household income: $53,423 (state: $49,469)
> Population: 6,930
> Largest place in county: Hackberry
Maine: Sagadahoc
> GDP change 2017-2020: -17.99% (state: 3.70%)
> 2020 county GDP: $1,365 million (state: $58,757 million)
> Unemployment rate: 2.4% (#16 highest of 16 counties, state rate: 4.1%)
> Median household income: $63,694 (state: $57,918)
> Population: 35,452
> Largest place in county: Bath
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Maryland: Caroline
> GDP change 2017-2020: -19.47% (state: -3.72%)
> 2020 county GDP: $1,041 million (state: $353,053 million)
> Unemployment rate: 4.9% (#9 highest of 24 counties, state rate: 5.0%)
> Median household income: $58,638 (state: $84,805)
> Population: 33,049
> Largest place in county: Denton
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Massachusetts: Berkshire
> GDP change 2017-2020: -7.05% (state: 2.92%)
> 2020 county GDP: $5,903 million (state: $498,577 million)
> Unemployment rate: 4.8% (#9 highest of 14 counties, state rate: 4.8%)
> Median household income: $59,230 (state: $81,215)
> Population: 126,425
> Largest place in county: Pittsfield
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Michigan: Luce
> GDP change 2017-2020: -10.31% (state: -2.64%)
> 2020 county GDP: $135 million (state: $445,683 million)
> Unemployment rate: 6.4% (#29 highest of 83 counties, state rate: 5.9%)
> Median household income: $45,469 (state: $57,144)
> Population: 6,338
> Largest place in county: Newberry
Minnesota: Roseau
> GDP change 2017-2020: -28.15% (state: -0.63%)
> 2020 county GDP: $967 million (state: $326,636 million)
> Unemployment rate: 2.5% (#70 highest of 87 counties, state rate: 3.6%)
> Median household income: $62,202 (state: $71,306)
> Population: 15,361
> Largest place in county: Roseau
Mississippi: Smith
> GDP change 2017-2020: -24.34% (state: 18.86%)
> 2020 county GDP: $325 million (state: $99,667 million)
> Unemployment rate: 4.3% (#77 highest of 82 counties, state rate: 7.4%)
> Median household income: $43,105 (state: $45,081)
> Population: 16,009
> Largest place in county: Taylorsville
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Source: library_of_congress / Flickr
Missouri: Audrain
> GDP change 2017-2020: -13.87% (state: 0.17%)
> 2020 county GDP: $868 million (state: $282,654 million)
> Unemployment rate: 4.6% (#48 highest of 115 counties, state rate: 4.5%)
> Median household income: $44,261 (state: $55,461)
> Population: 25,644
> Largest place in county: Mexico
Montana: Treasure
> GDP change 2017-2020: -20.30% (state: 0.54%)
> 2020 county GDP: $80 million (state: $46,158 million)
> Unemployment rate: 4.2% (#20 highest of 56 counties, state rate: 4.0%)
> Median household income: $43,047 (state: $54,970)
> Population: 668
> Largest place in county: Hysham
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Nebraska: Morrill
> GDP change 2017-2020: -30.73% (state: 2.78%)
> 2020 county GDP: $437 million (state: $117,665 million)
> Unemployment rate: 6.9% (#2 highest of 93 counties, state rate: 3.3%)
> Median household income: $46,194 (state: $61,439)
> Population: 4,781
> Largest place in county: Bridgeport
Source: BOB WESTON / Getty Images
Nevada: Esmeralda
> GDP change 2017-2020: -37.17% (state: -15.14%)
> 2020 county GDP: $38 million (state: $145,219 million)
> Unemployment rate: 2.9% (#15 highest of 17 counties, state rate: 6.1%)
> Median household income: $37,375 (state: $60,365)
> Population: 969
> Largest place in county: N/A
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
New Hampshire: Belknap
> GDP change 2017-2020: -4.18% (state: 1.94%)
> 2020 county GDP: $2,494 million (state: $75,543 million)
> Unemployment rate: 3.9% (#3 highest of 10 counties, state rate: 3.6%)
> Median household income: $69,447 (state: $76,768)
> Population: 60,887
> Largest place in county: Laconia
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Source: ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images
New Jersey: Atlantic
> GDP change 2017-2020: -8.75% (state: -0.23%)
> 2020 county GDP: $11,075 million (state: $535,795 million)
