FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A new study by WalletHub.com found that Arkansas is one of the least innovative states in the U.S.
For its report, WalletHub compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia across “22 key indicators of innovation-friendliness.” The data sets range from share of STEM professionals to R&D spending per capita to tech-company density.
Arkansas was ranked 47th, with only West Virginia, North Dakota, Louisiana and Mississippi checking in lower. The District of Columbia was slotted at #1, followed by Massachusetts and the state of Washington.
The Natural State came in 45th for “human capital” and 49th for “innovation environment,” according to the report. It also had the 48th-ranked share of STEM professionals, as well as coming in 48th for projected STEM job demand in 2030.
The complete results of the study are available here.
