Rhode Island

Rhode Island's small size creates distinctive economics: the entire state functions as a single metropolitan area centered on Providence. This concentration enables density-dependent industries despite the modest population. Healthcare has emerged as the dominant employer, with Lifespan and Care New England hospital systems providing stability that manufacturing once offered.

The jewelry industry that once defined Rhode Island has largely offshored, leaving behind design expertise and specialty manufacturing that serves fashion brands. Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design anchor education and creative sectors, generating talent that often leaves for larger metros but sometimes stays to build businesses in Providence's increasingly vibrant downtown.

The state's location between Boston and New York creates pass-through dynamics—it's easier to commute to either than to find equivalent employment locally. This makes Rhode Island partially dependent on its neighbors' economies while struggling to develop independent economic identity. Small size means any major employer's decision disproportionately impacts the entire state, creating volatility that larger states absorb within regional variations.