Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the last quarter of 2020. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the percent change increase in real GDP ranged from 10.9 percent in Nevada to 2.9 percent in the District of Columbia.

Nationwide, growth in real GDP, measured on a seasonally adjusted annual rate basis, increased 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2021, after an increase of 4.3 percent in the previous quarter. The increase in real GDP reflected the continued economic recovery, reopening of establishments, and continued government response related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Durable goods manufacturing; professional, scientific, and technical services; and information services were the leading contributors to the increase in real GDP across the country.

Regionally, real GDP growth increased in all the regions from the fourth quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2021. The percent change in real GDP ranged from 4.8 percent increase in Southwest region (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) to 7.8 percent increase in the Rocky Mountain region (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming).

Overall, 15 out of 22 industry groups contributed to the increase in real GDP. Arts, entertainment, and recreation; administrative and support and waste management and remediation services; and accommodation and food services industry groups had the largest percent change from the preceding period during this time.

At the state level, accommodation and food services was the leading contributor to the increase in Nevada (10.9 percent), the state with the highest real GDP growth. Durable goods manufacturing contributed to the real GDP increase in Utah (9.2 percent), the state with the second largest increase.

Tags: gdp, macroeconomics, state and local markets, state GDP