A new analysis by the personal finance website WalletHub ranks Iowa among the least federally dependent states in the country. The 2026 report, released ahead of the April 15 federal tax filing deadline, compares states based on their reliance on federal support relative to the taxes its residents pay, federal funding as a share of state revenue, and the number of federal jobs in each state. Overall, Iowa ranked 41st in the study, placing it among the 10 least federally dependent states. Iowa ranked 27th for return on taxes paid to the federal government, 33rd for federal funding as a share of state revenue, and 47th for the share of federal jobs. According to WalletHub, Alaska was the most federally dependent state, followed by Kentucky and West Virginia. The least dependent state was New Jersey, followed by Massachusetts, then Delaware. Interestingly, the study also found a strong relationship between federal dependency and wealth, noting that states with lower per-capita gross domestic product tend to receive more federal support. A link to WalletHub’s full report is included with this story on our website.
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https://wallethub.com/edu/states-most-least-dependent-on-the-federal-government/2700
