For once, Louisiana isn’t ranked No. 48, 49 or 50 nationally.
In fact, when it comes to state and local government spending per capita, the state stands at No. 24, spending about $9,000 on each citizen.
As USA Today reports, Louisiana also collects the 18th lowest amount of state and local taxes. The rankings are based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 State and Local Government finances report.
Nonetheless, Louisiana still has the second highest poverty rate in the country. Its largest government spending category is health and welfare, which makes up 30.5% of spending.
While federal taxes usually get the most attention, the average American spends well over $2,000 per year on state and local taxes. In return, state and municipal governments provide a range of services year round, but amount spent by state and local government on citizens varies significantly.
Alaska spends the most on its citizens, at over $20,000, while Idaho spends the least, at $6,493.
