Year

Rank

Trending

Patents issued per million resident

U.S. Average

North Carolina

Patents Issued

Patents issued per million resident

What does this mean?

The number of U.S. Patents issued to individuals or businesses within the state compared to population to allow for comparisons across states.

Why does this matter?

Patents are one indicator of innovation with some economic potential.

NC Innovation Index

North Carolina Ranking

15 / 51

* Source: US Patent and Trademark Office

Patents Issued

State	2000-01	2001-01	2002-01	2003-01	2004-01	2005-01	2006-01	2007-01	2008-01	2009-01	2010-01	2011-01	2012-01	2013-01	2014-01	2015-01	2016-01	2017-01	2018-01	2019-01	2020-01
Alabama	88.70	101.20	98.40	101.90	90.90	78.60	92.70	76.60	75.00	79.20	112.40	86.70	99.20	118.40	115.00	106.90	112.80	116.60	104.30	128.00	123.30
Alaska	90.80	91.50	77.80	66.30	74.30	54.00	66.60	35.30	40.70	78.70	46.20	44.30	62.90	73.20	69.20	62.30	79.50	79.60	77.40	75.00	91.60
Arizona	340.30	322.70	314.80	311.10	306.10	273.70	314.00	296.10	301.30	277.30	338.50	347.30	361.50	365.80	396.70	401.20	426.70	435.60	392.50	440.90	423.10
Arkansas	92.60	82.50	78.70	64.60	58.20	55.00	65.60	59.30	52.90	53.20	73.90	63.90	80.60	77.40	87.20	103.00	101.90	115.50	133.80	198.90	176.50
California	583.90	604.80	608.90	626.20	607.20	548.60	695.10	623.30	606.50	631.90	805.90	817.00	913.40	1,023.10	1,132.00	1,120.90	1,145.20	1,173.70	1,114.70	1,284.70	1,282.70
Colorado	479.60	476.30	474.10	508.10	500.30	425.70	497.60	412.80	382.00	395.80	482.40	468.00	528.30	602.60	664.20	636.60	621.20	626.40	572.00	657.30	644.00
Connecticut	611.40	603.30	575.60	529.20	492.50	478.20	527.90	456.70	449.90	466.30	589.80	591.00	638.90	660.50	695.80	659.60	702.00	754.30	832.80	998.60	977.80
Delaware	541.70	532.90	478.80	454.80	488.70	403.50	460.90	411.80	399.40	383.50	434.60	503.50	529.80	515.10	499.40	399.10	359.00	354.90	294.70	309.20	362.80
District of Columbia	113.60	127.10	113.40	88.00	140.90	104.00	120.90	123.60	122.40	104.70	143.70	164.40	232.80	216.40	257.70	246.70	250.20	304.10	323.80	444.80	475.60
Florida	194.70	192.40	170.90	183.40	171.60	151.70	179.50	168.30	151.60	155.40	197.50	201.60	230.70	243.50	252.90	243.00	245.70	250.60	230.20	257.90	253.70
Georgia	187.30	190.90	180.30	178.00	170.10	152.10	187.70	169.00	166.80	173.20	225.90	225.00	252.50	286.80	295.70	282.20	282.20	299.10	291.30	311.30	314.20
Hawaii	76.60	87.30	72.60	76.70	67.50	44.90	77.10	62.30	75.80	71.30	105.60	92.80	93.90	103.60	113.00	116.70	124.60	107.30	95.60	109.50	114.40
Idaho	1,242.10	1,315.90	1,399.60	1,356.90	1,309.10	1,084.60	1,169.10	922.20	786.70	633.70	739.70	687.40	613.40	638.30	640.20	550.10	489.30	440.80	481.10	590.30	664.00
Illinois	362.10	341.60	314.10	315.70	298.20	261.50	320.50	292.30	280.80	282.50	340.60	357.00	394.20	415.40	459.80	455.80	454.90	472.90	444.40	510.50	490.60
