These 10 U.S. states have Americas worst economies [Video]

Fears of a U.S. recession have eased considerably compared to a year ago as jobs and the economy have continued to grow, and inflation has slowly subsided. But the nation is not out of the woods, and some states are in greater jeopardy than others.

Companies that are making decisions about where to locate or expand their facilities are acutely aware of this. They know it is good business to locate in a state where the economy is growing and diverse, fiscal policies are solid, and the real estate market is strong. That is why CNBC looks at state economies in ranking America’s Top States for Business. Economy is one of ten categories of competitiveness in the annual study, each one weighted to reflect how frequently states use it as a sales pitch when courting companies. Under this year’s methodology, Economy accounts for 14% of a state’s total score.

We consider economic growth and …