Those figures rank fourth- and third-highest, respectively, in our study. In 2012, 24.2% of people in Mississippi lived below the poverty line, more than any other state. For families living in poverty, the federal food stamp program, together with Alaska's welfare system, can cover families for more than 80% of the federal poverty level and the highest combined benefit as of 2013. That same year, the average state or local pension beneficiary received more than $29,000 per year, one of the largest average benefits in the U.S. During his tenure, Governor Chris Christie has pushed through reforms in both teacher tenure and pension spending. States Doling Out The Least Benefits, ALSO READ: America's Disappearing Restaurant Chains, 10. At $8,988 per capita, the high tax revenue may help explain the state's generous benefit programs that year. This largely speaks to the partisan divide when it comes to state Medicaid expansion. With the cost of living rising in many parts of the country, state … Considering their high incomes and the state's low poverty rate, Alaska residents may have been able to afford it. Alabama > Average pension benefits: $21,921 (24th highest) > Total per pupil spending: $8,813 (12th lowest) > Medicaid payments per enrollee: $4,150 (4th lowest) > Tax collections per capita: $1,801 (10th lowest). Rhode Islanders received another relatively generous benefit. Maryland > Average pension benefits: $22,173 (18th highest) > Total per pupil spending: $13,871 (8th highest) > Medicaid payments per enrollee: $7,046 (10th highest) > Tax collections per capita: $2,756 (15th highest). This included just $1,152 per student on employee benefits, lower than all but one state, and $1,100 less than the U.S. average. Unemployed workers received an average benefit of nearly $423, or 52.5% of the average weekly wage, as of the third quarter of 2013 -- both more than any other state. Total balance of payments: -$4.4 billion. "You wonder if it isn't to some extent a case of chicken-and-egg," he said. Florida had one of the lowest rates of health insurance coverage in the country as of 2012. Tennessee > Average pension benefits: $16,626 (9th lowest) > Total per pupil spending: $8,242 (6th lowest) > Medicaid payments per enrollee: $5,565 (20th lowest) > Tax collections per capita: $1,761 (8th lowest), No state ranks below Tennessee in providing benefits to its residents. Connecticut. 8. Of the 10 states that spent the least on their social programs, all but one — Florida — voted Republican. Medicaid payments per enrollee for fiscal 2010 are from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Last year, the state also eliminated its asset limit, which had previously left many families unqualified for TANF due to their savings and other assets. In addition to its high Medicaid expenses, New York also led the nation in per pupil spending as of fiscal 2011, at more than $19,000. If Indiana lawmakers do not intervene this year, the change could cost beneficiaries a great deal. New Jersey was among the nation's highest spenders on education as of fiscal 2011, spending close to $16,000 per pupil. In 2011, Governor Peter Shumlin signed into law Green Mountain Healthcare, a single-payer plan. Similarly, states that were close to the bottom of our list for doling out benefits and services spent less than average in nearly every spending category. Indiana > Average pension benefits: $16,679 (10th lowest) > Total per pupil spending: $9,370 (20th lowest) > Medicaid payments per enrollee: $4,790 (7th lowest) > Tax collections per capita: $2,292 (22nd lowest), Indiana pension recipients received just $16,679 in fiscal 2011, much lower than the national average pension of $25,135 that year. Right now, the states already bear a substantial burden. Of the 10 states that ranked as the most generous, nine voted Democratic in the last presidential election, with Alaska as the exceptions. As of 2012, the state did not fund any retiree health insurance programs, unlike the majority of states. For those Arizonans who are still not gainfully employed, the state has one of the least generous unemployment insurance programs. The state's 2006 health care reforms, often considered a model for the ACA, are likely the reason for the high coverage rates in the state. This was less than all but a few other states. Most of the least generous states have among the lowest median incomes in the country. There is also information about council tax and housing costs, national insurance, payment of benefits and problems with benefits. Of the 10 states that spent the least on their social programs, all but one — Florida — voted Republican. Beginning in July, workers hired by the state will be eligible for a hybrid pension plan that requires contributions by both employees and the state. That same year, the average state or local pension beneficiary received more than $29,000 per year, one of the largest average benefits in the U.S. During his tenure, Governor Chris Christie has pushed through reforms in both teacher tenure and pension spending. Like most states, Maryland's pension program took a hit during the recession, losing 20% of its value in 2009. Oklahoma spent less than $8,000 per public school student in 2011, less than any other state except for Idaho and Utah. Last year, Tennessee decided to overhaul its pension system. Hawaii also has a two-tiered system of TANF benefit levels, depending on the ability of a family member to work. 24/7 Wall St. identified the states that guaranteed the most benefits in these five categories, and the states that guaranteed the least. Median household income in the state was $67,712 in 2012, higher than all but two other states. States that spent more on benefits were also more likely to have higher median incomes, which mean that tax bases were also higher. And with Vermont officials pushing for universal coverage, health coverage in the state may improve even more. Click here to see the states with the least government benefits. 6. 