State Liability System Costs

(as a share of state GDP)

Description

This variable ranks the costs of tort systems by state, as a share of that state’s GDP. Data come from the report Tort Costs in America, Third Edition, published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform in November 2024. This variable reflects tort costs in 2022.

Current (2025)

Current values and ranks for the 2025 edition of Rich States, Poor States.

State Liability System Costs Rank

Worst Best

ME 14

VT 19

NH 6

WA 5

ID 26

MT 45

ND 1

MN 15

IL 33

WI 12

MI 29

NY 47

RI 41

MA 23

OR 25

NV 42

WY 4

SD 3

IA 10

IN 18

OH 8

PA 37

NJ 43

CT 39

CA 30

UT 22

CO 27

NE 11

MO 35

KY 27

WV 13

VA 7

MD 21

DE 50

AZ 30

NM 36

KS 16

AR 34

TN 19

NC 8

SC 44

OK 24

LA 48

MS 40

AL 38

GA 46

AK 2

HI 17

TX 32

FL 49

State	Value	Rank
Alabama	2.26%	38^th
Alaska	1.30%	2^nd
Arizona	1.99%	30^th
Arkansas	2.08%	34^th
California	1.99%	30^th
Colorado	1.92%	27^th
Connecticut	2.27%	39^th
Delaware	3.46%	50^th
Florida	3.35%	49^th
Georgia	2.60%	46^th
Hawaii	1.64%	17^th
Idaho	1.91%	26^th
Illinois	2.07%	33^rd
Indiana	1.67%	18^th
Iowa	1.51%	10^th
Kansas	1.61%	16^th
Kentucky	1.92%	27^th
Louisiana	2.65%	48^th
Maine	1.58%	14^th
Maryland	1.78%	21^st
Massachusetts	1.82%	23^rd
Michigan	1.98%	29^th
Minnesota	1.60%	15^th
Mississippi	2.28%	40^th
Missouri	2.10%	35^th
Montana	2.58%	45^th
Nebraska	1.54%	11^th
Nevada	2.40%	42^nd
New Hampshire	1.42%	6^th
New Jersey	2.52%	43^rd
New Mexico	2.11%	36^th
New York	2.61%	47^th
North Carolina	1.50%	8^th
North Dakota	1.28%	1^st
Ohio	1.50%	8^th
Oklahoma	1.84%	24^th
Oregon	1.88%	25^th
Pennsylvania	2.14%	37^th
Rhode Island	2.36%	41^st
South Carolina	2.54%	44^th
South Dakota	1.32%	3^rd
Tennessee	1.73%	19^th
Texas	2.01%	32^nd
Utah	1.80%	22^nd
Vermont	1.73%	19^th
Virginia	1.47%	7^th
Washington	1.41%	5^th
West Virginia	1.57%	13^th
Wisconsin	1.55%	12^th
Wyoming	1.38%	4^th

U.S. Trends

Overview of states' State Liability System Costs over time.

Historical Ranks

Historical state ranks for State Liability System Costs across editions of the Rich States, Poor States.