Indiana	279.20	260.00	282.80	270.50	238.20	198.50	236.70	216.50	186.00	192.90	261.50	250.60	300.20	329.80	343.40	344.60	345.70	380.50	338.10	406.50	374.40
Iowa	230.80	278.00	232.10	241.70	249.20	212.20	245.40	221.40	213.50	240.70	265.20	279.10	297.10	321.90	339.80	345.20	316.00	367.40	335.20	389.90	380.00
Kansas	176.00	141.40	185.40	180.30	197.50	165.70	210.30	187.90	193.40	179.70	254.70	280.50	381.10	375.90	357.00	343.90	324.40	306.40	306.90	313.50	310.60
Kentucky	127.70	134.20	121.30	120.00	111.70	90.10	111.60	118.60	109.30	105.90	138.20	126.10	141.30	141.80	161.60	161.70	176.60	179.80	166.90	190.50	194.10
Louisiana	129.50	125.50	107.60	96.90	85.00	65.10	84.80	67.20	72.60	70.10	78.10	80.40	96.70	94.90	104.80	95.60	110.40	109.30	105.00	109.50	110.20
Maine	118.20	121.30	129.60	126.30	105.00	120.60	117.90	94.90	102.20	97.80	165.70	152.10	167.20	182.90	166.80	170.00	132.80	158.00	170.10	185.00	168.90
Maryland	277.50	304.40	295.60	286.90	258.90	229.40	276.50	249.10	251.00	252.00	299.00	280.50	291.30	318.80	336.40	328.00	344.40	361.60	338.00	399.50	409.90
Massachusetts	603.50	620.90	597.90	652.50	608.80	515.50	681.40	596.30	602.30	619.60	801.00	835.50	918.20	1,007.40	1,046.40	1,064.20	1,087.70	1,155.20	1,116.40	1,309.70	1,275.10
Michigan	412.90	424.00	422.40	420.10	409.90	364.50	416.30	369.50	360.20	355.10	433.00	444.90	504.80	568.80	586.20	622.50	657.40	723.00	730.20	832.00	750.30
Minnesota	606.00	587.20	593.00	645.10	588.90	504.30	632.90	560.80	546.80	562.80	754.10	790.60	795.50	884.40	932.00	884.80	845.00	880.90	804.60	874.30	836.80
Mississippi	74.10	79.20	63.00	64.10	55.00	43.70	52.30	62.80	48.20	48.70	57.90	57.70	53.90	59.50	59.20	58.20	58.90	78.60	69.70	77.20	69.10
Missouri	172.80	171.20	169.70	165.50	155.70	126.40	147.70	146.20	132.70	147.10	190.10	166.90	193.30	215.30	234.20	205.90	228.00	226.30	229.50	282.90	269.40
Montana	159.30	178.60	166.70	135.90	140.90	126.60	142.80	135.80	117.80	92.50	119.10	114.30	132.40	125.20	135.90	162.90	168.90	173.60	162.00	209.30	166.60
Nebraska	173.90	147.10	143.50	138.00	130.90	116.40	134.80	142.40	119.10	124.70	138.30	134.20	181.30	182.80	211.20	178.10	192.00	183.10	163.10	219.90	220.40
Nevada	201.10	176.80	169.30	202.30	202.90	182.10	187.10	179.90	174.90	158.70	236.40	248.40	321.40	361.20	343.70	275.10	305.50	296.10	245.80	313.20	333.00
New Hampshire	547.60	533.60	517.70	570.40	527.90	414.30	502.10	470.80	399.70	462.00	609.00	609.60	597.10	674.30	713.50	690.90	758.40	834.60	736.50	835.50	807.30
New Jersey	521.20	504.10	478.90	455.70	388.20	331.50	418.70	363.20	372.70	372.20	493.80	484.50	526.40	593.50	621.20	566.60	548.10	576.70	526.60	585.20	566.00
New Mexico	190.50	213.50	209.10	215.20	201.20	140.80	180.40	152.80	146.70	161.50	220.40	198.00	212.70	225.10	212.90	217.70	249.00	263.80	255.50	277.20	241.70
New York	369.90	376.30	369.60	360.90	345.20	277.30	335.30	314.90	307.40	317.30	417.30	402.20	437.20	477.10	497.10	477.70	504.30	534.10	500.40	556.80	545.10
