States that lean Republican tend to rely more on federal money than those that lean Democratic. While this trend has been around for a while, 2024 data shows it’s still going strong. In general, blue states send more in taxes to the federal government than they get back, while red states receive more than they pay. On average, red states get about $1.24 for every $1 they contribute in taxes. Blue states receive around $1.14 in return.
According to MoneyGeek, seven out of the ten states most dependent on federal funds are red. The following rankings break down how each state compares, factoring in how much it receives per tax dollar, the percentage of its state revenue derived from federal sources, and its overall economic size.
Here’s how all 50 states and the District of Columbia rank in ascending order, from the LEAST dependent to the MOST dependent states.
Did #1 surprise you as much as it did us?
51) New Jersey
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 0.0
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.51
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 17.2%
- GDP (in $M): $799,305
50) Washington
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 0.2
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.59
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 16.5%
- GDP (in $M): $801,515
49) Minnesota
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 6.7
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.71
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 14.6%
- GDP (in $M): $471,820
48) California
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 7.6
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.73
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 14.5%
- GDP (in $M): $3,862,171
47) New York
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 8.4
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.65
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 17.7%
- GDP (in $M): $2,152,262
46) Nebraska
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 10.6
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.65
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 18.1%
- GDP (in $M): $178,421
45) Missouri
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 15.6
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.70
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 18.7%
- GDP (in $M): $422,306
44) Massachusetts
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 17.3
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.60
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 22.5%
- GDP (in $M): $733,860
43) Illinois
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 17.7
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.76
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 17.5%
- GDP (in $M): $1,082,968
42) Delaware
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 18.6
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.46
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 26.3%
- GDP (in $M): $93,595
41) Ohio
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 19.2
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.66
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 21.0%
- GDP (in $M): $872,748
40) Colorado
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 21.0
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.78
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 17.5%
- GDP (in $M): $520,389
39) Georgia
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 25.9
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.78
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 19.1%
- GDP (in $M): $805,397
38) Wisconsin
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 26.3
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.85
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 17.5%
- GDP (in $M): $413,967
37) Nevada
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 28.3
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.88
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 16.4%
- GDP (in $M): $239,398
36) Florida
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 28.3
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.79
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 18.9%
- GDP (in $M): $1,579,503
35) Utah
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 28.5
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.79
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 18.7%
- GDP (in $M): $272,586
34) Texas
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 29.2
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.75
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 22.9%
- GDP (in $M): $2,563,508
33) Kansas
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 31.1
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.89
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 16.8%
- GDP (in $M): $226,012
32) Tennessee
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 34.6
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.81
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 20.9%
- GDP (in $M): $523,240
31) Rhode Island
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 34.8
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.76
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 25.7%
- GDP (in $M): $77,322
30) Iowa
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 38.2
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.97
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 15.5%
- GDP (in $M): $248,923
29) South Dakota
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 39.1
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.97
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 15.0%
- GDP (in $M): $72,421
28) North Carolina
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 41.7
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.88
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 21.5%
- GDP (in $M): $766,919
27) Arkansas
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 42.1
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.85
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 22.7%
- GDP (in $M): $176,240
26) New Hampshire
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 44.3
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.90
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 21.0%
- GDP (in $M): $111,102
25) Connecticut
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 48.6
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.09
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 17.6%
- GDP (in $M): $340,181
24) Vermont
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 49.2
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.50
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 12.8%
- GDP (in $M): $43,130
23) Oregon
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 50.3
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.21
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 17.5%
- GDP (in $M): $316,461
22) Indiana
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 55.1
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.92
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 25.7%
- GDP (in $M): $497,036
21) Pennsylvania
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 55.3
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.92
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 24.0%
- GDP (in $M): $965,067
20) Wyoming
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 58.1
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.91
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 28.9%
- GDP (in $M): $50,172
19) Oklahoma
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 59.6
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.30
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 20.7%
- GDP (in $M): $254,134
18) North Dakota
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 60.0
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.96
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 26.6%
- GDP (in $M): $74,113
17) Michigan
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 60.0
- Return on Tax Dollars: $0.99
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 22.9%
- GDP (in $M): $658,992
16) Idaho
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 60.5
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.15
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 21.8%
- GDP (in $M): $118,791
15) South Carolina
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 64.4
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.60
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 19.5%
- GDP (in $M): $322,259
14) Virginia
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 71.7
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.91
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 18.2%
- GDP (in $M): $707,085
13) Maryland
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 75.8
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.79
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 21.2%
- GDP (in $M): $512,280
12) Louisiana
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 76.0
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.33
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 29.8%
- GDP (in $M): $309,601
11) Hawaii
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 77.1
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.94
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 20.6%
- GDP (in $M): $108,023
10) Maine
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 78.8
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.78
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 23.3%
- GDP (in $M): $91,081
9) Montana
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 79.5
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.43
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 31.8%
- GDP (in $M): $70,560
8) Arizona
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 80.1
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.62
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 28.5%
- GDP (in $M): $508,344
7) Kentucky
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 84.2
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.68
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 30.1%
- GDP (in $M): $277,747
6) Alabama
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 86.4
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.90
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 26.7%
- GDP (in $M): $300,152
5) District of Columbia
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 87.7
- Return on Tax Dollars: $1.71
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 32.2%
- GDP (in $M): $174,796
4) Mississippi
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 90.5
- Return on Tax Dollars: $2.66
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 25.9%
- GDP (in $M): $146,401
3) Alaska
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 93.5
- Return on Tax Dollars: $2.65
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 29.0%
- GDP (in $M): $67,337
2) West Virginia
- Political Affiliation: Red
- Dependency Score: 94.6
- Return on Tax Dollars: $2.91
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 27.0%
- GDP (in $M): $99,511
1) New Mexico
- Political Affiliation: Blue
- Dependency Score: 100.0
- Return on Tax Dollars: $3.42
- Fed Fund % of State Revenues: 30.7%
- GDP (in $M): $130,202
Raised in a small Arizona town, Kevin grew up surrounded by rugged desert landscapes and a family of hunters. His background in competitive shooting and firearms training has made him an authority on self-defense and gun safety. A certified firearms instructor, Kevin teaches others how to properly handle and maintain their weapons, whether for hunting, home defense, or survival situations. His writing focuses on responsible gun ownership, marksmanship, and the role of firearms in personal preparedness.