Growth in Massachusetts was spread across several industries. Durable goods manufacturing was the biggest contributor to growth in its $342 billion GDP, adding almost 1 percentage point to the state's 4.2 percent rise. Real estate picked up, too, adding a little less than 1 percentage point to the state’s economic growth. Although Massachusetts lost about 4 percent of its jobs during the recession, it has added back about a third of those since 2009.

Feature Photo Service for Yankee Candle Company / File
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick listens to a question from an employee of Yankee Candle Company in Deerfield, Mass., during a town hall meeting in this October 2010 file photo. The biggest contributors to the state's GDP growth are durable goods manufacturing and real estate.