Source: US State of California 2
SACRAMENTO – For the second year in a row, California ranks highest on Fortune 500’s list as the state with the most corporations generating the largest revenues. As host to 58 Fortune 500 companies, California leads the nation – followed by Texas with 54 and New York with 53.
The new rankings, based on fiscal year 2024 revenue, were compiled before the implementation of President Trump’s tariff slump, which is estimated to cost the state $16 billion in lost revenue.
“There’s nowhere better for innovation and growth than the 4th largest economy in the world that attracts and retains world-class dreamers and doers – as illustrated by the 58 Fortune 500 companies that call California home.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
California’s economic dominance
Last month, Governor Newsom announced that California is now the 4th largest economy in the world, with a nominal GDP of nearly $4.1 trillion. California’s per capita GDP is the second largest among large economies.
California is home to 33 of the world’s 50 leading AI companies, high-impact research and education institutions, and a quarter of the technology’s patents and conference papers. With an increasing state population and recent record-high tourism spending, California is the nation’s top state for new business starts, access to venture capital funding, and manufacturing, high-tech, and agriculture.
But even as a tentpole of the nation’s economy, California has not been immune to the economic damage created by President Trump’s chaotic tariff policies. The state is estimated to have lost a resulting $16 billion in revenue, and in April, Governor Newsom announced a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s authority to unilaterally enact tariffs.