The quarterly CommSec State of the States report, published on Monday, showed business investment in the ACT has dropped significantly.

However the territory remained in third place overall in an examination of states and territories across eight economic indicators.

According to the report, the big improvers over the March quarter were Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia.

The biggest losers were South Australia, NSW and the ACT.

The territory dropped four spots on equipment investment (down 25.7 per cent on a year ago) and two spots on relative unemployment.

Equipment investment is businesses spending on plant and equipment.

The population growth rate in the territory was down by 46 per cent during the quarter, while retail spending softened.

The ACT was ranked first on housing finance and dwelling starts.

The territory was one of only two jurisdictions to record growth in new home builds.

Build starts in the ACT were up 21.7 per cent above the decade-average, growing 30.6 per cent over the past year.

"Home building is strong in the ACT due to relative strength in the job market," the report said.

The value of home loans has also increased 31.2 per cent on the long term average, and up 21 per cent over the past year. The result meant the ACT remained the topped ranked jurisdiction for the indicator.

Construction work in the territory is now 6.3 per cent above decade averages, however activity was down 2.5 per cent on a year ago.

"When looking across growth rates for the states and territories, Victoria and the ACT exceeded the national-average on six of the eight indicators from Tasmania (five), Queensland and Western Australia (four), the Northern Territory (three)," the report said.

"South Australia and NSW out-performed the national average on just one indicator."

The report assesses economic performance by looking at the most recent result - such as retail trade or construction - and compares that with the decade average.

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Tasmania was dubbed the best performing economy in the country for the first time since 2009, after sharing the top spot with Victoria three months ago.

Victoria was ranked second, ahead of the ACT and NSW.

The report noted the Victorian economy was relatively stable across the eight indicators, but that this may change in the next survey as a result of the effects of COVID-19 on the economy.