The Challenge: Keep Washington Competitive
Today a variety of economic pressures are challenging Washington state's prosperity. To stay competitive, the state needs a balanced strategy that achieves both solid economic policies and a great quality of life.
Collaboration among elected officials, civic and business leaders, and concerned citizens is necessary to help Washington flourish. It will take a commitment from everyone — paired with measurable goals — to strike the balance that ensures Washington is a great place to live, invest, work and raise a family.
- Patents Granted
- Private Sector Job Growth
- High School Graduation Rate
- Average Commute Time
- Student Achievement in Math and Science
- Road Conditions
- Bachelor's Degrees Awarded per Capita
- Functionally Obsolete Bridges
- Electricity Rates
- Business Tax Burden
- Unemployment Insurance Taxes
- Workers' Compensation Benefits Paid
Setting the Bar: Benchmarks for a Better Washington
Benchmarks for a Better Washington provides those measureable goals. It is a program sponsored by the Washington Roundtable to track the state's economic vitality in relation to the rest of the nation, across 12 key categories.
These benchmarks provide clear, independent, state-by-state measurements that speak to the very heart of what constitutes a world-class state — providing quality education, creating a climate of innovation that attracts investment and encourages job growth, and building a transportation infrastructure that is safe, reliable and efficient.
Getting Involved: Track Washington's Progress
The Washington Roundtable encourages everyone who is interested in a healthy state of Washington to get involved and track progress against these benchmarks.
Staying competitive means continued improvement. Hard work is required to catch up, keep up and move ahead. The Washington Roundtable's mission is to help make Washington state a great place to live and work. Evaluating progress annually against these Benchmarks for a Better Washington will help keep us on track.