North Carolina	271.70	275.90	257.00	258.10	242.60	211.20	250.30	220.10	231.70	243.20	305.20	298.60	333.50	350.50	373.00	363.70	375.30	384.50	363.90	408.20	369.50
North Dakota	152.60	167.40	134.80	97.10	102.40	125.40	118.60	140.90	109.50	138.40	166.00	138.60	139.60	181.20	162.40	168.10	141.50	175.80	161.80	193.80	180.30
Ohio	353.80	350.50	347.20	340.40	298.40	237.90	286.60	265.90	273.80	262.20	345.20	338.00	355.80	371.20	377.70	369.80	360.00	386.30	394.50	457.90	460.60
Oklahoma	178.30	182.60	148.50	160.60	139.00	120.90	162.50	144.70	129.20	119.70	154.80	139.60	136.40	156.70	161.90	152.70	147.10	163.20	155.70	174.70	173.10
Oregon	426.30	433.70	488.40	526.30	551.10	511.70	690.80	613.00	576.60	528.80	609.80	612.20	631.30	678.40	736.10	695.80	817.20	969.10	841.90	959.70	965.00
Pennsylvania	325.50	312.10	295.30	287.30	259.70	204.50	254.70	237.70	226.00	241.90	305.80	286.50	305.00	341.00	350.50	330.30	337.70	373.90	347.90	370.10	370.60
Rhode Island	369.40	315.90	291.70	303.40	342.50	292.20	333.00	359.40	287.20	289.50	335.90	333.10	393.40	388.40	423.10	371.80	391.40	411.70	391.80	441.30	475.80
South Carolina	156.30	157.90	172.60	156.40	138.00	126.20	158.60	122.00	115.70	126.10	140.40	169.70	207.20	203.70	207.00	216.10	231.90	238.70	224.30	263.50	264.90
South Dakota	129.70	112.10	118.40	116.50	114.20	87.70	100.90	83.40	75.10	69.40	100.50	128.70	154.70	161.40	150.60	149.80	180.60	172.80	178.50	193.90	184.80
Tennessee	165.20	166.60	173.10	166.40	147.90	118.80	134.20	128.40	127.70	124.50	163.20	168.70	165.00	170.80	180.50	170.90	183.70	195.20	190.20	197.60	216.90
Texas	324.00	317.10	292.30	289.40	278.60	242.50	287.50	261.30	254.40	259.50	318.00	313.70	342.30	370.90	396.50	384.50	386.70	405.40	396.80	463.20	449.30
Utah	352.40	351.60	321.30	306.80	326.50	262.00	316.80	294.90	273.00	313.90	412.60	431.60	464.90	487.80	519.30	534.60	509.50	592.90	568.90	654.30	626.50
Vermont	682.40	828.10	827.00	752.60	690.40	661.60	780.20	875.70	823.50	800.20	1,067.30	854.60	807.80	879.30	974.90	751.00	752.80	737.40	621.00	596.10	575.90
Virginia	180.30	177.10	178.30	169.50	158.00	135.50	160.40	149.90	150.60	152.40	214.90	214.40	221.40	245.40	262.60	265.60	264.80	281.40	298.70	342.50	349.50
Washington	346.30	377.10	380.00	412.20	395.20	396.70	568.20	602.60	633.60	728.30	861.50	771.30	867.60	943.00	1,012.80	982.00	1,033.00	1,069.30	989.10	1,194.80	1,184.40
West Virginia	87.40	89.40	91.90	77.80	61.10	53.80	60.70	63.20	49.40	55.20	72.30	58.70	76.40	82.50	74.00	73.80	56.20	67.10	84.20	91.40	75.10
Wisconsin	386.50	416.00	389.20	380.00	358.20	316.60	385.50	343.40	340.50	332.80	392.20	377.50	400.10	436.00	460.80	446.10	462.30	470.90	465.10	517.60	503.90
Wyoming	135.50	119.30	122.00	166.80	108.00	107.00	107.10	115.90	75.10	114.30	157.70	130.40	216.80	230.00	224.60	194.40	196.50	210.30	203.80	218.90	273.00
U.S. Average	301.97	305.85	298.87	297.58	284.09	246.14	295.04	270.25	256.88	259.77	327.31	320.63	349.03	375.66	394.71	376.45	383.86	404.44	383.67	439.69	433.77