Thousands of federal and contract jobs surrounding Washington vault the region to the top of the federal spending pyramid, measured by amount spent per person.
But finding the state that collects the most federal funds required a trip across the continent - where California's big population means big bucks from Uncle Sam.The Census Bureau released a pair of detailed annual financial reports Monday, "Federal Expenditures by State" and "Consolidated Federal Funds Report," both covering fiscal year 1995.
The reports detail the $1.4 trillion in domestic grants, benefits, subsidies, salaries and goods and services purchased by the federal government. Not included are interest on the national debt and other federal payments.
California, with the largest population, has led in federal spending for years. It is followed by New York and Texas.
Utah ranks 37th with $8.5 billion or $4,469 per person.
The per capita spending list is dominated by Virginia thanks to the combination of large military installations and the Washington suburbs in the northern part of the state. Maryland, also host to Washington suburbs, is second.
The District of Columbia would win the per capita spending race hands down if it were a state, thanks to the location of the federal government.
See box for a state-by-state list of federal spending, total and per capita, for 1995. Total spending is in millions of dollars while the per capita figure is in dollars.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Spending by state
State Total Per Capita
Ala. 22,719 5,385
Alaska 4,198 6,927
Ariz. 20,705 5,081
Ark. 11,754 4,792
Calif. 152,534 4,853
Colo. 19,196 5,251
Conn. 17,498 5,343
Del. 3,272 4,635
D.C. 21,776 38,203
Fla. 74,992 5,375
Ga. 33,121 4,695
Hawaii 7,529 6,386
Idaho 5,320 4,696
Ill. 50,934 4,334
Ind. 22,961 3,992
Iowa 12,979 4,588
Kan. 12,440 4,871
Ky. 19,991 5,224
La. 22,437 5,200
Maine 5,540 5,274
Md. 36,837 7,361
Mass. 35,838 5,937
Mich. 39,372 4,146
Minn. 18,825 4,122
Miss. 14,233 5,333
Mo. 31,418 5,953
Mont. 4,808 5,617
Neb. 7,692 4,739
Nev. 6,628 4,459
N.H. 4,856 4,271
N.J. 37,587 4,755
N.M. 11,794 7,130
N.Y. 93,781 5,162
N.C. 30,656 4,336
N.D. 3,777 5,920
Ohio 50,543 4,553
Okla. 16,086 4,937
Ore. 13,756 4,457
Pa. 64,281 5,334
R.I. 5,763 5,780
S.C. 17,814 4,862
S.D. 3,829 5,310
Tenn. 26,175 5,058
Texas 83,296 4,532
Utah 8,526 4,469
Vt. 2,671 4,605
Va. 51,305 7,830
Wash. 28,899 5,409
W. Va. 10,001 5,489
Wis. 19,815 3,899
Wyo. 2,506 5,265