The States with Most Recession Quarters Post 2009

Alaska and Louisiana top the list of states that have spent most time in recession since 2010, an analysis of BEA data reveals. Both states spent 16 quarters in recession (defined as two or more consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth.)

Several economic indicators (among them the U.S. treasury yield curve) are currently signaling that the U.S. economy could experience another recession soon, stoking fears among investors and businesses. According to Quartz, less people have been moving across state lines for work recently, making state-wide recessions a growing cause of concern for many.

Alaska and Louisiana, as well as New Mexico, rank highly because their economies rely on fossil fuels, which are subject to a lot of global price fluctuations. States like Connecticut and Delaware show up on the list because small states tend to be more volatile. Same as oil-reliant states, smaller economies often lack diversity. If a certain sector suffers, the whole state economy does as well.