> Unemployment rate: 8.4% (#1 highest of 21 counties, state rate: 5.5%)
> Median household income: $62,110 (state: $82,545)
> Population: 266,105
> Largest place in county: Atlantic City
Source: travelview / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
New Mexico: Grant
> GDP change 2017-2020: -18.88% (state: 4.12%)
> 2020 county GDP: $945 million (state: $92,697 million)
> Unemployment rate: 7.1% (#16 highest of 33 counties, state rate: 6.6%)
> Median household income: $37,843 (state: $49,754)
> Population: 27,669
> Largest place in county: Silver City
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New York: Greene
> GDP change 2017-2020: -15.09% (state: 0.04%)
> 2020 county GDP: $1,924 million (state: $1,420,141 million)
> Unemployment rate: 3.9% (#55 highest of 62 counties, state rate: 5.4%)
> Median household income: $53,601 (state: $68,486)
> Population: 47,424
> Largest place in county: Catskill
North Carolina: Jones
> GDP change 2017-2020: -16.44% (state: 0.56%)
> 2020 county GDP: $171 million (state: $499,518 million)
> Unemployment rate: 10.2% (#5 highest of 100 counties, state rate: 5.5%)
> Median household income: $38,158 (state: $54,602)
> Population: 9,594
> Largest place in county: Maysville
North Dakota: Grant
> GDP change 2017-2020: -37.56% (state: 0.92%)
> 2020 county GDP: $114 million (state: $54,581 million)
> Unemployment rate: 2.6% (#18 highest of 53 counties, state rate: 2.7%)
> Median household income: $50,938 (state: $64,894)
> Population: 2,353
> Largest place in county: Elgin
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Ohio: Adams
> GDP change 2017-2020: -50.49% (state: -23.12%)
> 2020 county GDP: $681 million (state: $589,898 million)
> Unemployment rate: 5.4% (#27 highest of 88 counties, state rate: 5.3%)
> Median household income: $39,079 (state: $56,602)
> Population: 27,776
> Largest place in county: West Union
Oklahoma: Choctaw
> GDP change 2017-2020: -26.01% (state: -1.73%)
> 2020 county GDP: $308 million (state: $190,894 million)
> Unemployment rate: 7.6% (#8 highest of 77 counties, state rate: 5.0%)
> Median household income: $34,489 (state: $52,919)
> Population: 14,807
> Largest place in county: Hugo
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Source: ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images
Oregon: Wheeler
> GDP change 2017-2020: -19.91% (state: 6.62%)
> 2020 county GDP: $29 million (state: $212,850 million)
> Unemployment rate: 6.8% (#14 highest of 36 counties, state rate: 5.5%)
> Median household income: $40,926 (state: $62,818)
> Population: 1,415
> Largest place in county: Fossil
Pennsylvania: Indiana
> GDP change 2017-2020: -12.88% (state: -1.51%)
> 2020 county GDP: $3,403 million (state: $683,774 million)
> Unemployment rate: 6.6% (#5 highest of 67 counties, state rate: 5.3%)
> Median household income: $49,320 (state: $61,744)
> Population: 85,032
> Largest place in county: Indiana
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Rhode Island: Kent
> GDP change 2017-2020: -5.64% (state: -2.27%)
> 2020 county GDP: $8,094 million (state: $51,415 million)
> Unemployment rate: 4.0% (#4 highest of 5 counties, state rate: 5.4%)
> Median household income: $73,521 (state: $67,167)
> Population: 163,869
> Largest place in county: Warwick
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South Carolina: Fairfield
> GDP change 2017-2020: -29.39% (state: 2.96%)
> 2020 county GDP: $928 million (state: $208,480 million)
> Unemployment rate: 6.3% (#26 highest of 46 counties, state rate: 5.7%)
> Median household income: $38,213 (state: $53,199)
> Population: 22,565
> Largest place in county: Winnsboro
South Dakota: Harding
> GDP change 2017-2020: -34.12% (state: 1.75%)
> 2020 county GDP: $71 million (state: $46,683 million)
> Unemployment rate: 2.4% (#35 highest of 66 counties, state rate: 3.4%)
> Median household income: $59,655 (state: $58,275)
> Population: 1,306
> Largest place in county: Buffalo
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Tennessee: Humphreys
