Public Policy Institute of New York State, Inc. The Public Policy Institute of New York State, Inc.

Just the Facts - Key Economic and Social Indicators for New York State

State and Local Welfare Spending Per Capita, 1997

Table 44
Rank State Amt.   Rank State Amt.
1 NEW YORK $1,429   27 Louisiana $674
2 Maine 1,090   28 North Carolina 667
3 Alaska 1,073   29 Arkansas 664
4 Minnesota 1,005   30 Mississippi 651
5 Massachusetts 925   31 New Jersey 651
6 Connecticut 885   32 Nebraska 640
7 West Virginia 883   33 Iowa 632
8 Vermont 871   34 Maryland 605
9 Rhode Island 866   35 Alabama 596
10 Kentucky 831   36 Colorado 590
11 Pennsylvania 831   37 Montana 590
12 Hawaii 827   38 Missouri 581
13 New Hampshire 805   39 Indiana 579
14 California 779   40 Arizona 578
15 Wisconsin 773   41 Texas 575
16 North Dakota 757   42 South Dakota 552
17 Ohio 757   43 Wyoming 548
18 New Mexico 752   44 Florida 540
19 Oregon 738   45 Virginia 538
20 Michigan 727   46 Idaho 523
21 Georgia 724   47 Oklahoma 511
22 Washington 723   48 Utah 481
23 Illinois 712   49 Kansas 445
24 Tennessee 703   50 Nevada 422
25 South Carolina 696   U.S. average
$747
26 Delaware 682   N.Y.S. % above avg.
91.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau data; calculations by The Public Policy Institute http://www.census.gov/govs/www/cog.html
The Census Bureau includes cash benefits as well as Medicaid and some other payments in its definition of "welfare."