New research suggests some of the states most closely tied to the federal government may not be the ones you expect
New research suggests some of the states most closely tied to the federal government may not be the ones you expect  
Podcast: The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Published On: Thu Jun 04 2026
Description: For years, rankings of state dependence on federal spending have focused largely on government transfers. A new study from the Pioneer Institute takes a broader view, incorporating everything from Social Security and Medicare to defense spending, military payrolls and disaster assistance. The results challenge some conventional assumptions, placing Maryland and Virginia among the states most dependent on federal dollars. To learn more, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Liam Day of the Pioneer Institute.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.