CNBC’s annual study once again puts all 50 states to the test, measuring them on 135 different metrics, the most-ever, in 10 key categories of competitiveness.

44. Louisiana

Published Tue, Jul 12 20164:40 PM EDTUpdated Tue, Jul 12 20165:14 PM EDT

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Source: George Kavallines

Category	Score	2016 Rank	2015 Rank
Workforce	214	25	36
Cost of Doing Business	241	7	10
Infrastructure	164	34	32
Economy	109	46	48
Quality of Life	100	47	45
Technology & Innovation	68	46	40
Education	81	39	42 (Tie)
Business Friendliness	44	40	31
Cost of Living	56	14	20
Access to Capital	21	30	28
Overall	1098	44	46

Economic Profile

Governor: John Bel Edwards, Democrat

Population: 4,670,724

GDP growth: 1.7 percent

Unemployment rate (May 2016): 6.3 percent

Top corporate tax rate: 8 percent

Top individual income tax rate: 6 percent

Gasoline tax: 38.41 cents/gallon

Bond rating/outlook: Aa3, negative

Major private employers: Ochsner Health System, CenturyLink

Economic profile sources: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federation of Tax Administrators, American Petroleum Institute, Moody's Investor Service, S&P Global Market Intelligence