6. Right now, the states already bear a substantial burden. Hawaii> Average pension benefits: $23,457 (16th highest)> Total per pupil spending: $12,004 (13th highest)> Medicaid payments per enrollee: $5,132 (13th lowest)> Tax collections per capita: $3,548 (7th highest). In 2008, the state acknowledged only a minimal obligation for health insurance for retirees. That year, just 10.8% of residents lived below the poverty line, less than in all but four other states. You might not want to select this state if nice weather is at the top of your must-have list, … Considering their high incomes and the state's low poverty rate, Alaska residents may have been able to afford it. But it is a difficult question to answer.”, In order to assess how much or how little a state guarantees in benefits and services, 24/7 Wall St. examined spending by each state on a number of different programs. 3. In addition, compensation for teachers in Mississippi’s K-12 system was among the worst in the country in fiscal year 2011. Beneficiaries of Pennsylvania’s unemployment insurance program received more than $357 per week on average in 2013, among the most in the country. Rhode Island > Average pension benefits: $31,548 (3rd highest) > Total per pupil spending: $13,815 (9th highest) > Medicaid payments per enrollee: $8,229 (5th highest) > Tax collections per capita: $2,603 (18th highest). As of the most recent quarter, only care in Alaska was more expensive, according to MERIC. The reasons some states spend more than others on benefits and programs is complicated. Few school systems are less well-funded than Arizona’s. In fiscal year 2011, the state’s per pupil expenditures on educator salaries and employee benefits were also among the lowest in the nation -- $4,361 and $1,402, respectively. The political climate can also influence how much a state collects in taxes, with Democratic states collecting more than Republican states. The state collected just $1,682 per person in taxes in fiscal 2011, compared to a state average of $2,441. Benefit calculators, how payments work, changes of circumstance, benefit fraud and appeals. (Photo: The Rose Island Lighthouse). 8. 3. The plan is expected to be fully implemented by 2017. Connecticut pension beneficiaries received generous payments in 2011 of more than $35,000 on average -- the highest in the country. The state was also a high spender on Medicaid, paying $6,841 per enrollee as of fiscal 2010, 12th most in the nation. These pages give you information on benefits and tax credits if you are working or unemployed, sick or disabled, a parent, a young person, an older person or a veteran. Purple states were almost exactly at the national level with 32.92 percent coming from Washington. 1. While states receive partial federal funding for TANF and Medicaid, they have considerable discretion over how to implement these programs. While state residents rely heavily on federal benefit programs, they are less able to rely on state-level benefit programs. Christie recently began his second term as governor with a "State of the State" speech, in which he pushed further reforms to both education and state pensions. The state was similarly sparse in spending on education, unemployment insurance benefits, and pension benefits. ALSO READ: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools. State Income Tax Breaks for Retirees . 9. As of the middle of last year, however, the fund had recovered substantially, exceeding $40 billion in value. Red state budgets averaged 35.75 percent federal money. Thirteen out of the top 15 states found to be most dependent on the federal government voted for President Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Unemployment insurance in North Carolina amounted to more than 36% of the typical weekly wage through the third quarter of 2013, higher than the national rate of 32.9%. The theme of most welfare histories is 'the coming of the welfare state' as though all previous forms of welfare were temporary and incomplete, that it … Oklahoma > Average pension benefits: $18,558 (12th lowest) > Total per pupil spending: $7,587 (3rd lowest) > Medicaid payments per enrollee: $4,782 (6th lowest) > Tax collections per capita: $2,057 (14th lowest). Check out your Social Security Statement, change your address & manage your benefits online today. Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about. Connecticut residents were also among the wealthiest in the nation as of 2012, with more than 11% earning $200,000 or more per year, the highest proportion nationally. © 2021 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Similarly, states that were close to the bottom of our list for doling out benefits and services spent less than average in nearly every spending category. All data used were for the most recent available year. 24/7 Wall St. identified the states that guaranteed the most benefits in these five categories, and the states that guaranteed the least. High state tax revenue — $8,988 per capita — may have helped account for Vermont's generous benefit programs that year. Nearly one in five households relied on food stamps that year, second-most nationally. A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/26/states-with-the-most-government-benefits/4899375/. Nebraska. Rhode Island> Average pension benefits: $31,548 (3rd highest)> Total per pupil spending: $13,815 (9th highest)> Medicaid payments per enrollee: $8,229 (5th highest)> Tax collections per capita: $2,603 (18th highest). During the 12 months through the third quarter of last year, however, Alaska's unemployed received $250 per week, on average, relatively small compared to the rest of the U.S. Additionally, more than one in five people in Alaska did not have health insurance in 2012, more than nearly any other state. Total Score ‘State Residents’ Dependency’ Rank ‘State Government’s Dependency’ Rank . The jobless received unemployment checks worth nearly 40% of the typical weekly wage on average over the 12 months through the third quarter of last year, among the best compensation nationally. How benefits