Good News: Economists Rank New England States Very High On The Back-To-Normal Index

Let's just state the obvious: 2020 has been filled with more bad news on a national and global level than the terrorist attacks in 2001. Everywhere we turn, we're hit with one crisis after another, and we still have three months of the year left to go. The coronavirus pandemic is still a raging threat, much like the wildfires on the west coast. Thousands of people lost their jobs or were furloughed for an indefinite time. The deaths of several unarmed black men has led to random violence and protests in the streets of numerous cities across the nation, and the presidential election has further divided the country. We also heard about the potential of "murder hornets" and witnessed the shuttering of one brick-and-mortar store and restaurant after another, some of which have been around for as long as we've been alive. And this is just in the United States. There have been plenty of tragic events around the world, such as earthquakes, flooding, volcanic eruptions, gas plant explosions, and locusts. Yes, locusts.

It's time for some good news: Economists are saying that ten states are recovering from the economic crisis faster than other states, according to CNN Business. Seven of the ten are "operating" at around "88% of where they were in early March," as per the report. The rebound puts them high up on the CNN Business and Moody's Analytics Back-to-Normal Index.

Even better news for New Englanders: The top four states on the Back-to-Normal Index are in New England. Maine is at the top of the list, followed by Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire. See how the rest of the U.S. did on CNN Business' website.