Colorado State Profile

Colorado plans to lower minimum wage in 2010 due to reduced inflation; state ranks 4th best place in nation to do business based on business costs, labor, regulation, economy, growth prospects, and quality of life; state budget shortfall deepens.

• State job growth fell 4.6% in August 2009 from a year ago; national job growth fell 4.4%.
• State unemployment averaged 7.3% in August 2009; the national average was 9.7%
• Personal income fell 2.5% to $207 billion in Q2 2009 from a year ago.
• Tax revenue fell 23.6% in Q2 2009 from the previous year.
• Exports fell 20.7% to $4.6 billion in the first seven months of 2009 from a year ago.
• Venture capital investment in CO rose 13% to $211 million in Q2 2009 from a year ago.