States’ Debts Total Over $4 Trillion
A new report by State Budget Solutions’ Andrew Guevara estimates that states are $4 trillion in debt. Guevara adds outstanding state debt issues ($600.4 billion), unfunded pension obligations ($2.86 trillion), unfunded retiree health benefits ($606.8 billion), unemployment benefit loans from the federal government ($37.0 billion), and budget gaps ($133.0 billion).
Below is a chart of the total debt by state:
| State | Debt (thousands of $) |
Debt Per Capita |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $60,412,502 | $12,639 |
| Alaska | $27,962,377 | $39,371 |
| Arizona | $59,220,240 | $9,265 |
| Arkansas | $25,020,643 | $8,581 |
| California | $612,054,955 | $16,429 |
| Colorado | $80,386,294 | $15,984 |
| Connecticut | $99,751,147 | $27,909 |
| Delaware | $14,424,923 | $16,065 |
| Florida | $139,156,956 | $7,401 |
| Georgia | $97,478,050 | $10,062 |
| Hawaii | $36,310,406 | $26,693 |
| Idaho | $11,953,729 | $7,626 |
| Illinois | $280,595,828 | $21,869 |
| Indiana | $38,710,138 | $5,970 |
| Iowa | $25,989,741 | $8,531 |
| Kansas | $28,538,211 | $10,002 |
| Kentucky | $63,268,507 | $14,580 |
| Louisiana | $63,084,841 | $13,916 |
| Maine | $17,692,888 | $13,319 |
| Maryland | $81,502,963 | $14,117 |
| Massachusetts | $97,940,986 | $14,958 |
| Michigan | $125,329,485 | $12,680 |
| Minnesota | $70,806,990 | $13,350 |
| Mississippi | $38,278,314 | $12,900 |
| Missouri | $66,307,890 | $11,072 |
| Montana | $9,533,441 | $9,635 |
| Nebraska | $7,805,175 | $4,274 |
| Nevada | $41,883,947 | $15,509 |
| New Hampshire | $14,955,434 | $11,360 |
| New Jersey | $281,544,674 | $32,023 |
| New Mexico | $37,802,200 | $18,358 |
| New York | $305,308,390 | $15,755 |
| North Carolina | $97,376,318 | $10,212 |
| North Dakota | $6,255,605 | $9,301 |
| Ohio | $240,236,606 | $20,824 |
| Oklahoma | $36,952,387 | $9,850 |
| Oregon | $58,019,973 | $15,145 |
| Pennsylvania | $147,788,481 | $11,635 |
| Rhode Island | $19,497,824 | $18,524 |
| South Carolina | $56,539,512 | $12,224 |
| South Dakota | $6,585,256 | $8,088 |
| Tennessee | $35,239,489 | $5,553 |
| Texas | $282,558,281 | $11,237 |
| Utah | $24,792,086 | $8,970 |
| Vermont | $6,043,582 | $9,658 |
| Virginia | $65,105,037 | $8,137 |
| Washington | $83,215,274 | $12,375 |
| West Virginia | $22,941,837 | $12,381 |
| Wisconsin | $81,154,800 | $14,270 |
| Wyoming | $6,992,094 | $12,406 |
| Total | $4,238,306,708 | $13,728 |
Was this page helpful to you?
Thank You!
The Tax Foundation works hard to provide insightful tax policy analysis. Our work depends on support from members of the public like you. Would you consider contributing to our work?
Contribute to the Tax FoundationShare This Article!
Let us know how we can better serve you!
We work hard to make our analysis as useful as possible. Would you consider telling us more about how we can do better?
Give Us Feedback