State	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
Alabama	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	43^rd	43^rd	43^rd	46^th	46^th	43^rd	43^rd	42^nd	42^nd	42^nd	42^nd	42^nd	38^th
Alaska	43^rd	20^th	20^th	33^rd	33^rd	13^th	13^th	13^th	12^th	12^th	6^th	6^th	5^th	5^th	5^th	5^th	5^th	2^nd
Arizona	14^th	15^th	15^th	13^th	13^th	17^th	17^th	17^th	25^th	25^th	25^th	25^th	17^th	17^th	17^th	17^th	17^th	30^th
Arkansas	41^st	34^th	34^th	44^th	44^th	35^th	35^th	35^th	41^st	41^st	36^th	36^th	30^th	30^th	30^th	30^th	30^th	34^th
California	45^th	44^th	44^th	46^th	46^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	30^th
Colorado	21^st	9^th	9^th	8^th	8^th	23^rd	23^rd	23^rd	16^th	16^th	35^th	35^th	21^st	21^st	21^st	21^st	21^st	27^th
Connecticut	14^th	19^th	19^th	24^th	24^th	25^th	25^th	25^th	22^nd	22^nd	16^th	16^th	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	39^th
Delaware	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	11^th	11^th	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	1^st	50^th
Florida	36^th	42^nd	42^nd	41^st	41^st	41^st	41^st	41^st	44^th	44^th	46^th	46^th	46^th	46^th	46^th	46^th	46^th	49^th
Georgia	31^st	28^th	28^th	27^th	27^th	24^th	24^th	24^th	31^st	31^st	39^th	39^th	41^st	41^st	41^st	41^st	41^st	46^th
Hawaii	42^nd	45^th	45^th	35^th	35^th	29^th	29^th	29^th	30^th	30^th	23^rd	23^rd	15^th	15^th	15^th	15^th	15^th	17^th
Idaho	30^th	26^th	26^th	18^th	18^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	3^rd	3^rd	9^th	9^th	9^th	9^th	9^th	26^th
Illinois	46^th	46^th	46^th	45^th	45^th	46^th	46^th	46^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	33^rd
Indiana	6^th	4^th	4^th	3^rd	3^rd	14^th	14^th	14^th	18^th	18^th	15^th	15^th	31^st	31^st	31^st	31^st	31^st	18^th
Iowa	4^th	7^th	7^th	5^th	5^th	10^th	10^th	10^th	4^th	4^th	13^th	13^th	23^rd	23^rd	23^rd	23^rd	23^rd	10^th
Kansas	13^th	10^th	10^th	14^th	14^th	5^th	5^th	5^th	19^th	19^th	18^th	18^th	32^nd	32^nd	32^nd	32^nd	32^nd	16^th
Kentucky	32^nd	29^th	29^th	40^th	40^th	38^th	38^th	38^th	39^th	39^th	42^nd	42^nd	40^th	40^th	40^th	40^th	40^th	27^th
Louisiana	48^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	50^th	50^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	49^th	48^th
Maine	4^th	3^rd	3^rd	12^th	12^th	12^th	12^th	12^th	14^th	14^th	9^th	9^th	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	14^th
Maryland	29^th	30^th	30^th	20^th	20^th	33^rd	33^rd	33^rd	28^th	28^th	19^th	19^th	27^th	27^th	27^th	27^th	27^th	21^st
Massachusetts	17^th	18^th	18^th	9^th	9^th	19^th	19^th	19^th	17^th	17^th	14^th	14^th	28^th	28^th	28^th	28^th	28^th	23^rd
Michigan	23^rd	33^rd	33^rd	30^th	30^th	27^th	27^th	27^th	24^th	24^th	22^nd	22^nd	33^rd	33^rd	33^rd	33^rd	33^rd	29^th
Minnesota	2^nd	11^th	11^th	11^th	11^th	4^th	4^th	4^th	13^th	13^th	4^th	4^th	20^th	20^th	20^th	20^th	20^th	15^th
Mississippi	49^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	48^th	43^rd	43^rd	44^th	44^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	47^th	40^th
Missouri	34^th	31^st	31^st	37^th	37^th	34^th	34^th	34^th	42^nd	42^nd	49^th	49^th	44^th	44^th	44^th	44^th	44^th	35^th
