Feds Spend $20k Per Person In Virginia, $16k In Maryland

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell likes to advertise that his state, unlike Maryland, is not overly reliant on the federal government -- but studies reveal the commonwealth's economy is in just as much danger as its northern neighbor if Congress slashes its budget.

Virginia ranks third in the country for federal spending per capita, with Maryland falling two steps behind at No. 5.

The federal government spent nearly $20,000 per person in Virginia in fiscal 2009, compared with roughly $16,000 per capita in Maryland, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. As a percentage of personal income, federal spending accounted for roughly 45 percent and 47 percent of per-capita income in Virginia and in Maryland, respectively.

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