• GDP growth rate: 0.2%

Like many states, Delaware saw a huge run-up in real-estate prices during the early and middle part of last decade. Unlike many other states, the real estate market in Delaware hadn't really begun to recover in 2012, and it remained the biggest drag on the state's economy.

In 2011, there were several programs trying to prevent foreclosures and prop up prices at the state and federal level, according to Dave Kenton, a Delaware real-estate broker. In 2012, some of those programs expired, and foreclosures increased across the state.

Kenton said prices have begun to climb this year in some parts of the state, particularly on the touristy coast, but the recovery remains uneven.

NEXT: 3. New Mexico