work. The state was also a high spender on Medicaid, paying $6,841 per enrollee as of fiscal 2010, 12th most in the nation. New Jersey was also a leader in Medicaid spending per enrollee, ranking third in the nation in fiscal 2010. This was more than $6,000 per student above the national rate. New York> Average pension benefits: $30,871 (5th highest)> Total per pupil spending: $19,076 (the highest)> Medicaid payments per enrollee: $8,910 (2nd highest)> Tax collections per capita: $3,497 (8th highest). In fiscal 2011, the state spent $8,312 per public school student, more than $2,000 less than the expenditure on a typical American pupil. Overall, however, Alaskans have access to very generous benefits. However, a decision on whether to allow the state to reinvest this money within its own health system is pending. Rhode Island, which ranked as the top-spending state this year, spent in the top 15 in all five measures we considered. Universal Credit. 1: New Mexico: 85.80: 1: 5: 2: Kentucky: 78.18: 3: 7: 3: Mississippi: 77.02: 6: 4: 4: West Virginia: 73.86: 5: 9: 5: Montana: 70.78: 14: 2: 6: Alaska: 68.61: 7: 8: 7: South Carolina: 67.58: 4: 16: 8: Indiana: 64.37: 8: 11: 9: Arizona: 62.71: 13: 6: 10: Wyoming: 62.26: 24: 1: … South Carolina paid a single-parent family of three just $216 per week in TANF benefits as of 2013, less than all but a handful of states. As of fiscal 2011, the state ranked in the bottom-third nationwide in per-pupil spending. 3. ALSO READ: The Worst Product Flops of 2013, 4. In fact, all five of the states with the highest median income are among the top spenders on social programs. However, this may have been in part due to the high cost of health care in the state. The act was designed to lower the state's overall pension liabilities, which were projected to increase under the previous system. In 2012, just 6.5% of Vermont’s population didn't have health insurance, less than half the national rate. On a per-student basis, the state was also among the highest spenders on both teachers and school system workers. Washington Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. New York was one of the top benefit spenders in the nation on a wide range of state programs. A link has been sent to your friend's email address. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: States That Spend the Most and Least on Welfare. TANF benefit levels were among the highest in the nation as well last year, due in part to a state program that includes a number of different components, including a variable amount for rent that well exceeds what some states give in TANF benefits. Many state government-run pension plans are running short of the money needed to pay 100% of the retirement benefits that state politicians have promised to the teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other employees of state governments. Additionally, Medicaid spending per enrollee as of fiscal 2010 totalled just $4,150, less than in all but three other states. 4. Pennsylvania was also a top spender on education as of fiscal 2011. However, a decision on whether to allow the state to reinvest this money within its own health system is pending. 1. Due in part to high taxes, the state’s revenue in 2011 was $17,630 per capita, by far the highest in the nation that year. 24/7 Wall St. is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Vermont > Average pension benefits: $15,802 (6th lowest) > Total per pupil spending: $15,925 (4th highest) > Medicaid payments per enrollee: $6,158 (18th highest) > Tax collections per capita: $4,293 (4th highest). 5. Arkansas - Arkansas currently has six retirement systems which cover most employees at the state and local level: Judicial Retirement, Public Employees Retirement, State Highway Employees Retirement, State Police Retirement, District Judges Retirement, and Teacher Retirement. Alabama was among the lowest spenders on a number of programs. However, this was not always the case. They pay for public pension plans, unemployment insurance, education, Medicaid, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF), among other benefits. The average unemployment insurance program accounted for barely one quarter of average lost wages, lower than all but two states. Recently, Haley publicly disclosed plans to increase education spending by $160 million. Teacher salaries and benefits were among the highest at that time as well. By either measure this was more than any other state. Massachusetts > Average pension benefits: $29,067 (9th highest) > Total per pupil spending: $13,941 (7th highest) > Medicaid payments per enrollee: $6,841 (12th highest) > Tax collections per capita: $3,361 (9th highest). Older U.S. residents are automatically covered by the federally funded Medicare program. In an interview with 24/7 Wall St, Michael Leachman, director of state fiscal research at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), explained that it's hard to explain why states that have a greater need for public assistance spend less, while states with better-off populations spend more on benefits. Last year, the state also eliminated its asset limit, which had previously left many families unqualified for TANF due to their savings and other assets. Information on TANF figures is from the CBPP. Per pupil spending on K-12 schools was the seventh highest in the nation that year, while the average annual benefit payment to state and local pension beneficiaries was ninth-highest in the U.S. ALSO READ: Cities Selling the Most Distressed Homes, 7. State residents covered by Medicaid received an average of just $4,434 per person, more than $1,000 less than the U.S. average. 6. What If You Have Fewer Than 35 Years of National Insurance Contributions? Out-of-work Louisiana residents received just $206 per week on average in unemployment insurance benefits as of the third quarter of 2013, second-lowest in the U.S. Of the states that spent the most on weekly TANF cash assistance, for example, the vast majority had among the lowest poverty rates in the country.