States Ranked by the Value per Person of Federal Earmarks, Fiscal Year 2004 Omnibus Spending Bill*

The states most successful in obtaining federal earmarks on a per capita basis are not those with the largest populations. Earmarks tend to go to groups with the best political connections. An earmark refers to public funds assigned to a specific local or state project at the request of one or more members of Congress. To obtain earmarks organizations typically prepare a plan and make a request, but they also cultivate connections with members of Congress, hire lobbyists, and closely watch the budget and appropriations process.
Rank State Number of Earmarks Total Value of Earmarks Total Value Rank Value per Person
1 Washington, DC 171 $432,907,500 6 $782.09
2 Alaska 296 $495,810,758 3 $756.46
3 West Virginia 102 $378,250,591 8 $208.36
4 New Hampshire 77 $263,746,700 14 $202.96
5 Hawaii 83 $169,532,786 23 $134.25
6 Maryland 129 $483,125,000 4 $86.92
7 Montana 82 $76,207,500 38 $82.22
8 North Dakota 51 $41,798,500 47 $65.89
9 Mississippi 159 $190,193,252 22 $65.52
10 Alabama 243 $289,256,875 12 $63.85
11 South Carolina 136 $261,350,286 15 $62.25
12 Washington 223 $373,138,757 9 $60.15
13 Iowa 159 $166,530,165 24 $56.37
14 South Dakota 62 $43,192,500 46 $56.03
15 Colorado 69 $241,566,000 17 $52.50
16 Vermont 54 $31,280,666 49 $50.34
17 Idaho 74 $65,212,090 41 $46.81
18 Kentucky 210 $193,008,875 21 $46.55
19 Oklahoma 103 $152,431,000 26 $43.26
20 Utah 80 $103,330,361 34 $43.25
21 Nevada 101 $100,770,000 35 $43.16
22 Rhode Island 70 $44,475,000 45 $41.16
23 New Mexico 77 $71,433,500 40 $37.53
24 Virginia 241 $268,995,000 13 $36.06
25 Maine 60 $46,589,591 44 $35.37
26 Oregon 105 $125,689,090 31 $34.97
27 Pennsylvania 664 $422,170,775 7 $34.03
28 Massachusetts 137 $206,390,953 20 $32.17
29 Wyoming 16 $15,445,500 51 $30.49
30 Kansas 88 $82,547,333 37 $30.18
31 Delaware 26 $23,541,000 50 $28.35
32 Georgia 164 $249,875,313 16 $28.30
33 Arkansas 61 $75,133,208 39 $27.30
34 Minnesota 83 $138,566,591 27 $27.16
35 California 509 $965,451,333 1 $26.90
36 Louisiana 149 $121,406,534 32 $26.89
37 New York 442 $507,922,500 2 $26.42
38 New Jersey 126 $227,890,689 19 $26.20
39 Illinois 251 $328,345,041 11 $25.83
40 Wisconsin 147 $132,720,500 29 $24.09
41 Missouri 176 $138,152,707 28 $24.01
42 Texas 284 $469,490,902 5 $20.88
43 Ohio 293 $235,838,500 18 $20.58
44 Florida 299 $345,370,000 10 $19.85
45 Tennessee 102 $113,142,554 33 $19.17
46 Nebraska 46 $31,305,666 48 $17.92
47 Connecticut 73 $62,653,667 43 $17.88
48 Arizona 67 $91,636,786 36 $15.95
49 Michigan 170 $154,340,591 25 $15.26
50 North Carolina 149 $126,968,991 30 $14.87
51 Indiana 75 $63,342,000 42 $10.15
  International 15 $29,044,999    
  US Territories 18 $27,300,000    
  Miscellaneous 37 $185,224,000    
  Unknown 47 $46,986,000    
  Total 7,931 $10,728,026,976    
long description of table

Source: Taxpayers for Common Sense. (full source, footnote)