PRIVATE EQUITY STATE RISK INDEX
Private equity has grown substantially in recent years and now controls over $12 trillion in assets – that’s more than the GDPs of all but two of the world’s wealthiest countries, the U.S. and China. Today, there is not a single area of American life that is not directly impacted by private equity. Every day tens of millions of Americans are personally affected by private equity buyouts – from patients in hospitals and nursing homes, to renters and homebuyers, to customers and employees in restaurants, retail, and a wide range of other industries.
The private equity business model is built on pooling money from big investors like public pensions to take over companies and quickly restructure them, often in ways that are harmful to workers, patients, customers, residents, and ultimately state and local economies. The focus is on turning a quick profit for investors regardless of the risks and consequences for communities across the country.
The Private Equity Risk Index reports on 16 key measures that reflect these risks to workers and jobs, state health care systems, housing availability, and the security of state pensions in each state. Click on the state to learn more about the risks and what states can do to protect people.
Private Equity Creates Risk for Housing, Health Care, Jobs and Pensions in States
Wyoming
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Vermont
Virginia
Utah
Texas
Tennessee
South Dakota
South Carolina
Rhode Island
Oregon
Oklahoma
Ohio
New York
Nevada
New Mexico
New Jersey
New Hampshire
Nebraska
North Dakota
North Carolina
Montana
Mississippi
Missouri
Minnesota
Michigan
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Louisiana
Kentucky
Kansas
Indiana
Illinois
Idaho
Iowa
Hawaii
Georgia
Florida
Delaware
Connecticut
Colorado
Arizona
Arkansas
Alabama
Alaska
Pennsylvania
Washington
California
Indicates states with a score between 0 and 25.
Indicates states with a score between 26 and 50.
Indicates states with a score between 51 and 75.
Indicates states with a score between 75 and 100.
Risk score from 0 to 100, Higher score = Greater risk.
Rank | State | Overall Risk Score | Labor Risk Score | Health Risk Score | Housing Risk Score | Pension Risk Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wyoming | 48 | 39 | 52 | 30 | 76 |
2 | West Virginia | 70 | 65 | 85 | 20 | 80 |
3 | Wisconsin | 39 | 34 | 28 | 23 | 89 |
4 | Vermont | 46 | 17 | 66 | 33 | 72 |
5 | Virginia | 62 | 50 | 59 | 31 | 85 |
6 | Utah | 53 | 38 | 35 | 53 | 77 |
7 | Texas | 79 | 63 | 47 | 66 | 84 |
8 | Tennessee | 78 | 50 | 54 | 67 | 84 |
9 | South Dakota | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 75 |
10 | South Carolina | 46 | 50 | 65 | 46 | 39 |
11 | Rhode Island | 57 | 33 | 78 | 60 | 46 |
12 | Oregon | 45 | 42 | 67 | 32 | 54 |
13 | Oklahoma | 53 | 39 | 46 | 51 | 70 |
14 | Ohio | 64 | 56 | 69 | 52 | 56 |
15 | New York | 10 | 43 | 19 | 12 | 50 |
16 | Nevada | 83 | 43 | 54 | 94 | 71 |
17 | New Mexico | 100 | 76 | 100 | 43 | 90 |
18 | New Jersey | 32 | 82 | 43 | 14 | 41 |
19 | New Hampshire | 50 | 43 | 59 | 18 | 81 |
20 | Nebraska | 39 | 25 | 13 | 63 | 69 |
21 | North Dakota | 15 | 40 | 0 | 15 | 72 |
22 | North Carolina | 86 | 43 | 79 | 82 | 68 |
23 | Montana | 32 | 16 | 23 | 32 | 83 |
24 | Mississippi | 71 | 57 | 55 | 55 | 77 |
25 | Missouri | 43 | 26 | 21 | 52 | 78 |
26 | Minnesota | 46 | 25 | 28 | 37 | 95 |
27 | Michigan | 49 | 58 | 22 | 27 | 91 |
28 | Maine | 39 | 16 | 45 | 24 | 86 |
29 | Maryland | 38 | 49 | 64 | 23 | 48 |
30 | Massachusetts | 69 | 72 | 40 | 44 | 85 |
31 | Louisiana | 43 | 36 | 45 | 17 | 88 |
32 | Kentucky | 46 | 40 | 62 | 38 | 55 |
33 | Kansas | 51 | 36 | 35 | 52 | 75 |
34 | Indiana | 62 | 42 | 50 | 51 | 80 |
35 | Illinois | 44 | 63 | 34 | 24 | 71 |
36 | Idaho | 42 | 35 | 33 | 42 | 70 |
37 | Iowa | 44 | 27 | 51 | 18 | 89 |
38 | Hawaii | 37 | 41 | 17 | 27 | 85 |
39 | Georgia | 81 | 56 | 45 | 100 | 60 |
40 | Florida | 83 | 51 | 76 | 69 | 73 |
41 | Delaware | 35 | 8 | 58 | 19 | 78 |
42 | Connecticut | 27 | 45 | 39 | 41 | 36 |
43 | Colorado | 79 | 46 | 63 | 76 | 72 |
44 | Arizona | 84 | 42 | 43 | 95 | 81 |
45 | Arkansas | 45 | 14 | 44 | 51 | 73 |
46 | Alabama | 42 | 81 | 52 | 50 | 18 |
47 | Alaska | 13 | 39 | 0 | 2 | 82 |
48 | Pennsylvania | 31 | 34 | 44 | 28 | 57 |
49 | Washington | 80 | 50 | 62 | 46 | 100 |
50 | California | 47 | 100 | 56 | 60 | 0 |