Where state taxes goWashington, fiscal 2023
Where do my state taxes go in Washington?
Of every dollar Washington's state government spends, 39¢ goes to education and 25¢ to public welfare.$74.4 billion of general spending in fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023): $9,486 per resident, 18th highest of the 50 states. 33% of the money came from the federal government.
Where the money goes
General spending rose 10.2% on fiscal 2022 ($67.5 billion). The table under the chart has each function per resident, its rank and its change.
Education and public welfare take 64% of Washington's spending
State government general expenditure by function, fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023). Small print: the share in all 50 states combined.
| Function | Spending | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Education 32% in all states | $28.6B | 38.5% |
| Public welfare 36% in all states | $18.8B | 25.3% |
| Public health 3% in all states | $5.8B | 7.8% |
| Hospitals 5% in all states | $5.4B | 7.3% |
| Other 9% in all states | $4.9B | 6.6% |
| Highways 6% in all states | $4.1B | 5.5% |
| Government administration 4% in all states | $1.7B | 2.3% |
| Prisons and corrections 2% in all states | $1.4B | 1.9% |
| Natural resources 1% in all states | $1.4B | 1.8% |
| Interest on debt 1% in all states | $1.2B | 1.6% |
| State police 1% in all states | $610.4M | 0.8% |
| Parks and recreation 0% in all states | $438.5M | 0.6% |
Per resident, rank and change for every function
| Function | Washington per resident | All states per resident | Rank (1 = most) | Change since 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education | $3,654 | $2,787 | 8 of 50 | +6% |
| Public welfare | $2,404 | $3,193 | 35 of 50 | +14% |
| Hospitals | $691 | $408 | 11 of 50 | +18% |
| Public health | $737 | $288 | 2 of 50 | +3% |
| Highways | $519 | $534 | 29 of 50 | +24% |
| State police | $78 | $74 | 18 of 50 | +12% |
| Prisons and corrections | $185 | $197 | 25 of 50 | +10% |
| Natural resources | $175 | $112 | 12 of 50 | +32% |
| Parks and recreation | $56 | $29 | 9 of 50 | +21% |
| Government administration | $216 | $321 | 42 of 50 | +20% |
| Interest on debt | $148 | $109 | 15 of 50 | +2% |
| Other | $625 | $782 | 32 of 50 | +5% |
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances, 2023.
On your state tax bill
Your state taxes split in proportion to Washington's 2023 general spending. State spending is funded by taxes, federal funds and fees together, so this shows how a tax dollar divides, not which dollar pays for what.
| Goes to | Of $1,000 | Of $2,500 | Of $5,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | $385 | $963 | $1,926 |
| Public welfare | $253 | $633 | $1,267 |
| Public health | $78 | $194 | $388 |
| Hospitals | $73 | $182 | $364 |
| Other | $66 | $165 | $329 |
| Everything else | $145 | $362 | $725 |
Where the money comes from
Washington collected $846.8 million in individual income tax in fiscal 2023, 2% of its tax revenue.
Federal funds are Washington's largest source of general revenue
State government general revenue by source, fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023)
| Source | Revenue | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Federal funds | $24.5B | 33.0% |
| General sales tax | $22.8B | 30.8% |
| Charges and fees (tuition, hospitals, tolls) | $7.2B | 9.8% |
| Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol, insurance) | $5.3B | 7.2% |
| Property tax | $4.5B | 6.0% |
| Interest, lottery and other | $4.4B | 5.9% |
| Other taxes (severance, estate and others) | $2.5B | 3.3% |
| Licenses (vehicles, businesses, hunting) | $2.1B | 2.8% |
| Individual income tax | $846.8M | 1.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances, 2023.
Federal money and Washington
Federal taxes paid by Washington residents and businesses: how much federal tax Washington pays. Federal spending in the state: federal money in Washington. For federal taxes, see where your federal taxes go.
Questions and answers
- Where do my state taxes go in Washington?
- Of every dollar Washington's state government spent in fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023), 39¢ went to education, 25¢ to public welfare and 8¢ to public health. Total general spending was $74.4 billion.
- How much does Washington spend per person?
- $9,486 per resident in fiscal 2023, 18th highest of the 50 states (all states together: $8,834).
- How much of Washington's budget comes from the federal government?
- 33% of general revenue ($24.5 billion) in fiscal 2023 came from the federal government, the largest part for Medicaid. By that share Washington ranks 37th of the 50 states (1st = most reliant). Taxes were 51%.
- Does Washington have a state income tax?
- Washington collected $846.8 million in individual income tax in fiscal 2023, 2% of its tax revenue.
- How much does Washington spend on education and Medicaid?
- Education $28.6 billion (39%) and public welfare, mostly Medicaid, $18.8 billion (25%) in fiscal 2023. Education spending includes aid to local school districts, which then add their own property-tax money.
- How much debt does Washington's state government have?
- $24.5 billion at the end of fiscal 2023, $3,128 per resident. Local governments' debt is separate.
Other states
- Idaho$7,235 per resident
- Oregon$11,767 per resident
- California$12,045 per resident
- Montana$7,636 per resident
- Nevada$7,388 per resident
- North Dakota$11,780 per resident
Sources and notes
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances, "ASFIN State Totals" tables for 2022 and 2023 (Last Revised: September 16, 2025). Thousands of dollars in the source. Public domain.
- General expenditure is the state government's spending excluding its utilities, liquor stores and insurance trust funds (state employee pensions and unemployment benefits). It includes aid passed to local governments.
- Fiscal years end on 30 June in 46 states; New York (31 March), Texas (31 August), and Alabama and Michigan (30 September) differ.
- Population: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimates, July 2023.