Where state taxes goWest Virginia, fiscal 2023
Where do my state taxes go in West Virginia?
Of every dollar West Virginia's state government spends, 37¢ goes to public welfare and 30¢ to education.$18.0 billion of general spending in fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023): $10,195 per resident, 12th highest of the 50 states. 43% of the money came from the federal government.
Where the money goes
General spending rose 2.5% on fiscal 2022 ($17.6 billion). The table under the chart has each function per resident, its rank and its change.
Public welfare and education take 67% of West Virginia'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 |
|---|---|---|
| Public welfare 36% in all states | $6.7B | 37.0% |
| Education 32% in all states | $5.5B | 30.2% |
| Highways 6% in all states | $1.8B | 9.8% |
| Other 9% in all states | $1.3B | 7.4% |
| Government administration 4% in all states | $863.7M | 4.8% |
| Public health 3% in all states | $488.5M | 2.7% |
| Prisons and corrections 2% in all states | $462.3M | 2.6% |
| Natural resources 1% in all states | $297.3M | 1.6% |
| Hospitals 5% in all states | $231.9M | 1.3% |
| Interest on debt 1% in all states | $226.3M | 1.3% |
| State police 1% in all states | $133.9M | 0.7% |
| Parks and recreation 0% in all states | $115.1M | 0.6% |
Per resident, rank and change for every function
| Function | West Virginia per resident | All states per resident | Rank (1 = most) | Change since 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education | $3,079 | $2,787 | 20 of 50 | +4% |
| Public welfare | $3,776 | $3,193 | 14 of 50 | +6% |
| Hospitals | $131 | $408 | 28 of 50 | +137% |
| Public health | $276 | $288 | 19 of 50 | -14% |
| Highways | $995 | $534 | 4 of 50 | +7% |
| State police | $76 | $74 | 19 of 50 | +15% |
| Prisons and corrections | $261 | $197 | 10 of 50 | +36% |
| Natural resources | $168 | $112 | 14 of 50 | +6% |
| Parks and recreation | $65 | $29 | 6 of 50 | +34% |
| Government administration | $488 | $321 | 13 of 50 | -4% |
| Interest on debt | $128 | $109 | 20 of 50 | -24% |
| Other | $752 | $782 | 24 of 50 | -23% |
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances, 2023.
On your state tax bill
Your state taxes split in proportion to West Virginia'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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public welfare | $370 | $926 | $1,852 |
| Education | $302 | $755 | $1,510 |
| Highways | $98 | $244 | $488 |
| Other | $74 | $185 | $369 |
| Government administration | $48 | $120 | $239 |
| Everything else | $108 | $271 | $542 |
Where the money comes from
West Virginia collected $2.7 billion in individual income tax in fiscal 2023, 35% of its tax revenue.
Federal funds are West Virginia'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 | $8.0B | 42.8% |
| Individual income tax | $2.7B | 14.4% |
| General sales tax | $1.8B | 9.7% |
| Charges and fees (tuition, hospitals, tolls) | $1.8B | 9.4% |
| Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol, insurance) | $1.6B | 8.8% |
| Interest, lottery and other | $1.3B | 7.0% |
| Other taxes (severance, estate and others) | $867.3M | 4.6% |
| Corporate income tax | $420.0M | 2.2% |
| Licenses (vehicles, businesses, hunting) | $188.6M | 1.0% |
| Property tax | $7.7M | 0.0% |
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances, 2023.
Federal money and West Virginia
Federal taxes paid by West Virginia residents and businesses: how much federal tax West Virginia pays. Federal spending in the state: federal money in West Virginia. For federal taxes, see where your federal taxes go.
Questions and answers
- Where do my state taxes go in West Virginia?
- Of every dollar West Virginia's state government spent in fiscal year 2023 (July 2022 to June 2023), 37¢ went to public welfare, 30¢ to education and 10¢ to highways. Total general spending was $18.0 billion.
- How much does West Virginia spend per person?
- $10,195 per resident in fiscal 2023, 12th highest of the 50 states (all states together: $8,834).
- How much of West Virginia's budget comes from the federal government?
- 43% of general revenue ($8.0 billion) in fiscal 2023 came from the federal government, the largest part for Medicaid. By that share West Virginia ranks 11th of the 50 states (1st = most reliant). Taxes were 41%.
- Does West Virginia have a state income tax?
- West Virginia collected $2.7 billion in individual income tax in fiscal 2023, 35% of its tax revenue.
- How much does West Virginia spend on education and Medicaid?
- Education $5.5 billion (30%) and public welfare, mostly Medicaid, $6.7 billion (37%) in fiscal 2023. Education spending includes aid to local school districts, which then add their own property-tax money.
- How much debt does West Virginia's state government have?
- $20.2 billion at the end of fiscal 2023, $11,427 per resident. Local governments' debt is separate.
Other states
- Kentucky$9,815 per resident
- North Carolina$7,282 per resident
- Ohio$8,108 per resident
- Virginia$8,847 per resident
- Alabama$7,982 per resident
- Indiana$7,491 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.