Federal Spending by State
Compare how much federal money flows into each state — contracts, grants, and per-capita investment for all 50 states and DC. Data from USASpending.gov FY2024.
All States Ranked by Federal Spending
Sorted by average per-capita federal spending — highest first. Click any state to see county-level data.
| Rank | State | Avg. Per Capita | Counties | Spending Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia1 counties | $76,177 | 1 | Very High |
| 2 | Alaska30 counties | $26,751 | 30 | Very High |
| 3 | Hawaii5 counties | $23,293 | 5 | Very High |
| 4 | North Dakota53 counties | $20,127 | 53 | Very High |
| 5 | New Mexico33 counties | $18,291 | 33 | Very High |
| 6 | Pennsylvania67 counties | $14,998 | 67 | Very High |
| 7 | Nevada17 counties | $13,431 | 17 | Very High |
| 8 | Maine16 counties | $13,162 | 16 | Very High |
| 9 | South Carolina46 counties | $12,573 | 46 | Very High |
| 10 | Maryland24 counties | $12,005 | 24 | Very High |
| 11 | South Dakota66 counties | $11,931 | 66 | High |
| 12 | Virginia133 counties | $11,597 | 133 | High |
| 13 | Montana56 counties | $10,872 | 56 | High |
| 14 | Rhode Island5 counties | $10,547 | 5 | High |
| 15 | Arizona15 counties | $10,366 | 15 | High |
| 16 | Wisconsin72 counties | $10,183 | 72 | High |
| 17 | Oregon36 counties | $9,747 | 36 | High |
| 18 | New Hampshire10 counties | $9,679 | 10 | High |
| 19 | Florida67 counties | $9,569 | 67 | High |
| 20 | Washington39 counties | $9,564 | 39 | High |
| 21 | Wyoming23 counties | $9,292 | 23 | High |
| 22 | Vermont14 counties | $9,245 | 14 | High |
| 23 | Michigan83 counties | $9,233 | 83 | High |
| 24 | Massachusetts14 counties | $9,034 | 14 | High |
| 25 | Nebraska93 counties | $9,017 | 93 | High |
| 26 | Alabama67 counties | $8,998 | 67 | High |
| 27 | Minnesota87 counties | $8,963 | 87 | High |
| 28 | Delaware3 counties | $8,949 | 3 | High |
| 29 | Arkansas75 counties | $8,889 | 75 | High |
| 30 | West Virginia55 counties | $8,883 | 55 | High |
| 31 | Tennessee95 counties | $8,862 | 95 | High |
| 32 | Indiana92 counties | $8,841 | 92 | High |
| 33 | Colorado64 counties | $8,693 | 64 | High |
| 34 | Kentucky120 counties | $8,665 | 120 | High |
| 35 | Idaho44 counties | $8,577 | 44 | High |
| 36 | Oklahoma77 counties | $8,510 | 77 | High |
| 37 | Utah29 counties | $8,491 | 29 | High |
| 38 | New York62 counties | $8,441 | 62 | High |
| 39 | Mississippi82 counties | $8,297 | 82 | High |
| 40 | Kansas105 counties | $8,231 | 105 | High |
| 41 | Missouri115 counties | $8,132 | 115 | High |
| 42 | North Carolina100 counties | $7,793 | 100 | Moderate |
| 43 | California58 counties | $7,657 | 58 | Moderate |
| 44 | Texas254 counties | $7,547 | 254 | Moderate |
| 45 | Louisiana64 counties | $7,424 | 64 | Moderate |
| 46 | Illinois102 counties | $7,370 | 102 | Moderate |
| 47 | New Jersey21 counties | $7,343 | 21 | Moderate |
| 48 | Iowa99 counties | $7,190 | 99 | Moderate |
| 49 | Georgia159 counties | $7,060 | 159 | Moderate |
| 50 | Ohio88 counties | $6,852 | 88 | Moderate |
| — | Connecticut9 counties | No data | 9 | No Data |
Highest Federal Investment
Top 10 states by average per-capita federal spending.
Lowest Federal Investment
Bottom 10 states by average per-capita federal spending.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which state receives the most federal money per capita?
- District of Columbia ranks highest in average per-capita federal spending at $76,177 per person. States with large military installations, federal research agencies, and government contractors tend to receive the most federal investment.
- Which state receives the least federal money per capita?
- Ohio ranks lowest in average per-capita federal spending at $6,852 per person. States with smaller federal agency footprints and fewer defense contractors typically receive less federal money per capita.
- What types of federal spending are included in this data?
- This data from USASpending.gov includes federal contracts (defense, construction, IT services), grants (research, housing, education), direct payments, and loans. The national average is approximately $7,500 per person annually based on FY2024 data.
- How is federal spending per capita calculated by state?
- We average the per-capita federal spending across all counties in each state using USASpending.gov award data for FY2024. Per-capita is computed by dividing total county awards by the county's Census ACS population estimate.