News Release
Gross Domestic Product by County, 2020
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased in 864 counties, decreased in 2,234 counties, and was unchanged in 14 counties in 2020, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The percent change in real GDP ranged from 91.0 percent in Foard County, TX, to –29.0 percent in Skagway Municipality, AK (table 1).
The 2020 estimates of local area GDP were impacted by the response to the spread of COVID-19, as governments issued and lifted "stay-at-home" orders and government pandemic assistance payments were distributed to households and businesses. The full economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be quantified in the local area GDP estimates, because the impacts are generally embedded in source data and cannot be separately identified. For more information, see Federal Recovery Programs and BEA Statistics.
GDP is the value of goods and services produced within a county. The size of a county's economy as measured by GDP varies considerably across the United States. In 2020, the total level of real GDP ranged from $18.8 million in Petroleum County, MT, to $659.3 billion in Los Angeles County, CA.
Highlights
Large counties (141 counties with populations greater than 500,000 in 2020)
- Real GDP increased in 9 counties and decreased in 132 counties.
- GDP ranged from $12.3 billion in Pasco County, FL, to $659.3 billion in Los Angeles County, CA.
- Santa Clara County, CA (4.4 percent), was the fastest growing large county. The information industry was the leading contributor to the county's growth.
- Queens County, NY (–11.2 percent), had the largest percent decrease in GDP. The transportation and warehousing industry was the leading contributor to the decrease.
Medium counties (467 counties with populations between 100,000 and 500,000 in 2020)
- Real GDP increased in 50 counties, decreased in 415 counties, and was unchanged in 2 counties.
- GDP ranged from $2.2 billion in Saline County, AR, to $48.7 billion in Morris County, NJ.
- Guadalupe County, TX (5.9 percent), was the fastest growing medium county. The durable-goods manufacturing industry was the leading contributor to the county's growth.
- Clayton County, GA (–24.3 percent), had the largest percent decrease in GDP. The transportation and warehousing industry was the leading contributor to the decrease.
Small counties: (2,504 counties with populations less than 100,000 in 2020)
- Real GDP increased in 805 counties, decreased in 1,687 counties, and was unchanged in 12 counties.
- GDP ranged from $18.8 million in Petroleum County, MT, to $12.9 billion in Reeves County, TX.
- Foard County, TX (91.0 percent), was the fastest growing small county. The utilities industry was the leading contributor to the county's growth.
- Skagway Municipality, AK (–29.0 percent), had the largest percent decrease in GDP. The arts, entertainment, and recreation industry was the leading contributor to the decrease.
The estimates for 2020 incorporate the results of BEA's annual update of GDP by county and metropolitan area that was also released today. The annual estimates of county and metropolitan area GDP for 2001 to 2019 were revised. The update incorporates revised source data that are more complete and more detailed than previously available, the results of the July 2021 annual update of the National Income and Product Accounts, the September 2021 annual update of the GDP by industry statistics, the October 2021 annual update of the GDP by state statistics, and the results of the November 2021 annual update of personal income by county.
Next release: December 8, 2022
Gross Domestic Product by County and Metropolitan Area, 2021