5 Most Powerful States in the US

2. Texas

Real Gross Domestic Product (2023): $2.03 Trillion

Total Population (2023): 30,503,301

Insider Monkey Score: 2

Texas, in the South Central region of the United States, is the second-largest state by both area and population. Key sectors contributing to the state’s economy include manufacturing, aerospace, aviation and defense, biotechnology and life sciences, energy, information technology, petroleum refining, and chemical products. With a real GDP of $2.03 trillion in 2023, Texas ranks second on our list of the most powerful states in the US.