The Massachusetts non-durable goods manufacturing industry shrunk last year with one of the worst declines of any state, according to new U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data.
Non-durable goods manufacturing declined in Massachusetts by 0.26%, the fourth-worst decline nationally behind only Kansas, North Carolina and West Virginia. Nationally, the sector shrunk by 0.03%, the only sector to show such a decline.
Non-durable goods include plastics, paper, textiles and apparel, opposed to durable goods, which include machinery, motor vehicles or other transportation equipment.
Massachusetts ranked 17th nationally for year-to-year total gross domestic product growth with a 2.5% growth slightly outpacing the national average of 2.5%.
In Massachusetts, professional, scientific and technical services showed the largest gain at 0.56%, followed by finance and insurance at 0.42% and real estate rental and leasing at 0.23%, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Retail trade grew by 0.21% and information by 0.20%. Durable goods manufacturing grew by 0.18%. Only one other sector besides non-durable goods manufacturing declined: arts, entertainment and recreation at 0.02%.
In total, Massachusetts was tied with Vermont for third in GDP growth in New England. New Hampshire and Rhode Island each grew by 2.7%. Texas led all states in GDP growth last year at 4.4%. Nebraska was last at 0.6%.
