Columbus, OH – In 2023 Ohio moved up two spots in the Economic Freedom of North America 2023 report, ranking 33rd out of all 50 states. The report, released by the Economic Research Center at The Buckeye Institute in partnership with Canada’s Fraser Institute, ranks every state and province in North America based on economic freedom, measured by government spending, taxation, and labor-market freedom. 

“In 2023, Ohio ranked a mediocre 33 among the 50 states, marking a minor improvement over the state’s ranking of 35 in 2022,” said Zachary D. Cady, associate economist with the Economic Research Center and The Buckeye Institute. “Recent tax reforms and regulatory rollbacks should improve the state’s future rankings, but to be more competitive, Ohio must rein in its government spending and continue making sound tax and regulatory reforms.”

The report’s latest edition uses a revised methodology to score states on their government spending, taxation, and regulations. The current rankings are based on data from 2021 (the latest year data was available). Ohio ranks 33rd among the 50 states in overall economic freedom, scoring 5.89. In government spending, Ohio ranks a disappointing 41st. Ohio ranks a mediocre 21st and 27th in taxes and labor-market freedom, respectively. 

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