Mapped: U.S. Federal Tax Revenue Per Person, by State
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Mapped: U.S. Federal Tax Revenue Per Person, by State

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See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Mapped: U.S. Federal Tax Revenue Per Person, by State

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

  • Delaware paid the most in federal taxes per person in 2023: $24,575 per resident.
  • Washington, DC, contributed an outsized $54,612 per person—more than double any U.S. state.
  • West Virginia, Mississippi, and New Mexico paid the least per capita, each under $6,000.

In 2023, the U.S. federal government collected $4.67 trillion in taxes and redistributed $4.56 trillion back to states and residents. But which states contributed the most—and least—on a per-person basis?

This dataset, originally published by USAFacts, shows how much federal revenue each state generated per capita.

RankStateFederal tax revenue per capita (FY 2023)
1Delaware$24,575
2Massachusetts$21,747
3Minnesota$20,728
4Connecticut$19,785
5Washington$19,783
6New Jersey$19,248
7New York$18,940
8Missouri$18,216
9Rhode Island$17,083
10Illinois$16,880
11Nebraska$16,023
12Ohio$15,761
13Colorado$14,549
14California$14,515
15Florida$13,563
16Texas$13,441
17Pennsylvania$13,396
18Tennessee$13,369
19Virginia$13,050
20Arkansas$12,824
21New Hampshire$12,601
22Wyoming$12,365
23Georgia$12,069
24Maryland$12,028
25South Dakota$12,023
26North Dakota$11,958
27Wisconsin$11,703
28Indiana$11,594
29North Carolina$11,084
30Kansas$11,022
31Nevada$10,810
32Utah$10,743
33Kentucky$10,584
34Michigan$10,482
35Iowa$10,454
36Louisiana$9,728
37Oregon$9,638
38Arizona$9,468
39Oklahoma$9,392
40Alaska$9,150
41Idaho$9,009
42Montana$8,799
43Vermont$8,726
44Maine$8,311
45Hawaii$7,855
46Alabama$7,001
47South Carolina$7,000
48New Mexico$5,882
49Mississippi$5,148
50West Virginia$4,867

Delaware led all states with $24,575 in federal taxes paid per resident, driven by high levels of business incorporation. Massachusetts ($21,747) and Minnesota ($20,728) followed, thanks to high average incomes. Meanwhile, the lowest contributors per person were West Virginia ($4,867), Mississippi ($5,148), and New Mexico ($5,882).

The Population-Revenue Disconnect

While California, Texas, New York, and Florida are the top contributors in absolute terms, collectively making up more than a third of all U.S. federal revenue, the per capita view tells a different story.

Smaller states with wealthy or business-friendly profiles, like Connecticut and New Jersey, rank much higher in per-person contributions.

Washington, D.C., is an outlier, contributing $54,612 per resident. That’s more than twice the amount of the top state. This is largely due to the city’s dense concentration of high-income earners and government-affiliated economic activity.

Do States Get Back What They Pay In?

Not all federal dollars stay in Washington. Most are returned to residents and states through entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicaid, as well as infrastructure, education, and defense.

However, some states get more than they give. In 2023, 19 states were net contributors—sending more to the federal government than they received. New York tops that list with a $89 billion net outflow. Conversely, Virginia received about $79 billion more than it paid in, largely due to defense spending.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

Explore how federal money moves over time in our recommended Voronoi post: U.S. Federal Government Finances Over Time.

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This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

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Wealth

Mapped: Annual Retirement Costs by State

Explore annual retirement costs by state, from the most expensive places like Hawaii to budget-friendly options in the Midwest & South.

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Mapped: Annual Retirement Costs by State

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Hawaii is the most expensive state to retire comfortably in, requiring nearly $130K per year
  • That’s more than double of the cheapest states, which include West Virginia ($58K annually) and Oklahoma ($60K annually)

Retirement costs can vary dramatically depending on where you live in the United States.

While some states offer an affordable path to a comfortable retirement, others demand six-figure annual budgets. This infographic maps the annual cost of retirement across all 50 U.S. states, revealing the most and least expensive places for retirees.

Data and Methodology

The data for this visualization comes from GOBankingRates.