Montana	40^th	38^th	38^th	43^rd	43^rd	45^th	45^th	45^th	34^th	34^th	27^th	27^th	7^th	7^th	7^th	7^th	7^th	45^th
Nebraska	3^rd	2^nd	2^nd	4^th	4^th	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	3^rd	3^rd	7^th	7^th	8^th	8^th	8^th	8^th	8^th	11^th
Nevada	28^th	40^th	40^th	28^th	28^th	37^th	37^th	37^th	35^th	35^th	37^th	37^th	29^th	29^th	29^th	29^th	29^th	42^nd
New Hampshire	6^th	16^th	16^th	16^th	16^th	21^st	21^st	21^st	5^th	5^th	5^th	5^th	18^th	18^th	18^th	18^th	18^th	6^th
New Jersey	26^th	34^th	34^th	32^nd	32^nd	32^nd	32^nd	32^nd	38^th	38^th	41^st	41^st	43^rd	43^rd	43^rd	43^rd	43^rd	43^rd
New Mexico	39^th	37^th	37^th	41^st	41^st	44^th	44^th	44^th	45^th	45^th	32^nd	32^nd	22^nd	22^nd	22^nd	22^nd	22^nd	36^th
New York	19^th	25^th	25^th	23^rd	23^rd	18^th	18^th	18^th	21^st	21^st	29^th	29^th	36^th	36^th	36^th	36^th	36^th	47^th
North Carolina	16^th	20^th	20^th	17^th	17^th	20^th	20^th	20^th	7^th	7^th	33^rd	33^rd	16^th	16^th	16^th	16^th	16^th	8^th
North Dakota	20^th	13^th	13^th	2^nd	2^nd	8^th	8^th	8^th	15^th	15^th	17^th	17^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	1^st
Ohio	24^th	32^nd	32^nd	29^th	29^th	30^th	30^th	30^th	27^th	27^th	26^th	26^th	35^th	35^th	35^th	35^th	35^th	8^th
Oklahoma	38^th	17^th	17^th	31^st	31^st	42^nd	42^nd	42^nd	33^rd	33^rd	31^st	31^st	14^th	14^th	14^th	14^th	14^th	24^th
Oregon	17^th	14^th	14^th	21^st	21^st	28^th	28^th	28^th	32^nd	32^nd	21^st	21^st	25^th	25^th	25^th	25^th	25^th	25^th
Pennsylvania	32^nd	36^th	36^th	33^rd	33^rd	39^th	39^th	39^th	37^th	37^th	38^th	38^th	39^th	39^th	39^th	39^th	39^th	37^th
Rhode Island	35^th	39^th	39^th	38^th	38^th	31^st	31^st	31^st	26^th	26^th	24^th	24^th	24^th	24^th	24^th	24^th	24^th	41^st
South Carolina	37^th	43^rd	43^rd	39^th	39^th	39^th	39^th	39^th	36^th	36^th	34^th	34^th	37^th	37^th	37^th	37^th	37^th	44^th
South Dakota	11^th	12^th	12^th	9^th	9^th	10^th	10^th	10^th	9^th	9^th	1^st	1^st	10^th	10^th	10^th	10^th	10^th	3^rd
Tennessee	6^th	22^nd	22^nd	19^th	19^th	26^th	26^th	26^th	23^rd	23^rd	30^th	30^th	34^th	34^th	34^th	34^th	34^th	19^th
Texas	44^th	41^st	41^st	36^th	36^th	35^th	35^th	35^th	40^th	40^th	40^th	40^th	38^th	38^th	38^th	38^th	38^th	32^nd
Utah	9^th	5^th	5^th	7^th	7^th	9^th	9^th	9^th	10^th	10^th	12^th	12^th	19^th	19^th	19^th	19^th	19^th	22^nd
Vermont	27^th	8^th	8^th	25^th	25^th	16^th	16^th	16^th	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	2^nd	11^th	11^th	11^th	11^th	11^th	19^th
Virginia	12^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	6^th	7^th	7^th	7^th	11^th	11^th	10^th	10^th	12^th	12^th	12^th	12^th	12^th	7^th
Washington	25^th	26^th	26^th	25^th	25^th	22^nd	22^nd	22^nd	29^th	29^th	28^th	28^th	26^th	26^th	26^th	26^th	26^th	5^th
West Virginia	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	50^th	45^th	45^th	45^th	45^th	45^th	45^th	45^th	13^th
Wisconsin	10^th	24^th	24^th	22^nd	22^nd	15^th	15^th	15^th	20^th	20^th	20^th	20^th	13^th	13^th	13^th	13^th	13^th	12^th
Wyoming	22^nd	23^rd	23^rd	15^th	15^th	3^rd	3^rd	3^rd	8^th	8^th	8^th	8^th	4^th	4^th	4^th	4^th	4^th	4^th

