New York State government's per-capita spending in 2005 was the fourth highest in the nation and 43 percent above the national average, a Public Policy Institute analysis of new Census Bureau data shows.
The new data detailed the revenue and spending of all 50 states (including certain public authorities, but not including local governments) in 2005. New York State's per-capita spending was $7,082 that year, well above the $4,961 national average. The only states that spent more were Vermont ($7,127), Wyoming ($7,861), and Alaska ($12,146).
New York's per-capita state tax burden in 2005 was the 11th highest in the nation at $2,598. That number, 19 percent above the national average, includes all state taxes collected, but does not include local property or other taxes.
The analysis also found:
• New York spent more on welfare, including some Medicaid spending, than any other state in the country. The $2,209 per-capita total was 78 percent above the national average of $1,244.
• New York's debt in 2005 was $5,280 – the fifth highest in the nation and 96 percent above the national average of $2,693.
• The state ranked sixth in per-capita spending on health care at $285. That number was 73 percent above the national average of $165.
• Per-capita hospital spending in New York was $211 in 2005, 46 percent above the national average.
•The state's per-capita education spending was 8 percent above the national average at $1,657– 18th in the nation.
The Census Bureau data are available at www.census.gov/govs/www/state05.html.
Per-capita state spending and taxes, 2005
Rank, per-capita spending State Per capita- spending Total spending Rank, per- capita taxes Per-capita taxes 1 Alaska $12,146 $8,055,975 7 $2,802 2 Wyoming $7,861 $3,999,825 3 $3,419 3 Vermont $7,127 $4,435,774 1 $3,604 4 NEW YORK $7,082 $136,786,401 11 $2,598 5 Delaware $7,014 $5,904,256 6 $3,077 6 Hawaii $6,601 $8,405,444 2 $3,483 7 New Mexico $6,542 $12,599,040 21 $2,322 8 Rhode Island $6,291 $6,753,641 12 $2,449 9 Massachusetts $5,911 $38,025,089 8 $2,800 10 Minnesota $5,885 $30,169,448 5 $3,098 11 California $5,802 $209,771,313 9 $2,723 12 Connecticut $5,771 $20,203,170 4 $3,309 13 Maine $5,678 $7,484,638 19 $2,330 14 New Jersey $5,657 $49,230,773 10 $2,635 15 North Dakota $5,501 $3,490,904 22 $2,211 16 West Virginia $5,417 $9,826,128 15 $2,371 17 South Carolina $5,347 $22,708,996 42 $1,723 18 Oregon $5,333 $19,406,306 41 $1,792 19 Ohio $5,295 $60,742,802 28 $2,093 20 Washington $5,254 $33,059,244 17 $2,359 21 Wisconsin $5,215 $28,828,334 14 $2,379 22 Montana $5,135 $4,800,120 33 $2,006 23 Michigan $5,090 $51,408,421 20 $2,329 24 Pennsylvania $5,065 $62,833,258 23 $2,198 25 Mississippi $5,056 $14,704,763 39 $1,868 26 Arkansas $4,912 $13,634,214 16 $2,361 27 Kentucky $4,815 $20,091,176 24 $2,179 28 Maryland $4,795 $26,803,282 13 $2,415 29 Iowa $4,769 $14,142,676 34 $1,939 30 Louisiana $4,748 $21,402,115 36 $1,917 31 Alabama $4,627 $21,046,841 44 $1,715 32 North Carolina $4,553 $39,482,250 26 $2,149 33 Utah $4,477 $11,148,591 38 $1,882 34 Oklahoma $4,434 $15,710,022 35 $1,936 35 New Hampshire $4,426 $5,783,853 48 $1,547 36 Illinois $4,361 $55,666,989 29 $2,069 37 Virginia $4,335 $32,790,458 27 $2,104 38 Idaho $4,294 $6,137,489 30 $2,053 39 Kansas $4,281 $11,765,208 32 $2,037 40 Indiana $4,221 $26,451,543 31 $2,051 41 South Dakota $4,209 $3,261,813 49 $1,433 42 Nebraska $4,137 $7,273,406 25 $2,159 43 Tennessee $4,028 $23,989,642 45 $1,680 44 Colorado $4,025 $18,769,570 47 $1,640 45 Arizona $4,024 $23,957,058 40 $1,849 46 Missouri $3,993 $23,147,448 46 $1,646 47 Florida $3,963 $70,417,744 37 $1,908 48 Nevada $3,796 $9,158,273 18 $2,351 49 Georgia $3,702 $33,806,582 43 $1,716 50 Texas $3,549 $81,368,646 50 $1,430 United States $4,961 $1,470,840,952 $2,186 New York State % +/- US average 43% 19%