> GDP change 2017-2020: -23.36% (state: -0.66%)
> 2020 county GDP: $614 million (state: $316,325 million)
> Unemployment rate: 7.5% (#19 highest of 95 counties, state rate: 5.2%)
> Median household income: $45,667 (state: $53,320)
> Population: 18,435
> Largest place in county: Waverly
Texas: Stonewall
> GDP change 2017-2020: -43.66% (state: 3.01%)
> 2020 county GDP: $183 million (state: $1,734,321 million)
> Unemployment rate: 2.6% (#222 highest of 254 counties, state rate: 5.0%)
> Median household income: $51,250 (state: $61,874)
> Population: 1,476
> Largest place in county: Aspermont
Utah: Piute
> GDP change 2017-2020: -25.52% (state: 11.01%)
> 2020 county GDP: $60 million (state: $171,370 million)
> Unemployment rate: 5.7% (#6 highest of 29 counties, state rate: 3.6%)
> Median household income: $42,813 (state: $71,621)
> Population: 1,866
> Largest place in county: Circleville
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Source: ErikaMitchell / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Vermont: Lamoille
> GDP change 2017-2020: -7.73% (state: -2.89%)
> 2020 county GDP: $954 million (state: $28,649 million)
> Unemployment rate: 3.7% (#9 highest of 14 counties, state rate: 3.6%)
> Median household income: $64,003 (state: $61,973)
> Population: 25,318
> Largest place in county: Morrisville
Source: ablokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Virginia: Wythe
> GDP change 2017-2020: -23.29% (state: 1.52%)
> 2020 county GDP: $1,175 million (state: $473,817 million)
> Unemployment rate: 5.6% (#43 highest of 133 counties, state rate: 4.5%)
> Median household income: $49,364 (state: $74,222)
> Population: 28,844
> Largest place in county: Wytheville
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Source: Craig Baker / iStock via Getty Images
Washington: Pend Oreille
> GDP change 2017-2020: -14.30% (state: -2.84%)
> 2020 county GDP: $458 million (state: $532,862 million)
> Unemployment rate: 7.3% (#5 highest of 39 counties, state rate: 4.9%)
> Median household income: $50,591 (state: $73,775)
> Population: 13,377
> Largest place in county: Newport
West Virginia: Mingo
> GDP change 2017-2020: -29.20% (state: -2.45%)
> 2020 county GDP: $501 million (state: $69,712 million)
> Unemployment rate: 14.3% (#3 highest of 55 counties, state rate: 6.5%)
> Median household income: $32,764 (state: $46,711)
> Population: 24,290
> Largest place in county: Williamson
Source: Michael-Tatman / iStock via Getty Images
Wisconsin: Lincoln
> GDP change 2017-2020: -15.23% (state: -0.20%)
> 2020 county GDP: $1,118 million (state: $291,716 million)
> Unemployment rate: 3.9% (#22 highest of 72 counties, state rate: 3.6%)
> Median household income: $58,541 (state: $61,747)
> Population: 27,744
> Largest place in county: Merrill
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Source: jmoor17 / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Wyoming: Uinta
> GDP change 2017-2020: -15.64% (state: 6.56%)
> 2020 county GDP: $791 million (state: $36,257 million)
> Unemployment rate: 6.3% (#3 highest of 23 counties, state rate: 4.4%)
> Median household income: $63,403 (state: $64,049)
> Population: 20,479
> Largest place in county: Evanston
Methodology
To determine the fastest shrinking local economy in every state, 24/7 Wall St. calculated the change in real gross domestic product from 2017 to 2020 for every U.S. county or county equivalent with data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. GDP figures are chained to 2012 dollars.
Unemployment rate, median household income, population are five year estimates for 2019 from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Largest place in the county is based on ACS population estimates and places can include cities, towns, villages, and census designated places. ACS data for Maui + Kalawao in Hawaii is for Maui alone (Kalawao County has a population of 66). The unemployment data for Treasure, Montana, is annual for 2019 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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