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

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.
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.

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.
State | Total Expenditures | 20% 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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