Current US Economy and a Glimpse of the Federal Cost of Living Index
The Federal Cost of Living Index is designed to give us some idea of how a state compares to other states, in terms of the expenses involved in residing there. But certain economic factors, like state sales tax and housing costs, don't correlate too strongly with data shown on the cost of living index.
In any case, see the following links to make your own assessments about the US economy.
INCOME BY STATE
shows how your state ranks in terms of average yearly income.
POVERTY STATS
provides a list of the percentage of people in each state living below the poverty line.
UNEMPLOYMENT
gives current employment stats for every state.
COST OF LIVING BY STATE
is a measure of living expenses for a state's residents, as compared to other states, and to the national average. This page also gives info on housing cost by state.
SALES TAX
shows a list of states, and the basic sales tax rate for each state.
USA JOBS
is a page of useful web addresses containing various job descriptions, along with ways to apply online.
STATE QUARTERS
is a descriptive list of the only set of state-specific coins ever minted in the U.S.