Historical Values

Historical values for State Liability System Costs. The years listed correspond to the actual data years, not necessarily the publication of Rich States, Poor States.

State	2006	2008	2010	2012	2015	2016	2017	2019	2025
Alabama	50.7	47.5	45.5	52.8	55.1	61.1	61.1	65.6	2.26%
Alaska	56	62.6	56.6	69.1	68.1	73.8	73.8	73.1	1.30%
Arizona	66.3	65.3	65	66.8	65.4	69.8	69.8	70.8	1.99%
Arkansas	56.5	58	48.7	57.2	57.7	67.2	67.2	69.5	2.08%
California	53.5	51.8	47.2	50.6	49.9	60	60	60.2	1.99%
Colorado	65.1	67.5	65.8	64.2	67.8	67.6	67.6	70.7	1.92%
Connecticut	66.3	63.2	62.1	63.8	65.9	71.8	71.8	73.8	2.27%
Delaware	75.6	71.5	77.2	75.8	76.5	72.8	72.8	76.3	3.46%
Florida	58.2	54.9	53.9	55.3	56	60.5	60.5	62.3	3.35%
Georgia	61.2	61.4	60.9	64	62.4	64.4	64.4	66.1	2.60%
Hawaii	56.3	51.5	56.4	62.5	62.8	70	70	71.1	1.64%
Idaho	61.3	61.5	63.9	70.5	70.5	75	75	72.2	1.91%
Illinois	50.8	51.3	47.9	51.3	48	59.1	59.1	59.6	2.07%
Indiana	68.2	69.1	69.9	69	67.7	71.9	71.9	68.9	1.67%
Iowa	68.9	68	69.4	69.5	72.2	72.6	72.6	70.6	1.51%
Kansas	66.7	66.7	64.6	70.6	67.6	71.5	71.5	68.8	1.61%
Kentucky	60.8	61.3	54.4	56.8	59	61.7	61.7	66.5	1.92%
Louisiana	47.3	42.9	39.6	46.5	46.5	56.6	56.6	60	2.65%
Maine	68.9	69.3	65.2	69.2	68	73.2	73.2	73.8	1.58%
Maryland	61.7	60.6	63.2	58.3	63.9	70.8	70.8	69.7	1.78%
Massachusetts	65.7	63.5	65.6	66.3	67.8	72.1	72.1	69.6	1.82%
Michigan	64.2	59.7	59.5	63	65.5	70.4	70.4	68.8	1.98%
Minnesota	70.6	66.5	65.3	71.4	68	74.2	74.2	70.7	1.60%
Mississippi	46.1	43.7	40	46.6	56.3	61.1	61.1	61.9	2.28%
Missouri	60	60.1	56.1	57.8	56.6	58.1	58.1	64.4	2.10%
Montana	57.2	57.3	52.4	52.2	60.5	68.7	68.7	72.5	2.58%
Nebraska	70	71.3	69.7	74.1	73	73.5	73.5	72.3	1.54%
Nevada	62	56.9	59.8	57	60.4	66.6	66.6	69.5	2.40%
New Hampshire	68.2	64.7	64.2	65.7	70.7	73.9	73.9	70.7	1.42%
New Jersey	63.4	58	57.8	60.1	59.3	63.8	63.8	65.4	2.52%
New Mexico	57.5	57.5	53.9	52.7	55.2	68.2	68.2	70.6	2.11%
New York	65.6	61.6	62.5	66.4	66.3	68.4	68.4	67.7	2.61%
North Carolina	65.9	62.6	64	65.8	70.2	68.2	68.2	70.9	1.50%
North Dakota	65.4	65.6	71.1	69.8	67.9	71.5	71.5	72.6	1.28%
Ohio	63.9	60	59.7	62.1	64.2	68.7	68.7	67.7	1.50%
Oklahoma	57.7	64.2	59	55	61	68.3	68.3	71.2	1.84%
Oregon	65.7	65.4	63	62.6	61.2	70.4	70.4	69.9	1.88%
Pennsylvania	60.8	57.8	56.6	56.3	59.4	66.3	66.3	66.6	2.14%
Rhode Island	58.5	57.1	55.2	60.9	64.6	69.9	69.9	70.5	2.36%
South Carolina	58.1	54.5	55.1	56.3	59.4	67.7	67.7	67.6	2.54%
South Dakota	67	65.7	65.6	69.5	69.5	75.3	75.3	72	1.32%
Tennessee	68.2	62.3	63.7	63.7	65.7	68.3	68.3	68.3	1.73%
Texas	54.3	56.8	56.3	57.2	58.5	64.3	64.3	67.1	2.01%
Utah	67.7	68.6	67.8	69.7	69	72.8	72.8	70.7	1.80%
Vermont	62.5	67.6	61.6	67.1	73.8	75.2	75.2	71.7	1.73%
Virginia	66.9	68.4	68.1	70.2	68.3	72.8	72.8	71.3	1.47%
Washington	63.7	61.5	61.6	65.4	63.8	68.4	68.4	69.8	1.41%
West Virginia	38	42.4	35.1	44.8	46.3	60.6	60.6	63.3	1.57%
Wisconsin	67.5	61.8	62.8	68.4	66.6	70.7	70.7	71.2	1.55%
Wyoming	64.7	62.1	64.5	72.6	69.7	73.3	73.3	73.1	1.38%

Description

Current (2025)

U.S. Trends

Historical Ranks

Historical Values

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Rich States, Poor States 18th Edition

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