They analyzed the following expenditures of Americans aged 65 and older, based on data sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) most recent Consumer Expenditure Survey release for the full year of 2023:

  • 🍎 Annual spending on groceries, defined as “food at home”
  • 🏠 Annual spending on housing, defined as “shelter”
  • 🚗 Annual spending on transportation, defined as “gasoline, other fuels and motor oil” AND “other vehicle expenses”
  • 💊 Annual spending on healthcare
  • 💡 Annual spending on utilities, defined as “utilities, fuels, and public services”
  • 📊 Overall average annual expenditures

Spending estimates were adjusted to the state level by multiplying each cost category by its corresponding cost of living index score in each state, sourced from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center’s 2024 Q2 cost of living index data.

After calculating total consumption expenditures, an additional (7) savings buffer was calculated by assuming that total expenditures consume 80% of ones budget (50% for necessities and 30% for discretionary spending), with 20% left over for savings.

GOBankingRates then combined factors (6) and (7) and factored it out by 20 (assuming 20 years of retirement) to give (8) retirement savings needed to live comfortably. All data was collected on and up to date as of Oct. 1, 2024.

StateTotal Expenditures20% Comfort
Buffer
Annual Retirement
Cost
West Virginia$48,492$9,698$58,190
Oklahoma$49,996$9,999$59,995
Kansas$50,517$10,103$60,620
Alabama$50,980$10,196$61,176
Mississippi$51,096$10,219$61,315
Arkansas$51,211$10,242$61,454
Missouri$51,211$10,242$61,454
Iowa$52,137$10,427$62,565
Indiana$52,253$10,451$62,704
Tennessee$52,253$10,451$62,704
Georgia$52,832$10,566$63,398
Michigan$53,121$10,624$63,745
Louisiana$53,295$10,659$63,954
Texas$53,468$10,694$64,162
Kentucky$53,584$10,717$64,301
North Dakota$53,700$10,740$64,440
Illinois$53,989$10,798$64,787
Nebraska$54,047$10,809$64,856
South Dakota$54,047$10,809$64,856
New Mexico$54,163$10,833$64,995
Ohio$54,394$10,879$65,273
Montana$54,741$10,948$65,689
Minnesota$54,857$10,971$65,828
Wyoming$55,031$11,006$66,037
Pennsylvania$55,320$11,064$66,384
Wisconsin$56,130$11,226$67,356
South Carolina$56,477$11,295$67,773
North Carolina$56,998$11,400$68,398
Delaware$58,387$11,677$70,064
Idaho$58,503$11,701$70,203
Virginia$58,618$11,724$70,342
Colorado$58,908$11,782$70,689
Nevada$59,428$11,886$71,314
Utah$59,544$11,909$71,453
Florida$59,660$11,932$71,592
Arizona$63,942$12,788$76,730
Maine$64,405$12,881$77,286
Connecticut$65,504$13,101$78,605
Rhode Island$65,620$13,124$78,744
New Hampshire$65,736$13,147$78,883
New Jersey$65,794$13,159$78,952
Oregon$66,025$13,205$79,230
Vermont$66,372$13,274$79,647
Washington$66,604$13,321$79,925
Maryland$67,240$13,448$80,688
New York$71,233$14,247$85,480
Alaska$72,390$14,478$86,868
Massachusetts$83,501$16,700$100,201
California$83,906$16,781$100,687
Hawaii$107,746$21,549$129,296

🌴 Hawaii Tops the List

Hawaii ranks as the most expensive state to retire, with average annual expenditures reaching $129,296. This high cost is largely driven by steep prices for housing, groceries, and healthcare.

According to U.S. News & World Report, Hawaii consistently ranks near the top for quality of life—but retirees must be prepared for a financial commitment nearly double that of more affordable states.

🏡 Affordable Living in the Midwest and South

Retirees on a budget often find the best value in West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Kansas, where average annual retirement costs remain around $50,000 annually.

These states benefit from significantly lower housing prices, modest property taxes, and minimal day-to-day expenses.

🌆 High Costs in the Northeast and West Coast

Retiring in Massachusetts, California, and New York comes at a premium—residents in these states will spend over $70,000 per year to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. In a similar analysis by GOBankingRates, this could work out to around $1.3 to $1.6 million in total savings needed.

These states combine high housing costs, elevated healthcare expenses, and often steeper taxes. In fact, New York has the highest tax burden of any state.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

Want to retire outside of the U.S.? Check out The Best Countries to Retire In on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

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